Thriller
Thriller
| 14 April 1973 (USA)
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Seasons & Episodes
  • 6
  • 5
  • 4
  • 3
  • 2
  • 1
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    Reviews
    Tedfoldol

    everything you have heard about this movie is true.

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    Chirphymium

    It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

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    Neive Bellamy

    Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

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    Jenna Walter

    The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

    the fox

    Surly one of the best english tv series from the 1970th. Also well know, fine actors in nearly all episodes, and great writing from Brian Clemens. If you,re a child of the 70th, like myself, I only can say - like this time was! See it and enjoy it....you know: they don,t make stuff like that anymore!

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    les-ven

    After viewing the Network Box Set of "Thriller" for the second time, I am surprised at some of the views on certain episodes and also the votes on the "Popularity Chart". Whilst "A Coffin for the Bride" is arguably the best episode, some of those near the top are certainly not my favourites whilst others near the bottom are some of the best. I also thought Series 6 was good apart from "Nightmare for a Nightingale" (a good story spoilt by poor acting especially from Sydney Tafler) and "The Next Victim". In the latter I am sure I have seen a version when the tirade from Maurice Kaufman at the end, was a lot longer, and this improved the storyline. The ending on this seemed quite abrupt. The opening episode "Sleepwalker" was excellent and proved a memorable night as it was screened after the last episode of "Dixon of Dock Green". On first viewing however, I thought the girl was guided in her sleep into a secret room in her house, where there were Gothic acts going on and she was being drugged each time it happened. I may have got this mixed up with another story/programme. "Kill Two Birds" was another highlight. The two episodes featuring Matthew Earp "An Echo of Theresa" and "The Next Scream You Here" were also near the top of my chart. "K is for Killing" and "Kiss Me an Die" were very poor along with "Possession". Two "popular" episodes "Only a Scream Away" and "Screamer" deteriorated a lot after first viewing. However I thought that two of the least "popular" episodes, "Night is the Time for Killing" and "Murder Motel" were two of the best. The only problem with the latter was the dreadful performance from the leading American lady. "The Colour of Blood", "The Eyes Have It", "Sign in Death", "Come Out Come Out, Wherever You Are" and "Good Salary Prospects Free Coffin" were other highlights. The story I cannot remember seeing, either originally, or as TV repeat or by Video, was "File It Under Fear".

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    nick-799

    Agree with previous comments. Anybody in the UK around 40 - who remembers that haunting theme tune and the blood red fish-eye logo will get a tingle when the word Thriller is mentioned. I remember vividly watching episodes of this fine series with my twin brother while wolfing down our Nan's "cheesy chips". Remember the assassins in the blind school?!!!!!! The series is available on DVD at last and there are plans to release a Series 2. Episodes comprise: 1. Lady Killer 2. Possession 3. Someone At The Top Of The Stairs 4. An Echo Of Theresa 5. The Colour Of Blood 6. Murder In Mind 7. A Place To Die 8. File It Under Fear 9. The Eyes Have It 10. Spell Of Evil. DVD is UK format only - and retails at around £18-00. Buy it! - it will bring back glorious memories of Saturday evening viewing in the 70's and though some episodes are more dated than others - all have something to recommend them.

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    all-briscoe

    A truly-exceptional series that has largely disappeared into obscurity. This is despite it achieving considerable critical and popular approval when broadcast in the 1970's. It is one of the few British series to have achieved success in the USA and it is not difficult to see why it achieved such popularity.Unlike most series, "Thriller" was an anthology of separate stories, without recurring characters or situations. This allowed great flexibility in terms of style and story-writing but unfortunately made it more difficult to achieve a long-term identity.When broadcast in the USA and given a rare repeat in the UK in the 1980's it was billed as discrete movies, further eroding its identity.The show had a very unusual length of just over an hour of action. This allowed more chance to develop stories and explore characters, to great effect. However it also created scheduling problems and has probably helped to kill the chance of further repeats. Unlike better-remembered but unquestionably inferior productions of the time, it was shot on video-tape. Once again artistically this was a great success. It made the action darker and more claustrophobic. Unfortunately this also made repeats less likely with filmed action usually seen as more likely to win wider viewer-approval.Most credit must go to Brian Clemens. He created the series, wrote most episodes entirely and provided the outlines for all of them. His writing was first-class, and well-supported by guest writers such as Terence Feely. He produced highly intriguing, unsettling, often frightening stories. Astutely, violence was largely kept off-screen and the exact motives of characters were frequently well-hidden. Viewers were forced to use their imaginations, making for deeper and more satisfied viewing. Characterisations were very sophisticated but suitably enigmatic. Most stories featured extraordinary twists and some terrifying scenes.Direction could still have set things back but was immensely strong. A small team of directors kept true to Clemens's intentions and added great atmosphere. Laurie Johnson's music was perfect - extremely chilling and unnerving - and cranked up the tension spendidly. However the producers also knew when to use silence to powerful effect. They were utterly aware that less is often more.Acting was very fine. The British performers included many of the leading lights of the 1970's and beyond. Unusually almost every story featured an American actor. Although this was almost definitely to help American sales, it brought an extra dimension. The Americans were able to offer more stylish and classless displays than their more traditional and austere (but still exceptional) British counterparts.There were inevitably some limitations. The depiction of women was very old-fashioned and often patronising, with far too many references to grown women as "girls". There was an over-emphasis upon portraying women as pretty but helpless, dependent on men to save them. However there were some strong, perceptive and assertive female characters. Generally the view of England is very traditional and deferential, focusing on affluent figures in ostensibly idyllic surroundings. Its world-view was more of the 1950's than the 1970's.Story-development is a little formulaic. For example, many episodes end with men cradling distressed women. However it should be remembered that "Thriller" was intended for a popular audience and not for the avant-garde, and some predictability goes with the territory and is often part of the fun.The American versions feature filmed titles and music added long after original production by different companies. The music is sometimes very effective but the titles are unnecessarily long, often amateurish or crass, and alien to the main episodes.However these are minor points. "Thriller" triumphs irrespective of these reservations, and no production is perfect. Any sophisticated viewer lucky enough to see an episode should be hugely impressed with what is seen. One hopes that stories will appear on DVD or video or receive a repeat broadcast so everyone can see what they have been missing!

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