Now, I've covered every single episode of NIGHT GALLERY over the years (just search for it in the search box and you'll surely find it) but I felt like seeing this story again for my Halloween viewing.
Joel Grey plays a work-averse college grad student who is studying the occult owing to the tales of his ancestor Jedidiah. Unfortunately, his grumpy father Howard Duff is threatening to cut him off from the family fortune if he doesn't straighten up and get a job within the coming year. Obstinate to the end, Grey spends the year studying up on Jedidiah's magic spells and, when the year is up, conjures . . . something . . . which rips apart Howard Duff in the night. Sadly, once unleashed the demonic creature cannot be banished without some more kills. This, as I believe I said in previous posts, is a very Lovecraftian-feeling episode without any of the obvious HPL tropes. Only a year of so before, the 1970 movie of THE DUNWICH HORROR was released and there seems to be an influence here - if for no other reason than Joel Grey's appearance matches very closely Dean Stockwell's in the film.
There are some nice moments involving growling and scratching outside doors, the red glowing eyes of the creature seen in the darkness and a final scary crone-like appearance of the monster looking very much like a bestial witch!
Sounds great! Will add it to my TV Locator!
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