Cult made-for-TV horror movies are getting new life through YouTube and re-releases

Los Angeles Times

Made-for-TV movies were a staple of television between the late 1960s and late 1990s, with more than 5,000 released during that time period. Hundreds of those films were in the horror genre. But because they were made for television, these TV movies are hard to find. Some, like ABC's 1972 TV movie The Night Stalker are readily available to purchase on home video, while most others have been posted without authorization on YouTube. "Unlike so many theatrically released cult horror films that have found new life on DVD and Blu-ray in modern times, the majority of made-for-TV horror titles remain officially unreleased, lending them an almost mythical quality," says Chris Eggertsen. "Ironically, many were ratings powerhouses when they initially aired, pulling in millions of viewers at a time when the dial consisted of just three networks and perhaps a local station or two."