Gargoyles was a big surprise when I first saw it. I had no idea what the film was about when I saw the TV commercial. I was around 12 years old and it was broadcast on CBS.
I noticed quality about the film from the start. Good direction, acting, locations, and that was before Bernie Casey showed up in that gargoyle suit! That was scary as heck and not only that, Casey put more in that character than in any monster I've seen since Karloff and to this day. I wish they'd made a Gargoyles II that expanded on the story.
How the director got as much out of that film as he did given the budget is beyond me. The makeup and costumes were revolutionary and although we're not talking Cecil B. Demille epic here, the direction left enough up to our imagination to truly terrify us.
Cornel Wilde as the professor, you can't beat that kind of talent. Jennifer Salt, the foxy Jennifer Salt, portrayed complexity and wasn't a run, fall, scream monster movie hottie, she had intellect going on there. Seeing Scott Glenn as a biker proved out as his talent has become legendary as well. Historically speaking Gargoyles is a must see, must have film. It changed many ways that Hollywood makes movies. Even with the boo boos like cars changing make and model in mid shot, the concept of the menace of the Gargoyles was enough to fire up the imagination which great works do.
The animated TV series I suppose was based loosely on the movie. However the menace and majesty of the movie remains untouched. Only the Alien has turned out to be as cool a monster as Bernie Casey's Gargoyle. The scene where Casey as the Gargoyle swats his female gargoyle on the butt to get her to go tend to the eggs was a kick.
Gargoyles, the original, get it.
I noticed quality about the film from the start. Good direction, acting, locations, and that was before Bernie Casey showed up in that gargoyle suit! That was scary as heck and not only that, Casey put more in that character than in any monster I've seen since Karloff and to this day. I wish they'd made a Gargoyles II that expanded on the story.
How the director got as much out of that film as he did given the budget is beyond me. The makeup and costumes were revolutionary and although we're not talking Cecil B. Demille epic here, the direction left enough up to our imagination to truly terrify us.
Cornel Wilde as the professor, you can't beat that kind of talent. Jennifer Salt, the foxy Jennifer Salt, portrayed complexity and wasn't a run, fall, scream monster movie hottie, she had intellect going on there. Seeing Scott Glenn as a biker proved out as his talent has become legendary as well. Historically speaking Gargoyles is a must see, must have film. It changed many ways that Hollywood makes movies. Even with the boo boos like cars changing make and model in mid shot, the concept of the menace of the Gargoyles was enough to fire up the imagination which great works do.
The animated TV series I suppose was based loosely on the movie. However the menace and majesty of the movie remains untouched. Only the Alien has turned out to be as cool a monster as Bernie Casey's Gargoyle. The scene where Casey as the Gargoyle swats his female gargoyle on the butt to get her to go tend to the eggs was a kick.
Gargoyles, the original, get it.