Why aren't the TV networks open to fresh, compelling stuff like they were forty years ago? Who knows? You'd think it would be a tremendous benefit to both burgeoning filmmakers and the networks alike.
"Savages" is another one of those gems that graced the Movie of the Week time slot (usually on ABC) and is now, sadly, unavailable. You can still find kind souls willing to sell you home tapes of it on eBay, though, and this one is worth the hunting.
The comparisons to Spielberg's "Duel" here on IMDb are not unwarranted in the least. In a way, this movie, while not being as well-made (what could be?) is more brutal and hard to watch mostly because of Andy Griffith's no-holds-barred performance, which amounts to nothing less than evil incarnate.
I saw this on TV as a child, and back then, I saw only similarities to "The Most Dangerous Game." But after a few more viewings, I think it's quite different. The key to this puzzle is: "Did Maddock set the entire scenario up with the Sam Bottoms character from the start? Did he really intend to hunt him?" I'm not completely sure he did, now that I've seen it a few more times. I think it really did start as a legitimate hunting accident, and then Maddock's sadistic nature just took over. And does it ever...Griffith howls hysterically as he forces the bare-chested, bare-footed guide to tumble down rocky ravines; gleefully blows holes in his canteen; and waves iced martinis under his nose as he's dying of thirst. He cold be the most hateful baddie in all of TV movie-dom, and Griffith eats the role up with a spoon.
Even when they're out of the desert, the tension doesn't quit, and there's good supporting work here from Noah Beery and Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane himself, James Best, looking extremely young and fit.
The only thing that mars it is the horrendous music, which is as bad as anything on TV ever got, and the fact that it's difficult if not impossible to find a print of this that's not deteriorating in some manner.
We need a best of TV movie box....with "Dying Room Only," "Bad Ronald," "Shattered Silence," "The Girl Most Likely To...," "Terror on the Beach," "Outrage," "Night Cries," "A Case of Rape," etc. We'll likely never see the likes of them again.
"Savages" is another one of those gems that graced the Movie of the Week time slot (usually on ABC) and is now, sadly, unavailable. You can still find kind souls willing to sell you home tapes of it on eBay, though, and this one is worth the hunting.
The comparisons to Spielberg's "Duel" here on IMDb are not unwarranted in the least. In a way, this movie, while not being as well-made (what could be?) is more brutal and hard to watch mostly because of Andy Griffith's no-holds-barred performance, which amounts to nothing less than evil incarnate.
I saw this on TV as a child, and back then, I saw only similarities to "The Most Dangerous Game." But after a few more viewings, I think it's quite different. The key to this puzzle is: "Did Maddock set the entire scenario up with the Sam Bottoms character from the start? Did he really intend to hunt him?" I'm not completely sure he did, now that I've seen it a few more times. I think it really did start as a legitimate hunting accident, and then Maddock's sadistic nature just took over. And does it ever...Griffith howls hysterically as he forces the bare-chested, bare-footed guide to tumble down rocky ravines; gleefully blows holes in his canteen; and waves iced martinis under his nose as he's dying of thirst. He cold be the most hateful baddie in all of TV movie-dom, and Griffith eats the role up with a spoon.
Even when they're out of the desert, the tension doesn't quit, and there's good supporting work here from Noah Beery and Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane himself, James Best, looking extremely young and fit.
The only thing that mars it is the horrendous music, which is as bad as anything on TV ever got, and the fact that it's difficult if not impossible to find a print of this that's not deteriorating in some manner.
We need a best of TV movie box....with "Dying Room Only," "Bad Ronald," "Shattered Silence," "The Girl Most Likely To...," "Terror on the Beach," "Outrage," "Night Cries," "A Case of Rape," etc. We'll likely never see the likes of them again.