Gargoyles (1972) watch online HD

The thing about made-for-tv movies is that the networks have a requirement that there is a chill and/or spill on every commercial break. If the formula is followed successfully, it definately pays.

Gargoyles is proof of this. It is a low-budget film, but is well-paced. I was thoroughly chilled by this when it first showed on TV, and saw it again a few years ago, then caught it again today on MoviePlex, sans commercials. It holds up very well over time, and the acting is quite good in most places. I especially liked Bernie Casey as the lead Gargoyle, though I don't know if I should call it especially inspired or deliberatly hammy. Doesn't matter, still enjoyable either way.

The effects were on the very lowest budget, so you get a whiff of 'cheese' to enjoy as well, but the monster suits were actually quite good. I only saw 'rubber stretches' once or twice. I can think of big budget films that didn't have costumes as good as these. Bernie Casey's voice was filled with some kind of static. A cheap effect, but an effective one.

The plotline was a bit slanted, the Gargoyles were dedicated to taking over the Earth, completely evil and therefore must be destroyed, something that wouldn't likely be passed today due to politcal correctness, but the ending still works nicely despite that.

I would highly recommend it to any horror fan.

"Gargoyles" is a film that many of us over 30 are familiar with from repeat viewings on late night local creature feature monster movie matinée type screenings, a form of television that has sadly gone extinct. It's been a pleasure to re-discover the film now in the digital age and find that not only does it hold up, but is a superior example of low budget horror trends of the era with it's stark southwestern American locations & dusty, arid themes of supernatural horror, ala "Race With The Devil", "The Devil's Rain", "Brotherhood Of Satan", et al.

The film was actually a CBS television production back in the age when made for TV movies were more than just product placement vehicles. The budgeting was tight and every dime is up there on the screen from a cast of convincing professionals (Cornel Wilde, Jennifer Salt looking fresh, Scott Glenn, good old Woody Chambliss and the scene-stealing Grayson Hall as an irascible drunk), a competently written screenplay by Elinor & Steven Karpf (who would later unleash the lovable "Devil Dog: The Hound of Hell" on unsuspecting audiences), and makeup genius Stan Winston's remarkable gargoyle creations. Sure, they are just stunt actors bedecked in rubber suits, but each of the film's gargoyle characters come across as an individual, and are a far more intriguing population that the film's human indigents. The movie manages to cast its "monsters" in a surprisingly sympathetic light and indeed the human protagonists come across as a bit barbaric as they propose a quick genocide to rid the world of the gargoyle menace.

Which is itself an interesting idea: The term "gargoyle" is actually a word of French derivation ("water-throat") that refers to ornamental fixtures or grotesques on Gothic era cathedrals who's mouths served as water spouts to facilitate the flow of rain buildup from their roofs. A quick search on Google reveals little as far as supernatural mythology of gargoyles and chimera, the non-functional grotesque variety that were added as pure decorations. Some mention is made of tales regarding the gargoyle forms as guarding their cathedrals during the night in a living form and then returning to their stoned state during the day, but such tales were created after the fact to explain why they were so commonly seen. Humans have always had a ghoulish, darker side to them and the forms stuck in the popular consciousness. So enterprising 14th century devotees came up with a fanciful explanation for why they were there for young inquisitive minds, perhaps as a put-on to scare kids into finishing their vegetables. In spite of the film's commanding prologue, however, there are no tales of gargoyles having banded together with Satan to do his bidding on Earth, and in fact the opposite is actually what is implied since they were guarding churches.

Regardless the film is quite convincing in it's suggestion that man and gargoyles have always been at odds (and that they like our women, the pretty ones at least), no doubt helped by the voice of "Star Trek" legend Vic Perrin as both the opening narrator and the voice of the gargoyle leader. His sonorous delivery has been ingrained with a sense of authority in popular culture and one almost expects him to start betting Quatloos on the newcomers as it is impossible to hear him speak and not make the connection. Unless, of course, you don't know your "Star Trek".

Anyway it's a surprisingly sober and professional affair considering the subject matter, with an interesting use of slow motion film effects to give an unearthly feel to the early gargoyle attack scenes that is actually mildly disturbing. This is a film that people remember having seen even after thirty five years, no easy feat. And if I might say, Cornel Wilde comes off as far more convincing as an anthropologist demonology expert who's handy with a shotgun than he did as the natural born Terminator survivalist he played in "The Naked Prey". "Gargoyles" is a better movie too.

8/10: Deserves to be re-released on DVD as an ode to the genius of Stan Winston, who went on to much bigger and ... well, bigger things. This movie rules.

This is definitely the best made for TV movie I have seen.The story makes sense and it's not boring. That's really all it takes to be good in the world of television movies. There's only a couple things that don't make sense. Two gargoyles break into a motel room without making a sound or breaking anything and then the professor chases them. Seems a bit far fetched but whatever. Then the lead gargoyle has taught himself to speak English, a little bit lamer. But the thing that really gets me is that all the gargoyles are very different. Some have horns, some have hair, it's a bit silly. I'm sure they did it because they didn't have the ability to make them all exactly the same so they tried to make it a non-issue by making them all very different. But those are just minor flaws in an otherwise good movie. And I must say that I really joined how the gargoyles gently caress their eggs to make them hatch, comedy gold. This is the best movie I've seen in weeks, watch it.

OK... In this day and age of CG graphics and $100M budgets, some would say this movie wouldn't stack up. Of course most of us who have seen it love it for its nostaglic value and some very genuine scares. It always seemed to come on really late at night (was that on purpose?) and I remember at least once watching it when I was about 10 years old at our neighbors lake house when I was the only one awake and there was a nice storm going on outside. All I can say is that I jumped a number of times that night and although I've seen plenty of horror films since, I'd probably still jump during this one today. Hopefully I'll get to see it again, if not just to hear the lead gargoyle say "Diana" in that metallic, evil-sounding voice.

This is one of those childhood films that has always stuck in my mind. As a kid, I was freaked out by gargoyles because of this movie (unlike the next generation who saw gargoyles as defenders of evil, thanks to a Disney series). Seeing it again as an adult is a different matter entirely...

For 1972, this was one helluva TV movie. The effects, though dated by today's CGI-laden standards, were spectacular -- and the Stan Winston created gargoyle suits still look good pretty damn today.

What the film lacks is a coherant story. The bare-bones 74 minute movie had potential to be so much better than 50's b-movie fare, but instead the filmmakers opted to skip a solid story and add in a group of bikers and other silliness that reflected the times. Cornel Wilde was probably in the late stages of his alcoholism, and it showed in his hokey performance as the lead. His lines are delivered with a wooden tone and no conviction. Jennifer Salt, who I liked in "Soap," seemed miscast here, though she was effective. The only really memorable human character is the horny lady that owns the motel which Wilde and Salt stay in. The REAL stars of the film were Bernie Casey, Richard Moll and all the other Gargoyles, hidden under latex costumes... with the ability to scare young children. By today's standards, this comes close to "The Creature from the Black Lagoon," "Them" and other '50s drive-in films.

Another person commented the similarities to the gargoyles and "Jeepers Creepers." While I agree that The Creeper had certain similarities, there was only one Creeper and the impact of that character certainly couldn't be what Gargoyles had on a 1972 audience. More than any other TV movie I've ever seen, I think Gargoyles should be remade today with a big-screen release, and Winston should recreate his creature suits with modern makeup technology. Although it is just a minor cult film, Gargoyles has the potential to be so much more... Just a thought.

Yes, it was Vic Perrin, the "Control Voice" from The Outer Limits, who narrated the opening of Gargoyles. With all due respect to Lee Shapiro's summary, the bat-winged leader of the scaly monsters (played by Bernie Casey) makes it quite clear to "Dr. Boley" (Cornel Wilde) that the extinction of humanity is the evil creature's ultimate goal. Although IMDb does not list it, Bernie Casey appeared, in suitably scary prosthetic makeup, as the alien interrogator in the The Outer Limits episode titled: "Nightmare." As far as I'm concerned, Gargoyles noses out The Other as the best low-budget, made-for-TV, Sci-Fi/Horror flick of all time!

SPOILER ALERT I've always had fond memories of this TV-film, and my memories are vivid, cause at a young age I had dreams of being a writer and this is one of the handful of favorite monster movies that I novelized for my own enjoyment. It's a bare-bones plot right out of the best of the 1950's monster-on-the-loose drive-in attractions, about a scientist and his daughter (Wilde, Salt) who stumble onto a mystery in the desert when they go to check out a hermit's claims that he has the skeleton of a monster in his possession. From there you have supernatural-action setups involving monster attacks and a range of interesting secondary characters, from the local small-town cops to a band of sport-bikers led by a young Scott Glenn.

For $1.98 television network special effects circa 1972, they don't come any better. The Gargoyles themselves are stuntmen and women in rubber suits and scary masks, with scales, hair, horns and feathers glued on. But they are effective, as is the slow-motion photography in the monster sequences and the super-human strength bits exhibited by the creatures. Bernie Casey as the bat-winged gargoyle king is demonic and impressive. Someone said the creature in "Jeepers Creepers" is a direct descendant---and they're right. Most of all I remember the unflinching sexuality in this movie, and how they got away with it on network TV in 1972 amazes me to this day. Jennifer Salt is a walking wet dream with that brown skin and that halter top, and the movie made no bones about it (or about the prurient interest shown by the Gargoyle King). My 12-and-13-year-old pals and I could talk about nothing else in the school yard the next day, and most of our comments were definitely not for a television viewing audience!

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.

The original airing of this film on ABC's Movie of the Week program in the early 70s is a happy childhood memory for me. Definitely a period piece. It was made as a pilot for a series that was never optioned by the network. The movie is distinguished by some witty performances by the actors in the supporting roles. My favorite is Grayson Hall as lush on the make Mrs. Parks. Grayson is always a lot of fun to watch and she clearly had a blast with this role. Her son Matt helped paint ping pong balls which were used in making the gargoyle costumes.

For it's time, this was a very good movie. I saw it again recently, and the gargoyle attack scenes still give me chills. Now that I'm older and have taken film classes in college, and worked in theatre and TV, I know why. The music, and sound effects (squeaks, and breathing of the gargoyles) create a very eery atmosphere in the attack scenes. And, the use of slow motion, and camera blurring effects really makes the hair on your neck stand up. There is very little actual violence in the movie, save for a bloody truck seat, and poor Mrs. Parks (Grayson Hall, was a fan since her Dark Shadows days) hanging upside down from the telephone pole. But, the idea of the violence going on off camera lets your imagination fly. I loved the use of a compressor on Bernie Casey's voice. Great work all around, and a great movie that stands the test of time. I give it a 9 out of 10.

Not too much to say about this little gem. Saw it when I was 8 or 9 yrs old and thought it was very cool. Last saw it a couple years ago and it's still good cheesy fun. Much more satisfying than any of the "monster" flicks coming out of H-wood today. ---and those gargoyle babies, they're oh so cute!

If possible you should rent this with "Don't be Afraid of the Dark" starring Kim Darby, and "KillDozer" for a seriously cheesy evening of fun.

I have to say that I'm largely impressed with the seventies made for television horror movies that I've seen, and while Gargoyles isn't exactly a great film; it has more than enough going for it to ensure that my overall opinion of these films has gone up after seeing it. The film is not exactly original, although it goes about portraying its subject matter well. The film professes that Satan sent his minions, the Gargoyles, down to Earth and they have been subdued by humankind. We follow the fortunes of Dr. Mercer Boley and his daughter Diana as they travel across the desert, and end up finding a colony of the aforementioned Gargoyles. The film doesn't take itself very seriously, and this turns out to be a good thing as director Bill L. Norton is not held back by trying to make the film credible, and instead is given licence to fully explore the subject material. It's hard not to laugh at certain points during the film, but the ideas on show are mostly good and that is all you can really expect from a film like this. The story is entertaining too and more than adequately fills the 75 minute running time, and the director also manages to create a creepy atmosphere and a fair few scares. Well worth seeing.

I think I was 8 years-old when I saw Gargoyles back in 1972. It absolutely scared the pants off me. I'll never forget the sight of those clawed hands reaching over the foot of the bed. I had trouble sleeping for days and I checked and rechecked the foot of my own bed several times each night.. And while it no longer has that kind of effect on me, considering its television origins, Gargoyles still provides a few chills along the way. I admit that when I rewatched it tonight, those hands on the bed did make me jump.

To a lot of modern audiences raised on more sophisticated special effects, Gargoyles may seem silly. Sure, there are flaws with the special effects (for example, it's quite obvious that the creatures' skins are body suits), but there's something about them that makes the whole thing a lot of fun. Maybe it's the wings or maybe it's the variety of looks or maybe they just remind me of Sleestaks, but whatever it is, they work for me. The mask Bernie Casey wears is especially frightening even though it obvious he has no real movement in his face.

One thing that could have made the film better for me is if Grayson Hall had had more screen time. I always enjoy her campy, over-the-top performances. It's a shame she had so little to do and was killed off so early.

Finally, as I watched the movie earlier tonight, it dawned on me that I was not hearing Bernie Casey's voice coming from the lead gargoyle. I was probably too young to know the difference 34 years ago, but something about that voice reminded me of my childhood. And then it suddenly hit me where I had heard that voice before. After the movie was over, I checked on IMDb and, sure enough, I was right. Dr. Zin!!! That's right. The gargoyle's voice was done by the same man (Vic Perrin) who did Dr. Zin.

I hate going against the grain here, especially since I'm one of those 70s kids scarred by Gargoyles and all the other made-for-TV horror cheapies back in the ancient days of 4 TV channels. Back then these movies would premiere on Friday or Saturday nights, and then re-run in the afternoon for years, so our parents had no idea we were watching them. I vividly remember the claws on the bedframe and the gargoyles bursting through the door -- this movie kept me from sleeping for a long time. But watching this now is nothing short of painful. The costumes are basically "Land of the Lost" Sleestak rubber suits plus wings and hair, except not as effective. Worse still, the "eagle" breeder gargoyles look like those vultures from H.R. Pufnstuf. I mean seriously -- did the director actually watch his own rushes, a hilarious hodgepodge of rubber suits in slow motion, and say "EUREKA! THAT'S THE SHOT!" Godzilla vs Ghidrah had more battle drama, and better rubber suits. And the acting here ain't much better either. For me the only bright spots are Bernie Casey as the lead gargoyle, and especially Scott Glenn, knowing he had such a wonderful career ahead of him.

I guess my biggest problem is comparing this joke of a film to something that still works, like the original "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark." Now there's a fine example of low-budget 70s TV horror.

This made for TV horror film which stars Cornel Wilde battling the children of Satan arising from the earth again will give you a few chills as we think about Gargoyles taking over the earth as they keep trying to do. Although the film was shot on spare change in the Arizona desert it did get an Emmy Nomination for the Gargoyle makeup which was pretty good.

Cornel Wilde is an archaeologist who with daughter Jennifer Salt is on a mission to an old desert rat, played by Woody Chambliss who runs a strange museum as a tourist trap. But he's got a skeleton that Wilde is sure is a fake. But a visit from some real Gargoyles convince him otherwise, especially after Chambliss is killed.

Sheriff William Stevens is convinced that a bunch of dirt bikers did the deed, he's not ready to believe in Gargoyles. But when they kidnap Salt and kill motel manager Grayson Hall, Stevens is a believer and he and Wilde and the dirt bikers go into the desert searching for the Gargoyle lair and Salt.

As I said the film is done on the cheap, but it definitely has some gruesome and horrifying moments. Bernie Casey as the head Gargoyle is eloquent in his defense of Gargoyle right to life.

This one is pretty good for a made for TV film.

Nice to know that judging by the comments on these pages I wasn't the only child terrified by this TVM . I can vividly recall not being able to get to sleep . Very few films with the exception of the QUATERMASS movies had that effect on me and recently had the pleasure of watching it again . Okay I'm older and more sophisticated but feel no shame as to admitting how much GARGOYLES scared me . I sincerely hope anyone watching this can see why children found it so frightening

It's easy to spot the flaws in Elinor and Steven Karpf's teleplay . There's frequent instances of " If character did something sensible like show the body to the police then said film would have ended there and then " . There's also quite a remarkable coincidence of an anthropologist protagonist and his daughter turning up the plot's location just as the gargoyles decide to embark on their masterplan . But these flaws are common to any horror movie which is probably why the genre is very poorly regarded by high brow critics . Though one lingering doubt that remains long after the film has finished is why are the gargoyles able to speak English . I guess however you shouldn't examine logic too much in a horror film

Considering it's a mere TVM with a limited budget director Bill L Norton manages to wratch up a massive amount of chills . The scary scenes I remember from childhood still pack a punch such as two characters being in a van saying how glad they are not to be walking about only to have a claw appear in to the frame or the scene with Dr Boley lying in bed with the gargoyle slowly appear at the bottom of the bed . Much of GARGOYLES effectiveness lies in Robert Prince's score which is stunningly atmospheric and creepy

In short this is quite a memorable horror film even though it's made for television . In an era where horror was a byword for gore and sickening violence it's still refreshing in 2010 to watch a film that gets its scares from atmosphere . There's a slight amount of cheese involved such as the eponymous costumes but even so right from the opening sequence there's a doom laden atmosphere present that is rarely seen in a TVM

A professor, known for literature on demonology, and his daughter, encounter ancient demonic creatures known as gargoyles while traveling in the desert—to visit an old timer known as Old Willie who claims to have a special skeleton worthy of his attention—that have been in an incubation stage for centuries, now hatched and building an army with the ultimate goal of wiping out mankind and assuming control of the planet!

Not bad television horror has a cult following, mainly by those who watched it as kids in the 70s. Cornell Wilde (High Sierra) is the professor who realizes that if the gargoyles are allowed to leave the cave as a large group that man will probably be rendered extinct. Not only does that motivate him though: the lead demon gargoyle (played by Bernie Casey!) has kidnapped Wilde's daughter, Jennifer Salt (Brian DePalma's "Sisters"), holding her prisoner in the cave, perhaps desiring her sexually (it seems more and more evident that his interest in her goes beyond just holding her captive as bait). Scott Glenn even has a part in this early part of his career as a stone-faced dirt biker wrongfully accused, along with other friends just found in the wrong place at the wrong time by Chief William Stevens and Deputy John Gruber. Woody Chambliss (looking rather gruff and in need of a shower) is Uncle Willie whose skeletal remains of a gargoyle piques Wilde's interest has a little supporting part that gets the ball rolling. Even under quite a costume, with protruding teeth and eye contacts, Casey is successful in parlaying a menace that should be taken seriously and when he warns Wilde of what is to come, you know his lead demon gargoyle means business.

If I were to criticize this movie, it would be the mistake of shooting the gargoyles during the day when the costumes are more obvious and less authentic-looking. And, during this film, the gargoyles are seen visibly more during the day than at night, especially in the cave where the last half is primarily set. Still, Casey's costume, make-up, and face are quite impressive, and the addition of those wings looks pretty gnarly. When the gargoyles destroy windows, doors, and Wilde's station wagon, I think these moments are when the movie really hums. You really understand here the kind of damage in store for the Earth if the creatures are able to breed into an army. The plot is fairly simple and straight-forward. It becomes Wilde, Stevens, Glenn, and the bikers against the gargoyles, led by Casey's chief gargoyle. Rather violent for a 70s television film, Wilde and company shoot several of the gargoyles at close range during desert fights. The sight of Grayson Hall (Dark Shadows; she steals her scenes as a hotel owner always carrying a glass with booze) hanging upside down from an electrical pole and the truck driving in circles (it once housed Hall and driver/gas station attendant/mechanic Jim Connell) without occupants are also memorable moments in this television movie. "Gargoyles" has a nice reputation and while it doesn't quite live up to the expectations I had, I still enjoyed it, particularly as a creature feature. I think the costumes, which are reminiscent to me of the work of Milicent Patrick (creature designer of "Creature from the Black Lagoon"), have "personality" and are provided with expressively designed faces and scaly bodies (some even have wings and beaks). I do recommend this to fans of rubber suited monster movies. A bit of trivia: Stan Winston was one of the make-up designers. Good use of New Mexico locations. For a film shot in a manner of days in sweltering heat, "Gargoyles" benefits from this, I think, and the score has that unnerving quality that fits the overall tone of potential global terror if Wilde and others don't stop the monsters.

I have to give Gargoyles an 8/10. To me it was very well done. The story was timed at a great pace, and it's got established actors and some that would see greater projects later. Cornel Wilde plays the smart scientist who stumbles across the Gargoyles who are getting ready to hatch and spread throughout the world; now if that isn't cool for a 70's TV movie, I don't know what is. This is not your typical TV fare, and it wasn't designed to play to an A Team audience where no one dies. What really sells it now to me is Scott Glenn, man does he have a great final moment and I always remembered that from first watching this as a kid. If the egg scene in Alien (or was it Aliens?) wasn't influenced in some way by Glenn's scene I'd be surprised. I showed this on DVD to my family one night and no one got up to do the dishes or other stuff during the movie, thats saying a lot, they all loved it! And if you want it to, it will scare you; not everyone gets out alive which makes a great horror flick in my book (and I'm not talking red shirt Star Trek types, I'm talking high billing). Highly recommended, great as a double feature with "Killdozer" (another 70's TV horror fave of mine).

This is one of my favorite Saturday afternoon Monster Movie Matinee (a Syracuse, NY show when I was a kid) staples. It would creep us out when the head gargoyle would flap his wings as he made an escape. There are so many glaring cinematic blunders, but MY favorite is when Cornel Wilde and his daughter are traveling through the desert (right after he first picks her up) there is a quick shot that includes the back seat area where suddenly a man's knee pops up in plain sight as the car is traversing the bumpy road! Obviously along for the ride but trying to stay out of sight. It's hysterical and I can't believe they left it in. You can't miss it.

This TV movie scared the crap out of us kids back in the 70's. It started out real slow, but when you see that gargoyle skeleton at the roadside exhibit in the desert, you get spooked. "Hey, you did a good job putting them bones together to look like that", says the tourist. "Didn't put'em together, mister. Found'em that way." Eyes bug out all around, including yours! Ooohhhh, spooky fun!

The gargoyles were really scary and the story could be done so much better today. See it before the remake. The costumes were great, and back in the 70's this was a really heavily laden F/X film. I recently moved out of a desert area similar to the one this film was produced in. Throughout the two years I lived in that desert, I kept looking around for the gargoyles. That kind of childhood fright sticks with you. I doubt this would even phase any kids today, but give it a peek.

Gargoyles is an excellent example of how writing, characters and atmosphere can bring quality to a small budget pic. Set in a desert on the edge of town it is surprisingly claustrophobic. Performances are good (Cornel Wilde as the scientist/hero, Scott Glenn as the Rebel, and Jennifer Salt as the Girl Who Looks Good and Screams); in many ways this is a throwback to 50s drive-in sci fi-horror, and could have inspired the more recent'Tremors'. Recommended.

I first watched this movie when I was around 8 years old, and then it scared the hell out of me. Not so much anymore. But nonetheless, it is a classic in its own right. It was what it was in 1972 and it is still a hell of a lot better than most of the garbage Full Moon puts out.

Gargoyles (1972)

*** (out of 4)

Fun made-for-TV horror film has an anthropologist (Cornel Wilde) and his daughter (Jennifer Salt) traveling out West so that he can do research on his book about demons. He's pretty much a non-believer that something could be out there today but that all changes when he runs into a pack of gargoyles who are just waiting to take the world over. At just 74-minutes GARGOYLES packs enough fun to make it worth viewing even though some rather silly moments and flaws. I thought director Bill Norton actually did a very good job at building up the anticipation of the monsters early on and I thought some of the best moments happened before we ever actually got to see the creatures. There are a couple examples early on where we just hear the monsters or see their shadows as they fly across something and these moments are very effective. Once we do get to see the creatures the suspense dies out but I think the effects are still so good that you can't help but have fun with them. I thought the monsters were a lot of fun and their outfits and looks were certainly a major plus. I think there are a few too many silly moments during the final act and I must say that all the scenes with the head gargoyle and the daughter talking are somewhat embarrassing. The voice alterations for the monsters were also a bit silly and brought on some unintended camp value. The film offers up some performances from Wilde and Salt as well as supporting players Grayson Hall, William Stevens and a young Scott Glenn. GARGOYLES certainly deserves to be a classic of this era's made-for-TV movies and it's clearly one of the best of its kind.

Anthropologist Dr. Mercer Boley (an excellent performance by Cornel Wilde) and his daughter Diana (nicely played by the lovely Jennifer Salt of Brian DePalma's "Sisters") discover a colony of lethal humanoid reptilian gargoyles living in the remote New Mexico desert who are planning on wiping out mankind. Director Bill L. Norton, working from a smart script by Elinor and Steven Karpf, does an expert job of creating and sustaining an arrestingly creepy atmosphere. Moreover, Norton keeps the pace snappy throughout and stages the shock scenes with considerable aplomb. Earl Rath's polished cinematography makes inspired use of stylized and strenuous slow motion. Robert Prince's supremely spooky score likewise does the skin-crawling trick. The dusty and desolate desert setting projects a potently harrowing sense of dread and isolation. Stan Winston's gargoyle make-up designs are genuinely gnarly and frightening. Bernie Casey delivers a robust and imposing portrayal of the intelligent and articulate lead gargoyle. A confrontation between a posse and the gargoyles rates as a definite exciting highlight. Kudos are also in order for Grayson Hall as boozy motel owner Mrs. Parks, Scott Glenn as heroic biker James Reeger, and Woody Chambliss as grizzled old desert rat Uncle Willie. A hugely worthwhile little cult winner.

Gargoyles is not a down right horrible film - it does have some entertainment value for fans of B-films, sci-fi and horror. I didn't find the movie scary at all but it did entertain me - and that is what counts.

It's not a top quality film but the Gargoyles look really cool... pre-CGI and for a low budget made for TV movie I'm pleased with their look. Pretty menacing looking and elaborate considering.

The story is basic - really not all that cheesy but it's certainly not a "deep" type of story. The movie is what I expected it to be - so I wasn't completely disappointed with it.

This is pretty good movie to kick back with on an otherwise boring afternoon if you like these type of films.

5/10