The Strange and Deadly Occurrence

Yes it's true there really isn't any strange and deadly occurrence in the film--though you could argue there are several. You could also say that not much really happens in the film--despite these, I feel, truths about this still obscure movie, it's worth watching.

I saw it as an adult in a poor copy that still couldn't ruin the film. Much credit to the director and to a set up that feels like the Manson family is about to attack at any moment--but don't expect that kind of pay off as there is more dread than actual action in the film. Shows what a good cast and director can do--at least back then. Robert Stack is especially good. And the late appearance of Deliverance crazy McKinney makes the ending much more satisfying than it should be. One of the great creepo character actors at the top of his form.

Today this would be made for LIFETIME in a lifeless way. And if they did, they would cut the "headless" scene that is the horror highlight of a movie that isn't really a horror film. I suppose if you saw this as a kid you'd say it was the headless movie though that is one isolated scene with little or nothing to do with the rest of the film.

No the film is not in the same league and the great scary 70's TV movies, but it's way above par for what passes as TV thrillers currently.

Sandor Stern as one of the writers is a plus as well. This just shows what talent and craft can do with a very limited story concept.

You bet, I remember this one. As a young lad back in the day, I really dug the cool story lines of these erstwhile "Movies of the Week". If the creepy teaser ad with the "headless dummy" didn't get you to tune in, nothing would! That, and the reliable Robert Stack in the offbeat role of the head of a family being menaced by the supernatural. Between the thumpings, howlings in the night, and the weird psychiatrist hanging around the neighborhood, my heart-rate was up there, for sure. The solution to the mystery may be a bit weak, but I loved the O. Henry-style final scene. What's really sad is that when I saw "Cold Creek Manor", which had an amazingly similar plot,a much bigger budget, bigger name-stars, bigger EVERYTHING--it still didn't hold a candle to "--Occurrence". If ever you find it in your local listings, watch and compare. Trust me. TRIVIA: I was surprised to see Sandor Stern in the writing credits! Very apropos, considering later he went on to adapt and direct "Pin", another suspense featuring a "menacing dummy"--one with an even NASTIER disposition.

I had this movie for a long time in a Betamax tape bought by my father just after buying our first color TV (a Sony KV-2142R) and Betamax (Sony SL-8600) back in mid 1978. Dubbed to Spanish and re-titled "La Casa Embrujada" ("The Haunted House"), I consider it a promising movie with a really bad ending, but anyway I'd love to have that Spanish-dubbed version just for memories from when I was eleven. It was recorded from a Panamanian TV broadcast, commercials included. I used it a lot (specially Dr. Gillgreen's face) to adjust the TV's hue and color settings, at a time in which color TV broadcasts hadn't arrived to my country (Color TV was officially launched in Colombia on Saturday Dec. 1, 1979 at 7:00 PM GMT -5). The only worry in life back then was school...

Yes, I remember this movie because of the headless dummy scene. It scared the c**p out of me too and I would have to rank that up there with the hand coming out of the grave scene from "Carrie" as one of the scariest moments in filmdom (even if this was a Television Movie).

I've seen "The Strange and Deadly Occurence" twice in my life; in 1983 and 1985. Both showings were late-night on a Friday and regrettably we did not own a VCR at the time.

It's quite an eerie film with a good build-up of suspense which unfortunately concludes rather ridiculously. A lot of those TVMs now languish in scheduling purgatory which is a pity. Some enterprising individual should release a bunch of them on VHS (some films just don't suit DVD)--e.g "Vanishing Act" with Elliott Gould and "One Of My Wives Is Missing" starring Jack Klugman.

If anyone has any of the above on VHS please mail me.

In summary then: Some parallels with "Caddyshack"