Horror in the Heights

This episode of Kolchak: The Night Stalker has Darren McGavin covering a story in the Roosevelt Heights section of Chicago. It's an old Jewish neighborhood with the old Jews dying off because their kids have moved up and out of it. Only now something is speeding their departures involuntarily.

That something is a Hindu demon called the Raksasha and this demon can gain your confidence by coming for you in the guise of someone you trust. At that point within seconds he can eat more of your flesh than a small piranha school.

Such folks as Phil Silvers, Ned Glasss, Herb Vigran and Benny Rubin play some of the neighborhood folks who if that wasn't enough have to contend with someone painting swastikas in the neighborhood.

But as McGavin researches the swastika for the ancient Hindus was a symbol to ward off demons. Putting them around is the work of Abraham Sofaer an ancient Indian Indian who runs an Indian restaurant in the area. He's also a Raksasha hunter by avocation although he might not get to finish his last assignment.

This was a nicely done story with a great guest cast.

I have to say that this episode from this influential series is probably the best, and I seriously doubt that I'm alone in that opinion. Kolchak(Darren McGavin)is on the hunt for a creature called the "rakshasa", a monster that appears as a person the victim trusts, and prepares to hug them before squeezing the life out of them. A cool shot is when the victim sees the person, we(audience)see the back of the "person", which is the hairy monster about to kill. The writing is also terrific, as we meet an interesting cast of characters, including Abraham Sofaer, who plays an elderly hunter for this mythical creature; the scenes he shares with Kolchak are both creepy and fun. This was Sofaer's last acting appearance as well, but it was memorable. Look for a very familiar face in Phil Silvers, as he plays it both funny and straight. The seedy atmosphere is great, as is the chemistry between the actors. Since no show is perfect, and I must be an honest reviewer, my only qualm is how composed Kolchak is when he sees the person he "trusts", even though he knows the person is actually the creature in disguise. I expected him to act a little more scared than he did, although he was equipped with a blessed weapon. Lest I forget, let me mention a few more familiar faces in Barry Gordon and Murray Matheson to round out a fine cast. This episode is a winner all around.

Kolchak already gave us many weird monsters from everywhere, this turn an Indian spirit who attacks a Jewish neighborhood at Roosevelt Heights's Chicago area, this creature called Raksasha used to eat his victims in matter of minutes, not before it appears with friendly appearance from someone which the victim trust, Carl makes a research as usually at Indian restaurant which the owner put his business there on purpose, due the evil creature has been attacked there, soon the sassy Kolchak quest in the basement where several nazi flags are all around, in fact this odd symbol makes part of the ancient Indian background to beat off Raksasha at India, sudden appears an old man Ali Lakshmi (Abraham Sofaer) trying hits Kolchak with poisoned darts, although later they introduces themselves, actually Ali is a monster hunter, meanwhile he is already too old to carry on his assignment, the final showdown is coming, glad to see the funny Phil Silvers on the cast!!

Resume:

First watch: 2020 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7.5

People have called this episode Lovecraftian. I just call it Kolchakian. Saw it when it originally aired and it terrified me. I recorded these episodes on an audio recorder then play back as a child. Spooky stuff in the dark under the blanket. I wish this series had gotten a season two. Influential. Ahead of it's time but I'm telling you what you already know or else you would not be here. Has a lot in common with the Jim Butcher, Dresden Files, books which it predates by many years. A Kolchak/Dresden files mash-up would be glorious. Please, please, oh, please.

...who played the Demon? The role is no credited? For the second you get to see it, the makeup looked great.