From the 1960's to the present there have been some great MADE FOR TV FILMS that people don't discuss anymore. Let's hear your favs!

I remember my mother going nutty making sure the tv was reserved for her to watch James Clavell's "Shogun", though there was nothing B rated about it. I've seen it since (read: since becoming an adult and being able to actually appreciate the story) and liked it.

I was highly disapointed in a MFTV version of David Morell's "Brotherhood Of The Rose", which I think is one of his best works. Very little in the way of accuracy to the plot or character development, which shouldn't be a problem when you are given, oh gee, lets see, accounting for commercial breaks, maybe 7.5 hours of actual footage? Add to that disapointments list Stepehn King's "Storm of the Century". His "The Stand" was much better, though a change in directors could have cleaned it up a bit.

If there was ever a book attached to it, I never read it, but with Her Royal Heineyness the Princess of Almost Everything in residence, we watch The Tenth Kingdom at least once a month and sometimes as much as once a week. Excellent MFTV movie with an all star cast, plenty of adult humor to keep us over 10 years old crowd engaged and loads of action and comedy for the little ones. The only drawback was her tendency to yell "Suck An Elf!" any time she became angry after seeing it....

I haven't seen it since it first aired, but I remember thinking at the time it was the greatest western comedy ever. It was Evil Roy Slade and had a great cast: John Astin, Dick Shawn, Pam Austin (The Dodge Rebellion Girl), Milton Berle and I think Kenny Mars.

I thought Blazing Saddles, which came a few years later, paled in comparison

From the 1960's to the present there have been some great MADE FOR TV FILMS that people don't discuss anymore. Let's hear your favs!

One of my favorites has to be A TOWN LIKE ALICE which very closely followed the Neville Shute novel, originally titled THE LEGACY.

It's only available on VHS, and stars Helen Morse and Bryan Brown. It was shown on TV in late 1981. On VHS, it's 5 hours long.

Ken V.

"The Martian Chronicles". Original story by Ray Bradbury. Screenplay by Richard Matheson. Starring Rock Hudson, Darren McGavin, Roddy McDowall........I 'nuff said.


Maybe 20 years ago I saw it on TV. And last year I bought DVD box-set. Even after 20 years, I still remembered details. That's why I says it's masterpiece.

From the 1960's to the present there have been some great MADE FOR TV FILMS that people don't discuss anymore. Let's hear your favs!

Well the classic would have to be the made for tv movie "Kung Fu"
starring B-Movie Legend "David Carradine" The film was so successful
it spun off a tv series.

After this would be the two made for tv movies:
"The Night Stalker" and "The Night Strangler"
which spun off the tv series "The Night Stalker"
all of which starred the brilliant late character
actor "Darren McGavin"

One of my favorites has to be A TOWN LIKE ALICE which very closely followed the Neville Shute novel, originally titled THE LEGACY.

It's only available on VHS, and stars Helen Morse and Bryan Brown. It was shown on TV in late 1981. On VHS, it's 5 hours long.

Ken V.

you've got me thinking now Ken- wasn't there a MFTV movie called Purgatory or something like that? about a western town and ...wait, might give out spoilers if I keep going. had a "B" cast but it was good, I wouldn't mind seeing it again without interuptions. anyone know for sure what it was called and where I could get a copy?

you've got me thinking now Ken- wasn't there a MFTV movie called POuyrgatory or soemthing like that? about a western town and ...wait, might give out spoilers if I keep going. had a "B" cast but it was good, iw ouldn't mind seeing it again without interuptions. anyone know for sure what it was called and where I could get a copy?

I don't know what MFTV is, but I looked up Purgatory on IMDB, and this is what I found.

http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0158131/

Is that what you were thinking of?

Ken V.

Edited to add: Okay, now I get it . . . .MFTV means Made For TV . . . right?

Well, here are two of my favorites that I'm always ringing the bell about:
FEAR NO EVIL
Universal/MCA for NBC TV
1969
Starring Louis Jourdan, Linda Day George, Wilfrid Hyde-White and Carroll O'Conner
Directed by Paul Wendkos
from a story by Guy Endore.
Great film and very sought after-brillant supernatural story!

BROTHERHOOD OF THE BELL
1971
Starring Glenn Ford, Dean Jagger, Maurice Evans and Will Geer
Directed by Paul Wendkos
EXCELLENT-Track it down and see it!

Anyone recall these gems?

I haven't seen most of what's been referenced here. I never got to see "Shogun", but heard it was very good. "The Stand" was entertaining, but not great.

The best I can think of is one that I avoided because of the genre. Then decades later it was highly recommended to me, so I borrowed it from my friend. I think "Lonesome Dove" was superb in both screenplay and casting (Robert Duvall, Tommy Lee Jones, Danny Glover, Diane Lane, Angelica Houston, etc.). Loved it!

(Edit: Not sure what "Classic/"b" Performers" means, but if it means "unknown" then this probably doesn't apply here)

-MarcC