The Night Flier
Tags: violence, murder

Plot synopsis:
Richard Dees [Miguel Ferrer], ace reporter for the tabloid newspaper Inside View is
offered a new assignment. Some sicko who calls himself Dwight Renfield, as
in Dwight Frye who played the role of Renfield in the 1931 movie version
of Dracula, is flying from desolate airport to desolate airport in his
black Cessna Skymaster 337, tail number N101BL, killing whomever is there
and then drinking their blood--and no one has caught him yet. However,
Dees thinks the story is a waste of his time and suggests that editor
Merton Morrison [Dan Monahan] give the assignment to cub reporter Katherine Blair [Julie Entwistle], whom
Dees has unaffectionately nicknamed "Jimmy," after Jimmy Olson of Superman
fame. The next morning, after Katherine has been able to tap into a network
of local law enforcement agencies on her computer and find three cases
that all meet the batty flier's M.O., Morrison again asks Dees to take the
assignment. This time, Dees agrees. Needless to say, Katherine isn't
pleased. Dees has his own airplane and decides to run the killer's back
trail.First stop is the Cumberland County Airport in Falmouth, Maine, where
Claire Bowie was killed. Dees gets the details from
Ezra Hannon [John Bennes] on how, as
he was turning over the night shift to Claire, the night-flying Skymaster
landed. Out of the airplane walked a man wearing a long black cloak. The
next morning, Hannon found Claire washing down the Skymaster. The morning
after that, Claire was found with his throat ripped open. The only strange
thing that Hannon can recall was under the luggage bay--a big pile of dirt
filled with worms and maggots. That night, Dees pays a visit to Claire's
grave in order to get a photograph. Later, after drinking 3/4ths of a
bottle of booze and bedding down for the night at the Cumberland Motel,
Dees dreams that someone wearing a long black cloak is after him. When
Dees looks out the patio door, however, he sees written on the glass in
what looks like blood, "STAY AWAY." Dees chalks it up to a cemetery
caretaker who gave him a hard time while he was trying to photograph
Claire Bowie's grave.Second stop is New York, the Alderton Funeral Home, where Buck
Kendall is laid out ready for the funeral director to sew up the deep
gashes in his face and the two big holes on opposite sides of his neck. In
a call that evening to Morrison, Dees learns that Morrison is getting
antsy. He wants to run the story about the Night Flier, but Dees is not
ready to give it yet, so Morrison has a brainstorm. He puts Katherine back
on the story.Third stop for Dees is Duffrey, Maine, where Ray and Ellen Sarch were
the Night Flier's third and fourth victims. Unfortunately, the Duffrey
airport is closed, so Dees has to land at Washington National, rent a car,
and drive into town. On the way, he comes upon a car crash. Several people
have been killed and are laying all bloodied on the pavement and in their
cars. While photographing a young boy, Dees sees the boy's face suddenly
change into that of an older man with a chain hanging out of his mouth.
Dees is taken aback, but the policeman telling him not to get in the way
interrupts his vision. Dees stops at a gas station in Duffrey. The owner tells him how he
filled Ray and Ellen's tank the day before the murders. Ray was looking
tired and pale, but Ellen was looking "fine." The owner suggests that Dees
talk to Selida McCammon, Ellen's hairdresser. Selida tells Dees that she
thought it odd for Ellen, after 20 years of appointments as regular as
clockword, to suddenly come in two weeks early. Plus, Ellen seemed all
dreamy to Selida, looking "like a schoolgirl with a crush," and asking for
a new look that made her appear sensuous and younger. Ellen also told
Selida about the pilot who had flown in the night before and how they
welcomed him by inviting him in for dinner and to watch a little TV.
After getting the story from the local deputy, Dees pays a visit to
the Sarches' trailer. He sees Ray's office where bloody handprints still
remain on the window. He sees the corner of the room where Ray's head was
found, ripped from his shoulders. He sees on the wall the FAA warning for
a black Skymaster 337 #N101BL registered to Dwight Renfield. He sees the
bedroom where Ellen Sarch's body was found lying on the bed, two big holes
on opposites sides of her neck, her body bloodless, and a peaceful smile
on her face. When he leaves the trailer, Dees is chased by a large dark
dog who disappears when Dees manages to outrun it to his car.That evening, after checking in at the Falling Star Motel, Dees goes
out for a drink or two or three. As he looks at the photos he has taken,
the bartender sets down an unordered Bloody Mary, supposedly ordered for
Dees by a guy at the end of the bar, but there is no one there now. Dees
lifts the drink to see the words "STOP NOW" printed on the napkin
underneath it. When Dees returns to his hotel, who should he see there but Katherine
Blair. They trade insults, boast about their leads, and both admit that
they're actually dry. Dees invites "Jimmy" to help him phone airports in
search of the Night Flier's next touchdown. They make a list of all the
airports in the area and divide it in half. Dees calls his half on his
cellphone while Katherine calls her half on the phone in the motel room.
No luck. Only one airport to go--Wilmington--which is unlikely, as it's a
large airport. Dees makes the call anyway. When he asks the air controller
if he's seen a black Cessna Skymaster 337, tail 101BL, the controller
curtly says "No" and hangs up on him. Obviously, the real answer is "Yes."Fourth stop is Wilmington Airport, but first Dees has to get rid of
"Jimmy." He locks her in his closet, tells her, "Sorry, Jimmy. You lose,"
and then takes off alone. It is a dark and stormy night as Dees approaches
Wilmington. He asks the controller again if he's seen a Skymaster 337,
tail 101BL but gets no reply. Suddenly, his radio is filled with screams.
Then comes a deep, gravelly voice calling his name. It is Dwight Renfield
himself. He tells Dees to turn around, but Dees refuses. When he lands at
Wilmington, Dees sees it--the black Skymaster. There is no one inside, so
Dees peeks in. What he finds is mind-numbing. The cockpit is dripping with
blood, and the cargo hold is filled with dirt, worms, maggots, and several
copies of Inside View.Suddenly the screaming starts again, and Dees runs to the terminal.
What he finds inside is even more appalling. Blood everywhere, and bodies
of men, women, and children on the floor and in the chairs. Even the FAA
warning for the black Skymaster 337 #N101BL registered to Dwight Renfield
is dripping with blood. One body catches his eye, and Dees goes over to
photograph it. It is a man with a chain hanging out of his mouth. Dees
pulls out the chain to find a crucifix dangling from it.Dees has had it. He can no longer hide behind his camera and races to
the men's room where he upchucks his dinner. Suddenly, someone else enters
the men's room, but Dees cannot see anyone in the mirror, only the trickle
of blood in the urinal where someone is relieving himself. It is Dwight Renfield [Michael H. Moss],
and for the first time, Dees realizes that he has encountered a real
vampire. Dwight makes Dees destroy his film, warns Dees for the final time
not to follow him anymore, and leaves. After shivering for a few seconds,
Dees follows anyway...shouting at Dwight to show his face. Show it he
does, to reveal two huge, opposing fangs, one on the top and one on the
bottom. Dwight then slits his own wrist and makes Dees drink the blood.And now Dees enters his own personal hell. The floor of the terminal
turns misty and from it start rising all the people whom Dees has
exploited to write his stories in Inside View. As they advance toward
him, Dees freaks. Grabbing the axe from the emergency firebox, he starts
hacking at them. Suddenly the police arrive, followed by Katherine Blair.
The police order Dees to freeze, but he rushes towards Katherine anyway,
so they shoot him. They warn Katherine to stay back, so she stands by the
terminal window where she sees Dwight Renfield getting into his black
Skymaster and taking off.Katherine knows that she can never print what she believes or believe
what she prints, so the next cover of Inside View features Richard Dees
lying in a pool of his own blood. The headline reads: NIGHT FLIER
DEFANGED. Inside View Scribe Moonlighted as Dastardly Deadly Count. In
the lower right-hand corner is a photo of Katherine "Jimmy" Blair, the
tabloid's new ace reporter.Sorry, Dees. You lose. [Original Synopsis by bj_kuehl.]

Review: But in the case of Mark Pavia's "The Night Flier", story works because Pavia is able to expand on King's original story, and he also seems to have a bit of talent as a director.Most people complain that Miguel Ferrer's character, Richard Dees, is too mean, or something like that.
The final, final conclusion is a little weak, but it really couldn't have ended any other way.Overall, the couple flaws drag "The Night Flier" down to a good but not great movie, but the really cool climax and other elements make up for it, and make it a good time.
Richard Dees is a reporter and he is a vampire because he works for a tabloid and earns his living by writing lurid stories and taking sordid pictures.
The story is exciting, Miguel Ferrer is excellent and the film has no Hollywood-like happy ending.
I really don't understand all those nay-sayers."Night Flier" in comparison to the recent so-called horror movies about vampires is pretty good.It's quite scary,it's suspenseful,it's pretty gory and it's a good time!I hate modern vampire flicks like "Blade" or "From Dusk Till Dawn"-they're simply a big-budget Hollywood garbage with an overdose of special effects.Unlike the other reviewers I like the character of Richard Dees-this guy is so wonderfully mean that it's impossible not to like him.The acting is decent and the special effects are okay.As for the gore,there is plenty of blood in "Night Flier",but the violence is not excessive.However gore-hounds should be pleased.Make sure you find this one!Highly recommended..
I'm not really a great fan of vampire movies, in fact there are very few that I could actually name that I like, nonetheless I rented The Night Flier' because the DVD cover looked rather interesting but I still didn't expect much from this movie.Richard Dees (Miguel Ferrer) is a journalist for a sleazy and morbid weekly publication named Inside View' and is assigned to cover the story of a mysterious pilot who flies into rural airports and kills whoever is there, draining the victim of all their blood.
At first Richard doesn't want the story but after seeing how big a story it could be and also wanting to put ambitious young journalist Katherine (Julie Entwistle) firmly in her place he accepts the assignment and goes in search of information on the killer he later nicknames The Night Flier.I was very surprised by the quality of this movie.
By the end it becomes obvious that there were two levels of horror working in this movie that came together well to leave us with The Night Flier'.There were flaws with the movie though, a couple of plot holes and many unanswered questions, though perhaps that the intent was to leave an air of mystery over the movie.
Spawned from a short story by famed novelist Stephen King, "The Night Flier" presents itself as a mystery that never strays far from horror.
He was just perfect as the arrogant sleaze-reporter Richard Dees.There's a mysterious figure flying in a black airplane and landing on small airports at night.
Just take it as it is: It's a decent Stephen King-adaptation and a good vampire-movie, nothing more nothing less.
Ferrer is perfect for the role of somewhat coldhearted tabloid reporter, Dees, and he makes the movie work in the end.
I have watched this movie a number of times, and I still get excited to see it coming on cinemax or HBO or whatever.The film's look is really done well, a lot of darkness adds to the overall feel.
If you love Stephen King, Miguel Ferrer, Dracula, Vampires, Universal Monsters, and Horror movies then Night Flier is the ultimate horror film to watch!.
"The Night Flier" is one of the best adaptations of Stephen King for video, with an interesting horror movie with a different vampire story.
Night Flier is so far one of the best vampire films up to date.While it delivers an extremely high violence level,it delivers some laughter sometimes(very rarely).The film has great acting that makes the movie great in many ways,Its entertaiment level is high,and the blood effects are spectacular.While it leaves out many elements that vampire movies have,it manages to make up for it in acting and violence.Some horror fans may not like The Night Flier,but it is almost guaranteed to deliver entertaiment to the average horror fan.Best part of the movie is the ending and the blood effects,and the worst part of the movie is the one scene where it is nothing but rancid acting.Other than that,Night Flier delivers great make-up effects,great acting in all but one scene,and perfect story line.Great movie to watch.8 out of 10..
Stephen King, the master of deliriously high concept horror, strikes again with The Night Flier, a gruesome, clever and painfully overlooked HBO midnite movie, starring everyone's favourite grouchy pants, Miguel Ferrer, or Albert Rosenfield to any good Twin Peaks fans out there.
Acid tongued Ferrer plays Richard Dees, a bitter and depressingly cynical trash reporter who is one drink away from the gutter and two lousy stories away from retirement, an acrid soul who lives by the mantra "Don't believe what you publish, and don't publish what you believe" (a pearl of wisdom that I imagine is rattling around King's own skull, when we look at the sacrilege being wrought upon his magnum opus The Dark Tower in its cinematic emergence, particularly in regards to the casting of Roland the Gunslinger).
I still remember a 10 year old kid with his old man watching The Night Flier, old man understood everything when the kid asked what was that old man replied "Someday you'll understand" and after 18 years just last night I finished watching this movie and all of that nostalgic feelings the memories and the chills hit me with the baseball club. Review on the movie now: This movie will always be remain favorite due so many reasons; to start off because of its sentimental values (as my dad is no more with us now) secondly this movie was my introduction to Stephan King and finally for being my first ever horror-film. The plot alongside its storytelling was absolutely breathtaking, the direction and cinematography was insanely immaculate and the acting was flawless, hats off to the creators and I must say Mr. King would be proud after watching it. Overall I'll give it 8/10 with the highest recommendations to all the moviegoers out there, "The Night Flier" is a must watch.
First when I saw the cover of THE NIGHT FLIER, I found it interesting that Miguel Ferrer was in a leading role; he is definitely one of our times greatest (and most underrated) actors.
The story is classic Stephen King, it's gory, fun, fu***** scary, and GREAT acted by Mr. Ferrer.
We follow Richard Dees, an angry, cold, heartless journalist as he follows the trail of a vampire-style killer pilot called "The Night Flier" in his own plane.
stephen kings book was a little different but i cant complain its the perfect vampire film.
First read "Night Flier" in the collection "Prime Evil" (which was a great read) so I happened upon the film version at Blockbuster and checked it out.Miguel Ferrer is Richard Dees, a cynical and jaded reporter for a "National Enquirer"-esquire rag called the "Inside View".
Miguel Ferrer breathed life into the role of jaded tabloid reporter Richard Dees, who is determined to chase down the Night Flier, a serial killer who exsanguinates his victims as he travels from place to place in a small plane.
The Night Flier certainly does.Miguel Ferrer plays Robert Dees, a reporter from Inside Scoop, a magazine devoted to only the most morbid of news.
It's like when I get a very specifically shaped gift and think I know what's inside, but never feel satisfied because the wrapper holds me one step a way from resolution.And now, here is my evening spent with The Night Flier: first I scolded Inside Scoop and its workers for their exploitation entertainment, just as the film wanted me to, emphasizing and emphasizing how little the reporters cared about the victims.
We care about Robert, but only as a tool to find the information and lead us to the action (just as we want actual reporters to do).When The Night Flier, as if it hadn't teased us enough, finally gets to the action and the killer (who looks awesome, by the way!!) it then does something really mean: makes us care about Robert.
If you ask me, it is one of the great horror films of all time.A lot of praise has already gone to Miguel Ferrer for his portrayal of a loathsome tabloid's most loathsome reporter.
Played here by a typically excellent Miguel Ferrer, Dees finally latches onto a story that will affect him at gut level, as he tracks a mysterious, blood sucking serial killer who flies a black Cessna plane from one isolated airport to another, and murders one or more locals before moving on.Pavia does a very fine job of establishing, and maintaining, a sober mood, while also adding dark comedy elements.
Nice black & white finale, too.Those horror fans disheartened by the over abundance of less than stellar film versions of Kings' stories are advised to give "The Night Flier" a look.Eight out of 10..
1997's "The Night Flier" is one of those films whose story of a vampire pilot flying from one tiny airport to another using a private plane might sound a bit silly at first but once you start watching it, you simply can't stop.
It's a story that egotistical, tabloid reporter Richard Dees (Miguel Ferrer) is put on to investigate.
Made for HBO, "The Night Flier" works for several reasons, First and foremost is the good job here of expanding upon the short story by horror maestro Stephen King.
"The Night Flier" is dark tale done well with everything you'd expect in a Stephen King story.
The Night Flier is an incredibly atmospheric and fabulously gripping film, so-well executed and full of mysterious suspense -- and easily one of the﻿ best Stephen King adaptations to ever be made, in my opinion.
So criminally overlooked and underrated for a King adaptation -- a rare﻿ case of where the film version surpasses the source material (The Night Flier, first published as part of an anthology of modern horror in 1988, later became part of King's own collection of short stories, entitled Nightmares & Dreamscapes in 1993).
Master of horror Stephen king has scared you before but never like this, THE NIGHT FLIER is not just a great adaptation but a great film as well and it was refreshing to see an intelligent horror movie and not just another slasher that featured horny teenagers being hacked to death by a machete wielding idiot with a bad childhood, this film deserves the kind of attention that a lot of the crappy blockbusters are getting today, because it is that good.Obviously I'm not going to add a synopsis, I hardly ever do, the best way to watch this film is to go in by forgetting everything you've possibly heard about it whether it be good or bad and watch it as if you just discovered it for the first time.Overall, its a horror fan's dream, enough said..
But wait, as it turns out, this movie is STEPHEN KING's NIGHT FLIER, so I slap my forehead and moan, "Man the cover box fools me once again.
In spite the fact this is a B-movie, it is much more successful with short Night Flier's story than many other ambitious films trying to work with King's novels.
You've got everything here what movie of this kind needs: tension, excitement, dull atmosphere, mysterious villain and one really good horror scene, much more scarier then in majority of conventional horror movies.Here the vampire is a charming man who has great influence on the minds of his victims and can transform himself in an awful monster.
Miguel Ferrer gives out his best performance and I liked his character although his actions are pretty unlikeable.Overall good movie.
In the final 15 minutes I, for one, would have liked to learn more about the vampire, his background and his powers, but the movie wastes too much time setting up its "ironic" twist ending with an extended "zombie" sequence instead.
Although the plot is not very original the movie is resolute in a rather ingenious way, the main character (fairly good Miguel Ferrer job as the tabloid journalist) is not precisely a "Good Person" and there are various perverse ideas behind the script.
Very good ending, too.This movie has to be one of the best Stephen King (sometimes good, generally average or mediocre writer) horror adaptations, only under CARRIE (8/10).
The only thing I can think of is peoplewho don't like horror or vampire films still take the time to vote for them.
"The Night Flier" Will be at the top of the list of good vampire films for long after I leave this world..
Hoping to score a much-needed cover story, Richard Dees (Miguel Ferrer), unscrupulous hack for sensationalist tabloid Inside View, goes in search of Dwight Renfield AKA The Night Flier, a vampiric killer who travels the country in a black Cessna Skymaster, landing at rural airstrips where he feeds on the locals.
Also keen to bag a scoop with The Night Flier is the rag's newest reporter Katherine Blair (Julie Entwisle), but has she got what it takes to do the job?The Night Flier is adapted from one of Stephen King's short stories, and it feels like it, the plot being far too insubstantial for a wholly satisfying feature length film; consequently, there is a lot of filler, mostly in the form of the dull rivalry between slime-ball Dees and ambitious newbie Blair, which soon gets tedious.
Instead, I think Night Flier works better as an exploitation movie, since it's so lacking in atmosphere, tension, and suspense.Some people were disappointed by the ending, but I found it to be perfectly acceptable and perhaps even satisfying.
All in all not a great movie, but a fairly good Stephen King film..
". "The Night Flier" has to be in the overall "Top 5" of Stephen King film adaptations.
It may depart from the story in some respects, but the changes are effective for a film.The excellent Miguel Ferrer, who often pops up in King-based films, stars here as a tabloid reporter, Richard Dees.
! !Armed with only a camera and a tape recorder, slimy journalist Miguel Ferrer hunts down a murderer known as The Night Flier, named so because he travels from location to location in his airplane.The movie starts out like more of a murder mystery, and is very interesting to watch, as you are never told exactly what's going on, although when corpses with bite marks on their necks start to turn up, it gets fairly obvious.
Don't be put off by the fact it's been languishing in the dark for nearly three years before release in the UK, as THE NIGHT FLIER is a highly enjoyable and in some ways, old-fashioned, thriller.The plot comes across a bit like an episode of THE X-FILES, with a journalist (instead of an FBI agent) interviewing suspects and gradually getting closer and closer to the killer of the story.
There's a hallucinogenic moment where Ferrer is forced to drink the vampire's blood and sees the dead coming back to life around him, enshrouded in mist, just like in NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD; made more effective through the use of black and white.
We also get a chance to see his ways of flamboyant journalism by disturbing a victim's grave, adding ugly dead flowers and his own blood(..while even stooping so low as to move the gravestone)..everything is for getting the top story printed with extra spice.I think the idea of the main character being a real slimeball could hurt the film for many because it's much easier to cast a likable hero who we feel sympathy for as he/she pursues the killer leaving a graphic trail of gruesome murders, with throats ripped open so badly that the head is pulled apart from the neck displaying bloody flesh.
For something based on a Stephen King short story, that looks and sounds like an overly long episode of "Tales from the Darkside", has shockingly little sex and violence, and features a villain who is laugh out loud ludicrous if you think about it, The Night Flier is a stunningly good piece of work.
So, The Night Flier isn't just a good movie.
Miguel Ferrer plays a totally unlikable but interesting reporter on the trail of Dwight "Night Flier" Renfield, a vampiric pilot in the habit of tearing apart the denizens of isolated airfields.
She survives to report on his death, which becomes the front cover of the newest edition of "Inside View."The Night Flier movie is the nexus for several King stories and is packed with references.
Miguel Ferrer is the ideal man to play the leading role in this rather gore adaptation of a story written by Stephen King.
He gets obsessed by the chase and is convinced about the fact that he will found out who he is and why he sucks out all the blood of his victims...Meanwhile, Katherine doesn't give up on the story either and she also goes after the Night Flier.
The Night Flier short story was brilliant and set near unreachable expectations for a movie without a serious budget.
It's mostly the competition between the reporters over the story and a few creepy scenes involving the Night Flier.
That's the part that the filmmakers of King's films often confuse: a lot of back-story in a movie doesn't always mean it is creepy.
Moss star in this 1997 horror film based on Stephen King's short story.
Ferrer (Robocop) plays tabloid journalist, Richard Dees who is determined to get a story on a mysterious killer who travels by private plane murdering his victims at airports at night.