Top 10 Forgotten Made for TV Movies

This 1978 TV movie was a full length, back door pilot for a proposed series, chronicling the adventures of Marvel's Sorcerer Supreme on a weekly basis. The film has seen its share of criticism over the years, but Stan Lee has chalked the low ratings of "Dr. Strange" up to it being aired against "Roots". Honestly, the film is a LOT of fun, and Peter Hooten is suitably charismatic in his role as Strange, while future "Arrested Development" star Jessica Walter is also great as Morgan Le Fay[a]. Give this one a shot, you might just enjoy it. Stranger things have happened.

Sure, some special effects work from the 1970s hasn't aged too well, but that's not true here. Industry icon Stan Winston and his crew won a Primetime Emmy for their outstanding work. The makeup on "Gargoyles" simply cannot be understated, and it captured the imaginations of an entire generation when it first aired back in 1972. Bernie Casey[b] is particularly excellent as the lead gargoyle in a role which was physically demanding, given the wealth of prosthetics. "Gargoyles" is a well paced film which never loses steam, and presents plenty of action sequences and stunts along the way.

Steven Spielberg is well known for his early TV work prior to breaking out with his blockbuster hit, "Jaws." Many fans will immediately point to 1971's "Duel" as Spielberg's television success story, but the director actually followed that one up a year later with another excellent tele-film, "Something Evil". The film was written by "Enter the Dragon" director Robert Clouse[c], and features the sort of haunted house and demonic possession tropes popular during the day. It's Spielberg's steady direction - apparent even at this early stage in his career - which keeps "Something Evil" moving, however, ratcheting the creepy tension up to the max.

Elizabeth Montgomery may have been best known for "Bewitched," but this 1975 television film went a long way in breaking the typecasting. Montgomery provides a chilling performance as the titular Lizzie Borden, the young Fall River woman accused of murdering her father and stepmother in 1892. "The Legend of Lizzie Borden" works as a procedural for the most part, yet it's never boring, thanks largely to Montgomery's magnetic performance, as well as the "did she or didn't she?" recreation at the film's climax. This scene was even more graphic in the film's European cut which had an extra 4 minutes of 19th century true crime happenings.

John Carpenter wrote and directed this thriller for television in 1978, after helming his first two low-budget features, "Dark Star" and "Assault on Precinct 13." "Somebody's Watching Me" aired on the small screen only a month after his breakout hit "Halloween" hit theaters, however, making it something of an early blind spot for Carpenter fans. Today, "Somebody's Watching Me" can properly be studied on both DVD and Blu-Ray by fans seeking out the early origins of Carpenter's voyeuristic camera work, tense storytelling and unique visual style, all of which are on display here as star Lauren Hutton fends off an increasingly brazen telephone stalker.

Younger viewers might be more familiar with the Guillermo Del Toro[d] 2011 remake, but the original definitely merits rediscovery. The key to the success of "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" is the relentless atmosphere and terrifying sound design of the creatures, who whisper to each other in demonic, otherworldly voices. These unholy minions also speak to lead actress Kim Darby, seeking to make them one of their brood, after she frees them from a fireplace deep inside her new home. The less said about this one, the better: just go see it!

Stephen King's "Carrie" has seen its share of adaptations over the years, and while "The Spell" isn't specifically an adaptation of "Carrie", the 1977 TV film possesses similar tropes, including a girl who gets with mistreated in gym class, and retaliates with telekinetic powers. Brian Taggert[e]'s screenplay differs, however, in that lead character Rita, well...actually isn't all that nice. Rita's anger issues and troubled home life are touched upon from the start, with the character's violent outbursts occurring right away, as opposed to being saved for one fiery end sequence. As a result, "The Spell" is actually quite underrated, and deserving of investigation.

Atmosphere. This is the word best used to describe "Dark Night of the Scarecrow". The titular "scarecrow" is actually Bubba, a man with developmental disabilities who has an innocent relationship with a young girl thats later questioned when she's mauled by a dog and assumed dead. Bubba is chased down and killed by a group of locals while hiding out inside of a scarecrow, only to supernaturally return for vengeance, picking them each off, one by one. "Dark Night of the Scarecrow" may be simple in story and execution, but it holds up remarkably well for repeated viewings, especially around the Halloween season.

This cult television classic follows a troubled young man with disturbing dissociative tendencies. When Ronald accidentally kills a girl, his overprotective mother hides him from the police within the walls of their house. Unfortunately, she dies on the operating table during surgery, leaving Ronald as a creeping voyeur to a new family who have moved into the house. If you find that disturbing, then you're not alone, as "Bad Ronald" remains one of the most unique and well made television movies from this era. Scott Jacoby [f]is both sympathetic and troubling as Ronald, bringing to the film a performance which still resonates well today.

Before we name our number one pick, here are a few honorable mentions!

Linda Blair Provides a Harrowing Performance as a Young Runaway

The Investigation of an All Girls School Reveals a Disturbing Cult

An Innocent Beach Trip Turns Into a Nightmare Weekend

"Threads" was produced in Britain only a year after a similar film, "The Day After," debuted in the US. Both follow the events leading up to and after a nuclear holocaust, a topic which was weighing heavily on the public's mind during this time. "Threads" is far less optimistic than its American counterpart, however, and presents an absolutely harrowing and depressing account of life after The Bomb. Violence, hunger, radiation sickness and nuclear winter all afflict those left in the aftermath. It's powerful and unforgettable stuff, and a true testament to the power of quality storytelling on the small screen.