Every horror fan tends to have a few Stephen King adaptations in their collection – though the underrated movie The Night Flier is likely missing. Unlike other horror adaptations of King’s works like Carrie, The Shining, and Pet Sematary which have been released countless times on home video, The Night Flier is much more obscure. It’s time that the movie received the treatment it deserves with a new release for both physical media and streaming.
The History of The Night Flier
The Night Flier has an interesting release history. Mark Pavia directed the 1997 endeavor with a screenplay he co-wrote with Jack O’Donnell based on the 1988 short story by King with the same name. The film made its first premiere in Italy in May of 1997. In order to keep European investors happy, Pavia and producer Richard P. Rubinstein gave the film to HBO for a television premiere on November 7, 1997. HBO’s sister company New Line Cinema acquired the film for a limited theatrical run on February 6, 1998 where it grossed a mere $210,426 from 91 theaters.
Its home video history then began with a HBO Home Video release on VHS and DVD on May 27, 1998. An additional few releases followed from HBO, Warner Home Video, and a 2000 release from Mosaic Movies. Unfortunately, these early home video releases are now out-of-print. Copies have become increasingly rare and overpriced in a competitive market online. Likewise, The Night Flier is unavailable on streaming, with the occasional bootleg copy uploaded in poor quality on video sharing websites.
Issues With Re-Releasing The Night Flier
If you can follow its complicated history, it’s easy to see why The Night Flier hasn’t been released on home video in so long. There are a number of companies involved with the rights and these issues often hold back potential releases. Sometimes companies aren’t aware of what they own, and it requires a boutique label to track down the rights and make a licensing deal. Otherwise, it’s possible that producers are intentionally withholding the film, which producer Richard P. Rubinstein has been known to do with other horror films in the United States including the original Dawn of the Dead and Martin.
Of course, these issues can be rectified with time. If fans are vocal about seeing The Night Flier released on home video – then it could make the possibility more likely. After all, the film had an underwhelming performance during its theatrical run, and that could’ve scared potential distributors away. If they see that there’s an interest, however, then things could change.
Why The Night Flier Is So Important
Obviously The Night Flier isn’t the greatest adaptation of King’s works. It’s a small-scale story with an emphasis on atmosphere and buildup. For viewers that stick with the film, however, then they’ve uncovered a great story circling Miguel Ferrer’s reporter character Richard Dees and his hunt for Dwight Renfield, aka the Night Flier, played by Mark H. Moss. The title could even be compared to a much more successful TV movie about a vampire – 1972’s The Night Stalker – which similarly revolved around a reporter’s quest to disprove and later prove the existence of the aforementioned monster.
It’s The Night Flier that holds a much darker perspective on the world of journalism and sensationalism. Dees works for a publication that thrives on exploitation, with his work turning him into a desensitized and cutthroat liar, one that will do anything to get his story. At times, one could argue he’s even worse than the vampire he’s chasing, and it’s this villain that should be recognized as one of King’s best. He has all of the deformities of the ‘Salem’s Lot adaptation’s Kurt Barlow but offers an even more tragic backstory and complex motivations. A sequel was once planned, but never came to fruition, and it’s a shame because Renfield – who is named after the Dracula character of the same name – could have been such a great character to explore further.
In conclusion, The Night Flier deserves a new release. The film has had a rough enough history – and it’s time that fans have the opportunity to appreciate it for what it is. With a proper restoration, and a wider availability, fans can see the hard work that the cast and crew invested in the title. Furthermore, it’s a great vehicle for the late, great Miguel Ferrer, who often enough doesn’t get his due. Hopefully whatever issues are holding back The Night Flier will give way soon.
