Tag Archives: The Evil Touch

Ghostly Messages: Australia’s Lost Horror Anthology, ‘The Evil Touch’

Posted on February 18, 2021 by Andrew Nette| Leave a comment

In a June 2017 article in Fortean Times, the British magazine concerned with strange and paranormal phenomena, writer and broadcaster Bob Fischer discussed how the sensation of not being exactly sure what you were watching on television, or not being able to recall the details with any precision, was a common experience in relation to consuming visual culture in the 1960s and 1970s, before the advent of streaming, DVD, and VHS. This sense of “lostness”—of incomplete and unverifiable experience—is also what makes these memories such powerful nostalgia prompts.

The television viewing experience that most encapsulates this sense of lostness for me is a little-known, American-backed, Australian-made horror anthology series, The Evil Touch, that debuted on Sydney screens in June 1973 and in Melbourne a month later. Largely forgotten now, American critic John Kenneth Muir referred to the show in his 2001 book, Terror Television: American Series 1970-1999, as the “horror anthology that slipped through the cracks of time.” The Evil Touch has never had an official DVD release, although poor quality versions of some episodes can be found online, or as bootleg editions originally copied from television on VHS. It is not even known who now owns the rights. But the program was significant in many ways.

You can read the rest of the piece in full here at the We Are the Mutants site.… Read more

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Posted in Australian popular culture, Australian television history, Dystopian cinema, Horror, Science fiction and fantasy

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The Evil Touch talk at the Australian National Film & Sound Archive

Posted on August 12, 2019 by Andrew Nette| 1 Comment

I know from previous mentions of the show this site, that there are more than a few fans amongst you of the early 1970s Australian television horror anthology show, The Evil Touch.

For those who live in Canberra or nearby, I’ll be giving a talk on the show at the National Film and Sound Archive from 6pm on Friday, September 6.

The late 1960s/early 1970s was viewed as the peak period for horror anthology television. The Evil Touch is Australia’s only contribution to this particular broadcast niche. Made specifically for the American market – at a time when little Australian TV was made, let alone exported overseas – it bombed when it aired locally in 1973 and the 26 episode show is now largely forgotten and remains unavailable on DVD.

Although cheaply made, the show remains strangely effective, at times, genuinely disturbing viewing. The grainy look and surreal narrative style give it the feel – to use the words of American television critic John Kenneth Muir – of ‘a low grade transmission straight from hell’.

My talk will look at the show’s origins, making and reception. As part of the event, the NFSA will also screening two episodes: the debut episode that aired in 1973, ‘The Obituary’, starring Leslie Nielsen, and what I think is the most innovative episode, ‘Kadaitcha Country’, starring Leif Erickson as an alcoholic Christian missionary assigned to a remote outback mission, where he immediately comes into contact with an Aboriginal ‘witch doctor’ called the Kadaitcha Man.… Read more

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Posted in Australian popular culture, Australian television history, Horror

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Yuletide Terror: Christmas Horror on Film & Television

Posted on August 23, 2017 by Andrew Nette| Leave a comment

I know I have been hitting up Pulp Curry readers a bit lately in relation to a number of upcoming publications I am involved in. The writers among you may be familiar with this, but I find myself in a strange situation beyond my control, of a lot of books I have been involved in over the last year or two all hitting the market at around the same time.

In this vein, I wanted to briefly mention another upcoming book I am involved in, from the amazing Canadian micro publisher, Spectacular Optical, Yuletide Terror: Christmas Horror on Film and Television. A comprehensive new collection of essays & reviews on Christmas themed horror cinema by a number of very writers, edited byKier-La Janisse and Paul Corupe, it promises to be a must have for everyone’s Christmas sack. In addition to work on some of the more well known Christmas themed horror film and television, there are also essays on lessor known gems, including mine, ‘Surviving the Yuletide Season: Alcohol, Physical Affliction and Murder Down Under in The Evil Touch.’

The project is looking for indiegogo support at the link here, so if this is the kind of cool popular culture product that burns your candle, please consider giving it some financial love.… Read more

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Posted in Australian popular culture, Australian television history, Horror

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Monster Fest 2016 appearances: The Evil Touch & Homicide, episode 27, ‘Witch Hunt’

Posted on November 15, 2016 by Andrew Nette| 75 Comments

qualyeA quick heads up to Melbourne readers – Monster Fest 2016 will happen on take place from November 23 – 27, at the Lido Cinema, Hawthorn. Monster Fest is not something I have had much to do with in previous years, but this year it has been hugely revamped, largely thanks to the new program director, Kier-La Janisse, who has put together a new programming team, of which I am a part of.

Anyway, I particularly wanted to draw your attention to two events I am a part of.

Low Grade Transmissions From Hell: Revisiting the Lost Australian Horror Anthology, The Evil Touch

The early seventies are viewed as a peak period for horror anthology television. The Australian show, The Evil Touch is unique in that it was the only horror anthology show made locally, specifically for the US market. Successful in America, it bombed when aired in Australia in 1973 and the 26 episode series is now largely forgotten. Although cheaply made, The Evil Touch is strangely effective, at times, genuinely disturbing television. The grainy look and surreal narrative style give it the feel – in the words of American television critic John Kenneth Muir – of ‘a low grade transmission straight from hell’.

As part of Monster Fest’s Monster Academy, I’ll be giving a talk on the origins, making and reception of The Evil Touch.… Read more

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Posted in Australian popular culture, Australian television history, Crawford Productions, Horror

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