Movie Review: Snowbeast (1977 TV)

One of the longest running myths about popular culture is that made
for television movies are inferior to made for theater movies. This is particularly true in regards to 1970's TV movies. Actually, up to the late 1970's, the production values for TV moves were just as good as for theatrical movies. This was because in the pre-blockbuster era in Hollywood, there was little difference in the budgets between the two types of movies. One great example of just how good a made for TV movie could be is the 1977 horror effort Snowbeast.

There are several excellent aspects to Snowbeast. The
photography is excellent, particularly the location shots. The musical
score is great and is far superior to the scores of most 1970's made
for TV movies. The noted creator of the standout 1960's science
fiction TV series "The Outer Limits," Joseph Stefano, wrote the script
for this flick and it shows. The production values for this made for
TV flick is on par with the theatrical releases from the year that it
was made (1977). The sound effects are great and really help to
establish the kind of creepy atmosphere for a flick like this to scare
you. All this adds up to a genuinely creepy atmosphere almost from the
start to the finish.

Another great aspect of Snowbeast is the acting. It is pretty
decent with good performances turned in by several old hands at this
sort of thing. There is a definite nostalgia factor in seeing such old
favorites such as Yvette Mimieux, Sylvia Sidney, Bo Svenson & Clint
Walker do their thing. Also interesting to watch are Kathy Christopher
& Robert Logan who were both rising stars in 1977 even though their
careers have become extinguished since.

Perhaps the best aspect of Snowbeast lies in how often you
actually see the monster. You hardly see him at all and when you do,
its only some quick, short shots that usually afford you no more than
a glimpse of part of his body. What this does is to heighten the
suspense and the fear factor in this flick. It helps make the show
seem more authentic. Hearing some growls here and there and seeing the
reactions of the victims makes for a much better sense of suspense.

In the end, Snowbeast stands as a contradiction to the canard
about how all made for TV movies that are now in the public domain are
bad. Snowbeast is a well made horror flick about an Abominable
Snowman type creature. It is frightening without explicit sex,
violence or vulgar language. In other words, it is a great horror
flick for the whole family and as such it is heartily recommended.