Stephen King's short story, The Night Flier,
originally appeared in Prime Evil: New Stories
by the Masters of Modern Horror (1988), edited
by Washington, D.C. lawyer Douglas E. Winter,
and it was later collected in King's Nightmares
& Dreamscapes (1993).
This film adaptation aired on HBO (November
1997) and was seen in European territories prior
to the American theatrical release. An unknown
vampiric Cessna pilot is suspected of night
murders at remote airfields. At the tabloid
Inside View, longtime reporter Richard Dees
(Miguel Ferrer) expresses disinterest, so eager
newcomer Katherine Blair (Julie Entwisle) is
instead given the story by editor Merton
Morrison (Dan Monahan). Then there's another
murder, prompting Dees to reverse himself.
He demands the story back and takes after the
killer in his one private plane, tracking
witnesses, gathering grue, and staging photos
when the subject looks too dull. Blair is also
on the trail, and the two newshounds are soon
competing. Both are out for blood -- and so is
the night flier. Stephen King campaigned for
director Mark Pavia and co-scripter Jack
O'Donnell to steer The Night Flier after he saw
their short film Drag, which King called "the
best short horror film I've seen in 20 years."
Locations included Wilmington, North Carolina.
The character of tabloid journalist Richard Dees
was first introduced in Stephen King's 1979
novel The Dead Zone.
Directed by: Mark Pavia
Written by: Jack O'Donnell & Mark Pavia
Produced by: Alfredo Cuomo, Mitchell Galin,
David R. Kappes, Jack O'Donnell, Richard P.
Rubinstein, Neal Stevens
Original music by: Brian Keane
Cast:
Miguel Ferrer ....
Richard Dees
Julie Entwisle .... Katherine Blair
Dan Monahan .... Merton Morrison
Michael H. Moss .... Dwight Renfield
John Bennes .... Ezra Hannon
Beverly Skinner .... Selida McCamon
Rob Wilds .... Buck Kendall
Richard K. Olsen .... Claire Bowie
Elizabeth McCormick .... Ellen Sarch
J.R. Rodriguez .... Terminal Cop #1
Bob Casey .... Terminal Cop #2
Ashton Stewart .... Nate Wilson
William Neely .... Ray Sarch
Windy Wenderlich .... Henry Gates
General Fermon Judd Jr. .... Policeman
Deann Korbutt .... Linda Ross
Rachel Lewis .... Libby Grant
Kirsten Leigh .... Dottie Walsh
Simon Elsworth .... Duffery Bartender
Jim Grimshaw .... Gas Station Attendant
Matthew Johnson .... Caretaker
Terry Neil Edlefsen .... Drunk
Joy Knox .... Dream Vampire #1
Randal Brown .... Dream Vampire #2
Laurie Wolf .... Dream Vampire #3
Keith Shepard .... Dream Vampire #4
Ruth Reid .... Dream Vampire #5
Matt Webb .... Reporter #1
David Zum Brunnen .... Reporter #2
April Turner .... Reporter #3
Manya K. Rubinstein .... Reporter #4
Kelley Sims .... Intern
