I was reading the C.D. inlay notes for Dominic Frontiere's score for "A Name For Evil/The Unknown" and I was looking at the I.D.M.B. entry fro the film and noticed that it was filmed in 1970, but went overbudget, and wasn't released until 1973. However, I did notice that there were TWO versions: The one on D.V.D. is graphically explicit, while the version that was televised on A.M.C. had more nudity. Can anybody explain these two versions?
Hmm. Something doesn't sound right. I have a DVD of the 74 minute telefilm A NAME FOR EVIL (1970/3) and there is no nudity. Can you define "graphically explicit"?
I'm a huge fan of the score despite never seeing the film. The DVD use to be in the $1 bin for ages but the video quality looked incredibly awful. Id love to see it if it managed to have good audio and VHS quality video. Alas, this doesn't seem possible.
I suspect that the 74-minute version was shorn of nudity (and probably some violence) for television airings. The version that opened theatrically in 1973 was rated [R] by the MPAA and is reported as running 85 minutes.
The DVD isn't much to look at. I would not mind a clean transfer of the telefilm version. Just bought the oop soundtrack CD brand new on amazon marketplace. The seller gouged me $5.95 plus postage.
By the way I like very much the 74-minute movie-of-the-week of the 1970s. Most of them were above average (The Love War, Night Slaves), some were outstanding (Dr. Cook's Garden, The Screaming Woman) and some were brilliant (Duel, The Night Stalker). I wish the 74-minute movie-of-the-week in the 90-minute time-slot could be brought back by the networks, but as you know, SAG rates make it impossible.
I dont recall which release I have - it was a budget dvd with bonus features, but video quality was perfectly acceptable. Runtime is 78 minutes. Might be the one on Amazon. There's nudity and implied sex which includes Culp and Eggar - it was produced by Penthouse.
In the comments section beneath this review http://theconsummateculp.com/2011/05/a-name-for-evil/ there's a discussion about a 93 minute AMC version with a longer beginning and no nudity (which contradicts the OP's assertion here). I dont know if AMC had started including commercials back then, which might explain the length.
