414 – The Norliss Tapes

David Norliss, disbeliever, investigates the supernatural to debunk it.  What he finds challenges his understanding of reality. Simon and Eugene discuss the 1973 planned pilot movie, The Norliss Tapes, with some strong ties to Dan Curtis’ Night Stalker and Night Strangler movies. Episode Synopsis: David Norliss is a recognized-name author.  He’s been working on an advance from his publisher to write a new book debunking the supernatural. His publisher is distressed when Norliss calls hims and says, “I can’t write the book.  I need to talk to you – now.”  But when Norliss misses the meeting, his publisher starts to worry.  And worry he should; Norliss has gone missing.  The only clue to his disappearance:  The cassette tape notes that he’s left behind.  His publisher starts with tape #1. It recounts a prologue to Norliss’ adventures – how he started researching and debunking the frauds that prey on the gullible who believe in the supernatural, but then he’s approached by Mrs. Ellen Cort, recent widow of the wealthy and famous artist, James Cort, who died of natural causes. She’s sought out Norliss because her sister is a friend of Norliss and mentioned his research into the supernatural. Recently, late at night, while living alone in the giant mansion left to her by her late husband, her dog goes nuts and leads her to her late husband’s studio. There, a zombified version of her husband tries to kill her, but she narrowly escapes.  The Sheriff, although taking the crime seriously, doesn’t believe the more fantastical elements of the story. Norliss decides to investigate.  He learns that Cort was struck with a rare, debilitating and fatal brain disease, after which he became entangled with Madam Jeckiel, a proponent of the supernatural, and that, in exchange for some unknown promise, he was given an antique ring, the Ring of Osiris, which he never took off and specifically left instructions in his will that he be buried wearing.  He verifies that Cort’s body (and the ring) are still in the family crypt. And then the murders start.  The Cort zombie kills a young woman and drains her body of blood.  The local sheriff investigates, but tries to keep a lid on the more fantastical elements of the story – this being the same sheriff who didn’t wholly believe Mrs. Cort’s story, either. Norliss interviews Langdon, the gallery owner who worked with Cort; who has shown a marked interest in the ring and also introduced Cort to Madam Jeckiel.  Legend has it that the ring is Egyptian and is the symbol of immortality.  While Langdon reveals nothing useful to Norliss, Norliss lets him know he’ll never get the ring because it was interred with Cort. Soon, Langdon tries to steal the ring from the crypt, but is killed by Cort. Norliss visits Madam Jeckiel who is also unhelpful, but warns him and Mrs Cort away from the mansion.  It is the house of Sargoth now. Returning to the studio, because Norliss is convinced that is the key to this mystery, they find a new statue, a work in progress, with fresh clay nearby – and then they are attacked by Cort.  Once again, they barely escape, this time Cort demonstrates his incredible strength by ripping the door of the car off. The sheriff investigates but he dismisses the more fantastical elements of the story – even after they discover Cort’s body is no longer in the crypt. Ellen’s sister returns from her trip and goes to visit her sister, unaware that the mansion is now vacant.  Unable to get in, she stops at a nearby hotel for the night.  Soon, Cort breaks in, kills her and takes her body. Norliss has been researching and has discovered a series of prohibition-era tunnels under the estate connecting the studio and the crypt, and had he the clay analyzed and learned it is 40% human blood.  He also conducts some chemistry experiments of his own, but that’s for later. Meanwhile Madam Jeckiel visits Ellen Cort and confess that she had been used by the powers of darkness; that Cort made a deal – after he died, he would come back to life and make a statute that the demon Sargoth would transform into a new body, and then grant Cort eternal life upon success. If they can just find the body and remove the ring before sunset, it will all end.  They go to the mansion despite it almost being sundown and without Norliss, and discover the tunnel, the missing dead bodies and Cort, who kills Madam Jeckiel but lets Ellen go free. Norliss arrives with a plan:  Let Cort finish the statute.  He will surround it with a circle of blood and when Sargoth comes to life, will set the blood on fire – which is an impenetrable barrier for supernatural beings.  The plan works and the studio is burned down.  The charred body of Cort, but not Sargoth is found. There is no answer to the disappearance of David Norliss on tape 1.  Perhaps on tape 2?  His publisher begins to listen.