TV2 decided viewers needed a good scare to start the weekend.

Thanks to the hard work and generosity of a fellow archival TV researcher we have the list of movies they screened.

TX Date Channel Title Year Notes
6 Jan 1989 TV2 Sapphire and Steel   Repeats of “Sapphire and Steel” TV Series begins in this time-slot until 7 April
13 Jan 1989 TV2 Sapphire and Steel   TV Series episode
20 Jan 1989 TV2 Sapphire and Steel   TV Series episode
27 Jan 1989 TV2 Sapphire and Steel   TV Series episode
3 Feb 1989 TV2 Sapphire and Steel   TV Series episode
10 Feb 1989 TV2 Sapphire and Steel   TV Series episode
17 Feb 1989 TV2 Sapphire and Steel   TV Series episode
24 Feb 1989 TV2 Sapphire and Steel   TV Series episode
3 Mar 1989 TV2 Sapphire and Steel   TV Series episode
10 Mar 1989 TV2 Sapphire and Steel   TV Series episode
17 Mar 1989 TV2 Sapphire and Steel   TV Series episode
24 Mar 1989 TV2 Sapphire and Steel   TV Series episode
31 Mar 1989 TV2 Sapphire and Steel   TV Series episode
7 Apr 1989 TV2 The Brides of Dracula 1960 Start of The Friday Frights season time-slot
14 Apr 1989 TV2 Fright 1971  
21 Apr 1989 TV2 The Skull 1965  
28 Apr 1989 TV2 The War of the Worlds 1953  
5 May 1989 TV2 The Brain That Wouldn’t Die 1959  
12 May 1989 TV2 Attack of the Killer Tomatoes 1978  
19 May 1989 TV2 Halloween II 1981  
26 May 1989 TV2 Demons of the Mind 1973  
2 Jun 1989 TV2 Fright Night 1985  
9 Jun 1989 TV2 The Pack 1977  
16 Jun 1989 TV2 Theatre of Death 1967  
23 Jun 1989 TV2 House 1986  
30 Jun 1989 TV2 The Abominable Dr Phibes 1971  
7 Jul 1989 TV2 He Knows You’re Alone 1980  
14 Jul 1989 TV2 The Mutations 1974  
21 Jul 1989 TV2 The Premature Burial 1962  
28 Jul 1989 TV2 The 1989 International Rock Awards   This music special screens instead of The Friday Frights time-slot
4 Aug 1989 TV2 The Creature From The Black Lagoon 1954  
11 Aug 1989 TV2 The Exorcist 1973  
18 Aug 1989 TV2 The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms 1953  
25 Aug 1989 TV2 Dr Phibes Rises Again 1972  
1 Sep 1989 TV2 Planet of Blood 1966  
8 Sep 1989 TV2 Circus of Horrors 1960  
15 Sep 1989 TV2 The MTV 1989 Video Music Awards   This music special screens instead of The Friday Frights time-slot
22 Sep 1989 TV2 The House That Dripped Blood 1970  
29 Sep 1989 TV2 Tomb of Ligeia 1964  
6 Oct 1989 TV2 SummerSlam 89   This wrestling special screens instead of The Friday Frights time-slot
13 Oct 1989 TV2 Friday the 13th 1980  
20 Oct 1989 TV2 UB40 CCCP   This music special screens instead of The Friday Frights time-slot
27 Oct 1989 TV2 Psycho III 1986  
3 Nov 1989 TV2 Terror at London Bridge 1986  
10 Nov 1989 TV2 Jekyll & Hyde … Together Again 1982  
17 Nov 1989 TV2 The Bride of Frankenstein 1935  
24 Nov 1989 TV2 Tommy - The Who in Concert   This music special screens instead of The Friday Frights time-slot
1 Dec 1989 TV2 Frankenstein - The True Story (part 1) 1973 Split into two parts over two weeks
8 Dec 1989 TV2 Frankenstein - The True Story (part 2) 1973 Split into two parts over two weeks
15 Dec 1989 TV2 Godzilla vs Mothra 1964  
22 Dec 1989 TV2 The Incredible Shrinking Man 1957  
29 Dec 1989 TV2 Endless Night 1971  

1990

TX Date Channel Title Year Notes
5 Jan 1990 TV2 House of Wax 1953  
12 Jan 1990 TV2 The Thing with Two Heads 1972  
19 Jan 1990 TV2 Unman, Wittering and Zigo 1971  
26 Jan 1990 TV2 The Wicker Man 1973  
2 Feb 1990 TV2 What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? 1962  
9 Feb 1990 TV2 Whatever Happened to Aunt Alice? 1969  
16 Feb 1990 TV2 Funhouse 1981  
23 Feb 1990 TV2 Psycho II 1983  
2 Mar 1990 TV2 Silver Bullet 1985  
9 Mar 1990 TV2 The Mummy 1932  
16 Mar 1990 TV2 The Wolf Man 1941  
23 Mar 1990 TV2 The Face of Fu Manchu 1965  
30 Mar 1990 TV2 Piranha II : The Flying Killers 1982  
6 Apr 1990 TV2 The Deadly Bees 1966  
13 Apr 1990 TV2 The Monster Club 1980 Last ever film in the The Friday Frights time-slot.
20 Apr 1990 TV2 Blue Thunder   “Blue Thunder” TV series episodes begin in this time-slot
27 Apr 1990 TV2 The Nelson Mandela Concert Special   This music special (celebrating release of Nelson Mandela) screens instead of a Blue Thunder episode
4 May 1990 TV2 Blue Thunder   TV Series episode
11 May 1990 TV2 Blue Thunder   TV Series episode
18 May 1990 TV2 Blue Thunder   TV Series episode
25 May 1990 TV2 Blue Thunder   TV Series episode
1 Jun 1990 TV2 Blue Thunder   TV Series episode
8 Jun 1990 TV2 Blue Thunder   TV Series episode
15 Jun 1990 TV2 Blue Thunder   TV Series episode
22 Jun 1990 TV2 Blue Thunder   TV Series episode
29 Jun 1990 TV2 Blue Thunder   TV Series episode
6 Jul 1990 TV2 Blue Thunder   TV Series episode
13 Jul 1990 TV2 Werewolf   Repeats of “Werewolf” TV series episodes begin in this time-slot
20 Jul 1990 TV2 Werewolf   TV Series episode
27 Jul 1990 TV2 Werewolf   TV Series episode
3 Aug 1990 TV2 Werewolf   TV Series episode
10 Aug 1990 TV2 Werewolf   TV Series episode
17 Aug 1990 TV2 Werewolf   TV Series episode
24 Aug 1990 TV2 Werewolf   TV Series episode
31 Aug 1990 TV2 Werewolf   TV Series episode
7 Sep 1990 TV2 Werewolf   TV Series episode
14 Sep 1990 TV2 Werewolf   TV Series episode
21 Sep 1990 TV2 Werewolf   TV Series episode
28 Sep 1990 TV2 Werewolf   TV Series episode
5 Oct 1990 TV2 Werewolf   TV Series episode
12 Oct 1990 TV2 Werewolf   TV Series episode
19 Oct 1990 TV2 Werewolf   TV Series episode
26 Oct 1990 TV2 Werewolf   TV Series episode
2 Nov 1990 TV2 Werewolf   TV Series episode
9 Nov 1990 TV2 Werewolf   TV Series episode
16 Nov 1990 TV2 Werewolf   TV Series episode
23 Nov 1990 TV2 Werewolf   TV Series episode
30 Nov 1990 TV2 Werewolf   TV Series episode
7 Dec 1990 TV2 Radio With Pictures music specials   No Werewolf episode this week
14 Dec 1990 TV2 Werewolf   TV Series episode
21 Dec 1990 TV2 Werewolf   TV Series episode
28 Dec 1990 TV2 Werewolf   TV Series episode

 

Straight from the horror chamber 


By TRACY TAYLOR in The New Zealand Herald (2/11/1989) Pg 1

Robert Muldoon as Count RobulaSir Robert Muldoon will rise from the shadows of the back benches this month to undergo a ghoulish transformation from politician to vampire. The former Prime Minster will become the black-cloaked, pale-faced, red-eyed Count Robula when he begins fronting the Friday Frights late-night horror movie slot on TVNZ's Channel Two from November 17. And he admits he Is not a pretty sight. "I look awful — you won't be able to look at me. I am really very nice looking, but this is awful," he said yesterday. Sir Robert is not exactly, sure why TVNZ chose him to front the 13-movie horror series, but has his own theory on the motives behind his selection. "They thought I was the most horrible creature in Parliament ... ," he said. 

'Classics' The movies to be screened were described by Sir Robert as "classics," but he admitted he is not a horror fan despite being no stranger to it. In 1986 he starred In the Rocky Horror Show stage musical playing the role of narrator and finds himself facing horror regularly in the political arena. "I get enough horror in the chamber in Parliament. Nothing in the movies is as awful as the people I see across the floor of the House," he said. Mr Neil Roberts, of Cornmunicado, came up with the idea of casting Sir Robert as Count Robula to give the Friday Frights a theme.

`Alarming' In his Dracula garb Count Robula looks "quite alarming," but, according to Mr Roberts, it is Sir Robert's trademark chuckle which steals the show. As he closes the movie slot, Count Robula bids fare-well to viewers inviting them to Join him the follow lag Friday night and then subsides into his distinctive laugh. "So join me then for a frightfully good time. Sweel dreams. Heh, heh. heh." 

Count Robula Cartoon

Cartoon from the NZ Herald (18/11/1989)

Count Robula's a Friday fright

From The Evening Post (17/11 1989)

The former Prime Minister, Sir Robert Muldoon, makes his entrance in yet another television role tonight (11.35) as Count Robula, presenter of The Friday Frights movie on Channel 2.

Sir Robert has recorded 13 opening and closing sequences for The Friday Frights. As Count Robula he introduces each film while seated at an old wooden desk covered with cobwebs.

Positioned around him are a skull, a skeleton and an old candelabra: He gives some thoughts on the film and will give an insight into the moral of the story.. After introducing the movie for the coming week he will close with: So join me then for a frightfully good time. Sweet dreams. Heh, heh, heh, heh.

Sir Robert was first associated with horror productions when he took to the stage as the narrator in The Rocky Horror Show. He says he doesn't look out for horror roles but they can be a bit of fun when they come along. Nor is he fazed by the prospect of being typecast In horror roles. A lot of people do that to me already as a politician, he said. Sir Robert said he enjoyed acting as it was a bit of fun and was also a change from Parliament. I get sick and tired of sitting In the House these days. It is not the same place it used to be. There are a bunch of Idiots in Government and Parliament. The whole thing has been a bit of a farce for several years now.

Sir Robert said he saw more horrible things in Parliament than he ever would in The Friday Frights. He described The Friday Frights as old classic horror movies which were quite different from the types of things you get today. They shouldn't upset anyone or turn anyone into delinquents.

Sir Robert is no stranger to television acting having performed in the children's drama series, Terry and the Gun-runners and in commercials for Countrywide Bank.

Neil Roberts, of Communicado, which filmed The Friday Frights presentations, said Sir Robert was the ideal person for the job. Sir Robert is a bit of a showman and is one of the most experienced tele-vision performers in the country.

He said Sir Robert had a distinctive appearance suitable for such a role. We would have gone over the top with fangs and such like but it was not necessary.

Roberts said it was certainly unusual for a former prime minister who was also a knight to be presenting horror movies, but he thought it was great. A lot of politicians end up being pompous stuffed shirts, Roberts said. I think it is great that we have a former Prime Minister who enjoys a bit of show business fun.

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