- A big-game hunter comes out of retirement to help track down a killer wolf, and begins to suspect that it isn't a wolf but an animal that can take human form.
- This 1974 made for TV movie opens with a man driving a convertible down a foggy road at night. The man, Hammond by name (Randy Kirby) is wearing a beige trench coat and is looking through the windshield trying to navigate the road ahead. He runs out of gas. He exits his car and walks down the road in search of help. He hears a growl, sees something, then he runs. He manages to get to his car in time, but the unseen animal starts tearing the convertible top to gain access to its victim. The windows are shattered and the scene fades to black. Title and credits are shown over police cars driving along a dirt road. They arrive at the scene that looks like a police convention. Sheriff Vernon Bell (Philip Carey) is examining the scene of the crime. Later, the Sheriff drives up to the bluff top, ocean side home of John Weatherby (Peter Graves). John invites Sheriff Bell inside his home. Bell gets straight to his reason for the visit. Bell recounts the facts and states that animal tracks were found at the scene of the killing. Bell wants John to look at them and provide some clue as to what kind of animal is responsible. John accompanies Bell to the crime scene and examines the strange prints. John Weatherby's best guess is a wolf, but a very large one. He suggests that Bell consult with Byron Douglas. Bell informs Weatherby that he tried Byron first, but "he was busy." The bloodhounds brought in to track the animal were unsuccessful - it seems the animal had changed its scent.
John Weatherby drives his red Corvette into town to see Sandy Miller (Jo Ann Pflug) who works at a coffee shop. Sandy is miffed that John hadn't called or come to see her. His excuse is that he's been busy working on a book. They patch things up. At night on a lonely stretch of road a blond man is walking (Chuck Hayward). He is wearing a green jacket. He hears growling, then sees something and starts to run. He is chased down and killed. The Sheriff and John examine the victim. John is shocked, "His whole face is gone." The pair follow the animal's track and notice their appearance changes. John declares, "They've changed. Well the animal ran to that point, and then it started walking, and when it walked it was on two legs." John walks a little further and notes the prints just end. Sheriff Bell drives John back to his house. John tells the Sheriff his is going to visit Byron and consult on the matter.
John drives out to the home of his former friend and hunting partner. He hears someone chopping wood. Without looking back to see who it is, Byron Douglas (Clint Walker) says, "I thought you might be around." Byron tells John he is preparing things for his next hunting trip, this time to South America. John notices a familiar face on the stairs, Grant (Don Megowan) and says hello. Byron asks about the killer animal. Then John comes to the real point of his visit, "Then help me find it." Byron begs off, claiming he has too much work to do in preparation for his South American trip. Byron warns of a third victim, "You know that once an animal starts killing humans...it never stops." That evening a boy (Jim Storm) and girl (Bonnie Van Dyke) are making out on the floor of a cabin. They hear something outside and go to investigate. The girl screams as something crashes through the window and attacks.
John Weatherby and Sandy are in a restaurant and remark that it is usually crowded, but the place is nearly empty. They discuss the events of the last few days, when Sandy asks why Byron isn't helping. Byron walks into the restaurant, then noticing his former hunting partner and Sandy, walks over to join them at their table. Byron reminds John that the animal would kill again, then needles Sandy. It is clear Byron has contempt for Sandy, and perhaps all women. Byron exudes a creepy vibe. A bearded man, smoking a pipe, walks over to verbally confront Byron because he is a hunter. The man (Lee Paul) is taken aback when Byron stands up and tells the student, "The pleasure I get from killing. I could show you what that is, though I doubt you'd die with the nobility of an animal. Shall I show you?" Byron stands a few inches from the terrified man and asks, "Shall I?" John gets between Byron and his terrified prey as the man runs off. John drives Sandy home. She is perplexed as to why John makes excuses for Byron and observes, "He's crazy, I'm telling you." At home, Sandy gets ready for bed. She hears a door creaking and goes to investigate. She decides to call John and tell him she thinks there are prowlers outside. She hears a crash and finds one of her doors splintered open. She is chased into her bedroom. She sees small holes being punched into her bedroom door, all the while scratching and growling sounds add to her terror. At the same time as the police arrive at Sandy's house, John Weatherby pulls up to the house. The deputy tells John that they responded as soon as he called them and that Sandy is safe. Sheriff Bell is sitting with Sandy when John enters her bedroom. The Sheriff explains that the police presence must have scared it off and that Sandy never saw what it was. We are shown a door, practically chewed or clawed apart. Two more damaged doors leading outside show the same pattern of destruction. They follow the tracks to the ocean below a cliff. John tells the Sheriff, "We're wasting our time trying to follow that animal, Vern. We're going to have to attract it." John tells Sandy she should come stay with him for a while and she nods her agreement. John drives Sandy to his house, then goes out into the night to hunt for the animal. The Sheriff told John earlier that he was going to impose a curfew and expected everyone to obey. John encounters the Sheriff on his hunt. The Sheriff reminds John about the curfew.
The next morning John visits Sandy at the Coffee Shop. The newspaper headline reads, "Werewolf Killer Still at Large". John reproaches Sandy for calling the Sheriff on him. Sandy reluctantly admits to John that she thinks Byron is responsible for the killings. The Sheriff interrupts their exchange, then asks John about the werewolf comment by Sandy. Bell invites John to join him later for another chat with Byron. A limping Grant approaches then stares out the window in Byron's home. John, Bell and Byron are on the patio talking. Bell again asks Byron for help, and again Byron refuses. Bell is both surprised and angry by Byron's indifference to four neighbors being killed. Byron admits to John that he is enjoying the situation. As John walks away in disgust, Byron warns him, "John, just in case you're thinking about going after that animal yourself. A good hunter is never sure of anything, except that his prey will do the unexpected." John tells the Sheriff how Grant came to work for Byron. Bell decides to stake out Byron's house for the night. His deputy, Charlie, relieves him. Charlie (Brian Richards) decides an inspection of the basement is in order. He enters the house through the basement. As he prowls around he hears a door open, then the sound of a chain rattling. He opens a door, only to confront an animal. He steps back and fires his service revolver at the approaching menace. John walks through the brush and hears a wolf howl. He spots a Sheriff Badge on a body with its throat torn open.
The next morning the police hold a press conference. A news reporter (Vernon Weddle) asks about the killings and what the Sheriff is doing about it. Bell informs the assembled that the Governor has declared the area in a state of emergency. The National Guard will be dispatched. Another reporter (Bill Baldwin) asks sarcastically, "Armed with silver bullets?" Bell reminds the reporters that five people have been killed and the National Guard will start in three days. A smirking Byron joins the Sheriff, John and Sandy outside the town hall. After Byron has his say about how happy he is to see people in fear, Sandy reiterates her belief of Byron's involvement. "It's him. I know it's him." John drives out to Byron's house and is greeted in the courtyard by Grant. Inside the house, Byron finally explains his reluctance to get involved. He tells John, "Because I hate to see you so much less a man than you were. Because I was hoping that letting you work on the problem unaided might help you to regain some portion of your once consummate skills as a hunter." John is flabbergasted. Byron invites John to arm wrestle. Byron makes John a deal, "If you can hold my arm for one minute, I'll help you." The pair arm wrestle as the stopwatch Byron is holding ticks away. It is a struggle for John and he loses before the minute is up.
John heads home where Sandy is still staying. He pours himself a drink and tells Sandy that Byron still refuses to help. John has dinner, then loads a rifle. Before he can leave, the doorbell rings. Byron is at the door and proclaims, "I changed my mind. Thought it might be fun like old times." Sandy begs John not to go with Byron. Byron winks at Sandy after telling her, "Now don't you worry, I'm gonna take real good care of him." It is evening and Byron drives John out into the woods. They separate and begin hunting the animal. John hears a shot from a rifle and then growling. He runs to the sound and sees a body. He calls out Byron's name. He thinks the dead man is Byron. He hears the howl of a wolf. John follows the animal tracks back to Byron's house, convinced it was Grant who killed Byron and the other victims. He cautiously enters the house and upon hearing a noise calls out to Grant. He announces he found Byron's body. He is surprised to hear Byron's voice ask, "Did you really?" Byron then orders John to put down his rifle. John realizes what he saw in the woods, "That was Grant's body in your clothes, wasn't it?" Byron replies, "He threatened to tell the police about me." Byron explains how and why he committed the crimes. He orders John into the basement at gunpoint. Byron confesses that he and Grant staged everything. At the end of the basement is a large dog -- barking fiercely and chained up. He explains his reasons, which now include bringing John back into his life. Byron tells John to go to the clearing where he found the deputy's body and tosses him an empty rifle. He explains that there is a shell box with two rounds there. "One for him [the dog] and one for me." John will get a five minute head start for Byron's version of The Most Dangerous Game. John tries to walk away from his insane former friend, but is threatened with immediate death by the dog. Byron starts his stopwatch, giving John his five minutes. John finds the shells where Byron told him where they would be in the clearing on a log. The dog approaches and John fires, the first shot misses, but the second shot finds its target. Up on the hillside Byron is waiting and announces, "Its hand to hand now, John." John drops the empty rifle and wanders into the brush. Byron ambushes John, jumping from a tree. Byron announces, "You lose John." When the victorious Byron approaches John to finish him off, John surprises the great hunter. John is holding a loaded revolver. Byron doesn't think John has it in him to kill an unarmed man. Byron walks back up the hill despite John pleading with him not to leave. John reminds Byron about his own advice about "the prey will always do the unexpected." John shoots Byron in the back with a single shot. Byron stumbles down the hill in attack mode and is finished by John with one final shot. End Credits roll with John walking away from Byron's dead body.
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