TV MOVIE OF THE WEEK: COLLECTION 5

When my TV aerial failed in the summer heat of 2016, I parted ways with free-to-air television as streaming had become just as convenient and offered better content. Growing up in the 90s, however, I wouldn’t have managed without it and have fond memories of primetime events such as the numerous Stephen King adaptations. Imprint Television reminds us of those simple 4:3 traditions with TV Movie of the Week Collection 5 – with three classic titles spanning 1972 to 1975, which is available now on Blu-ray!

Madame Sin was aired as a TV pilot that failed to materialise into a series but found a place in the U.S. market as an ABC Movie of the Week. Basically, it’s a watered-down spy thriller capitalising on the popularity of the James Bond films. Robert Wagner stars as an ex-CIA agent who is used by an international criminal and megalomaniac, Madame Sin, played by Bette Davis, who may or may not be doing ‘Yellowface’. At only 75 minutes, it’s easy to follow despite a convoluted plot, but it’s ultimately rather incidental. Wagner is well cast as the protagonist, Anthony Lawrence, who is often good at walking that fine line between hero and villain due to his often quiet and standoffish demeanour.

Changing the channel over to something gimmickier is Killdozer, in which a shapeless alien force arrives on Earth via a meteor, only to wind up operating heavy machinery as a means of terrorising and flattening a small group of construction workers on a remote African island. Any monster that moves at a maximum speed of 8mph realistically should not last long, but our cast of grown-ass men struggle to silence its diesel engine. I came for the absurdity and was not disappointed. Killdozer would have been a movie I watched repeatedly as a child, so it was nice to be reminded of a time when scrutiny and logic didn’t interfere with my viewing habits.

The UFO Incident is a dramatic recount of interracial couple Betty and Barney Hill’s alleged alien abduction in the early 1960s. Told mostly in flashbacks from a therapist’s office, the dialogue-heavy narrative, which tends to get a bit repetitive, made this feature a chore to sit through. While not outright dismissive of the Hills’ story, they are largely presented as a neurotic couple driven to extreme emotional distress by society’s prejudiced views on interracial relationships at the time. It’s quite a sad story that, I think, would have worked better for entertainment’s sake if it had been told in a more conventional fashion.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Madan Sin

NEW Audio commentary with film historian Gary Gerani
87 Minute Theatrical Cut – in Standard Definition
Interview with actor Robert Wagner (2026)
Trailer
Image Gallery

Killdozer

NEW Audio commentary with Amanda Reyes, Dan Budnik and Nate Johnson from the Made For TV Mayhem podcast

The UFO Incident

Romantic Mysticism: The Music of Billy Goldenberg – a 2022 feature-length documentary by Gary Gerani in a NEW 2026 remaster

Usually, special features on these TV boxsets are quite limited, but Imprint deliver a respectable line-up this go around with one dedicated supplement per movie. At 96 years young, Robert Wagner is still up for video interviews, but given his age and the size of his filmography, his recollections on Madame Sin are confined to two minutes. However, it’s cool to see the classic TV and film star still offering up his time for fans. The Madame Sin disc also includes an extended 87-minute cut of the film in standard definition, which may help fill in blanks from neglected plot points in the main feature.

Killdozer’s brief runtime is more than enough incentive to check out its audio commentary from the folks over at the Made for TV Mayhem podcast. Despite the feature’s reputation as “low-brow cheese”, the commentary is surprisingly positive, and it’s obvious Reyes, Budnik, and Johnson hold respect for it regardless of its shortcomings!

Those who are looking to expand their catalogue of TV Movies should look no further than Gary Gerani’s feature-length documentary, Romantic Mysticism. A detailed love letter to the career of big and small screen composer Bill Goldenberg, this feature provides a wonderful showcase of overlooked television. Not only does the documentary depict interviews from its main subject, who’s now sadly passed on, but those he worked with throughout his life such as the UFO Incident’s own Estelle Parsons. – by Hannah Lynch

VIDEO AND AUDIO

Madame Sin may be all dolled up in 1080p from a NEW 2K scan of a 35mm interpositive by Imprint Television, which does give a more theatrical quality to the feature, but it’s Killdozer that looks the best with its bright and vivid colours and image texture that’s best measured when Neville Brand is on screen. The UFO Incident has a somewhat limited colour palette but is very sharp nonetheless. All three titles are presented in 1.33:1 with a LPCM 2.0 Dual Mono, which do not vary in volume or quality, and English HOH subtitles are available.

TV Movie of the Week Collection 5 is dedicated to the theme of science fiction, and while one title does subvert expectations, the others are as advertised. Personally, this trip down the old picture tube was worth it just to finally see Killdozer.

TV MOVIE OF THE WEEK COLLECTION 5
(1972-75, director: Various)

★★★½

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