Nightfall
CBC Radio
Nightfall is the title of a radio drama series produced and aired by CBC Radio from July 1980 to June 1983. While primarily a supernatural/horror series, Nightfall featured some episodes in other genres, such as science fiction, mystery, fantasy, and human drama. One episode was even adapted from a folk song by Stan Rogers. Some of Nightfall's episodes were so terrifying that the CBC registered numerous complaints and some affiliate stations dropped it. Despite this, the series went on to become one of the most popular shows in CBC Radio history, running 100 episodes that featured a mix of original tales and adaptations of both classic and obscure short stories. (Summary from Wikipedia)
This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.
Chapters
Reviews
You need to listen!
CaptnCoolTheCosmicFool
An experience everyone should have, otr is forever the best form of horror and sci-fi, and you will never regret lending an ear. Thank you, northern neighbors. Didn't know you had it in you! Bryan Adams, Alannis, Rush, BTO, and Lights Out. Man! Just take back Samantha Bee and we will call it good.
Captain Cool is right
WavyGravy
Wow, Canada rocks the radio, but yes, take back Colbert and Samantha Bee n all is forgiven.
Wrong Titles to Some Shows, etc.
radiophoto
"Nightfall_CBC_81-02-20_34_The_Monkeys_Paw.mp3" is actually "The Book of Hell". A later "Book of Hell" on the list is titled correctly. "Nightfall_CBC_81-03-13_37_Wind_Chill" is actually called "Breaking Point". A later "Breaking Point" is titled correctly. "Nightfall_CBC_81-04-10_41_Repossession" is actually called "Cemetery Stuff". EDIT: It is "Stop" and not "Stuff", as OTRJunkie points out -- I was going by what I thought I'd heard the announcer say. These are pretty good shows, with some good writing and excellent acting. While I haven't heard the whole list yet, I'm willing to go out on a limb and say that at least 2/3 of the one I have listened to are worthy of a 2nd listen.
These are ACTUALLY scary!
Jak Frost
Once you get past the terrible synth music interludes, these stories are actually quite wonderfully disturbing. Necrophilia, murder, despair, desperation, severed hands, monstrous deeds, corruption, evil, madness... everything that makes a good horror story. The problem is getting there, this is a terrible site to find anything. BUT if you can find Nightfall, I can not recommend it highly enough. Who knew the CBC could actually be scary? I never heard these as a kid, too bad, it would have been vastly better than being forced to watch The Beachcombers. (Canadians will understand) :)
WHAT IS THE MATTER
yuma
Nightfall is a great show. The cornyness in the opening is golden age Radio, even if it was in the 1980s. All great horrer shows had that kind of opening. Lights out, the Inner Sanctum, an on. So give it a try, you will get hook.
late era otr
dsd
not sure if this actually counts as OTR ,being from the 80's. But this series is top notch and it's Canadian not the US
Oh so gooooood!
Hipbilly
Give me stormy nights and Nightfall!
Nothing Else Like It
TheOutsiderRubbish
Everything that a prior reviewer mentions as a criticism I think makes this show truly one of a kind: Lack of corny gothic style, imagery and setting. There are 1000 good episodes from Lights Out, Inner Sanctum and a bunch of others with that already. It can be good, but didn't need to be revisited in 1981. This show generates a new atmosphere for every episode, sporadically, unevenly and, again, that is a strength not a weakness. Yin-Yang going on here, since I am the complete opposite on the contemporary plays and those based on earlier fiction. I don't like the Poe-Hardy-Stevenson remakes. I like the stuff from the Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal playwrights most. The blunt, 'tacky' aspect is a great strength of many of these episodes: Listen to video-games-are-evil episode No Quarter and hear Paul Weaver correct Vicky Weaver when she says: "Maybe I should come get you so you're not wasting your cab fare on Dinkey King". Paul Weaver corrects: "DONkey KONG". Painfully tacky and corny...awesome! But, not every episode stands out because it is 'so bad it's good', like No Quarter. The Road Ends at the Sea is the best radio show episode I have ever heard. It has made me think deeply about life and death like perhaps only a Keats ode such as Ode to a Nightingale might evoke (which, incidentally, is quoted in The Undertaker) and has a perfect combo of spacey seashore ambiance, airy synthesizers and a powerful dialog. SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT. When Skully describes the approaching boat and the black barge, there is something about the way he does it that I cannot get over. Huge praise to Tim Wynne-Jones for writing this moving episode and for all the actors who made it happen. Other epidoes worth listening to again and again: i. Beyond the Law: "Melodramatic Crime" (whatever that is!) as it's described by the host. Cool Coltrane-like sax interludes, which clash with the story a bit, but like the result of someone boldly experimenting as opposed to just being bad. ii. No Quarter: Mentioned. One of the so-bad-it's-good episodes iii. Special Services: Think Coma, Altered States and a bunch of other 1970s medical thriller mysteries distilled into the early 1980s and a dose of overacting thrown in for good measure iv. The Dentist: Another medical mystery. Interesting and re-listenable over and over v. Deadly Developments: Another favorite. Sounds so contemporary, not trying to be 'gothic' or whatever. Sounds like people working/hanging at somewhere like Sam Ash music shop thrust into strange circumstances. This is almost a predecessor to The Ring, though it had antecedents in sub-plot elements of The Omen and elsewhere vi. The Repossession: Pretty intense Hope I've praised this show enough cause I am not sure I have. If not, add some more praise to the above.