Since their debut in the early 1960s, made-for-TV movies have captivated viewers and have pushed the boundaries oftelevision’s content, subject, and form. The first widely acknowledged film released on the small screen was NBC’s 1964 dramaSee How They Run,which depicts three orphans as they become entangled with a corrupt international cartel. From that moment on, made-for-TV movies became a highly utilized and often successful approach to releasing content; by 1996, 264 pictures were made by five of the six largest television networks at the time. In many cases these TV flicks resembled B-movies, a style of low-budget filmmaking that’s generally less of a gamble due to their low production cost, making them efficient and easier to create.
From their official debut in 1964 to the turn of the century, made-for-TV movies were extremely popular and helped introduce countless famous faces; the highly-esteemed Steven Spielberg’s directorial debut was the acclaimed 1971 television movieDuel,while Angelina Jolie’s major breakthrough role was in the 1998 Gia Carangi HBO biopicGia.Despite some preconceived notions about such pictures, they remain a reliable go-to for cinephiles and garner both attention and success, though they have shifted from cable networks to larger streaming platforms. These are nine of the best made-for-TV movies ever made.
Updated on August 27th, 2023 by Danilo Raúl:This article has been updated with additional content to keep the discussion fresh and relevant with even more information and new entries.
15Gia (1998)
The 1998 biographical dramaGiadetails the life of Gia Carangi, a top fashion model of the 1970s and depicts her spectacular rise to fame in the modeling industry and her tragic and untimely death.Angelina Joliestars as Carangi, who is widely considered by many to be the first official supermodel; the television film chronicles the destruction of the esteemed beauty’s life and career and her spiral into heroin.
The actress utilized the method approach for the project, opting to stay in character even in-between scenes and shooting.Giawas well-received by both critics and audiences and helped catapult Jolie to fame for her poignant portrayal of the model. On the film and performance, the early websiteReelretrospectively noted, “Jolie gained wide recognition for her role as the titular Gia, and it’s easy to see why. Jolie is fierce in her portrayal–filling the part with nerve, charm, and desperation–and her role is quite possibly the most beautiful train wreck ever filmed.”
14The Day After (1983)
Nicolas Meyer’s 1983 sci-fi dramaThe Day Afterhypothesizes a fictional war between the NATO forces and the Warsaw Pact countries that culminates in a full-scalenuclear holocaustbetween the United States and Soviet Union. The film focuses on the devastating effects on small-town residents of eastern Kansas, and was watched by more than 100 million people in 39 million households during its initial broadcast.
The Day Afterand its graphic subject were heavily featured in the news media both prior and after the broadcast, appearing on publications such asTIME, NewsweekandTV Guide.U.S. President Ronald Reagan watched the film a month before its worldwide debut, and wrote in his diary that the drama was“very effective and left me severely depressed.”The monumental flick was nominated for 10 Emmy Awards and won two, and is one of the highest-rated television films in history.
13Duel (1971)
In his feature-length directorial debut,cinema icon Steven Spielberghelmed the 1971 action thrillerDuel,and centers on a business commuter who finds himself chased and terrorized by a malevolent driver of a massive tractor-trailer. The picture was originally aired as part of the ABC Movie of the Weekbefore receiving an international theatrical release, and stars Dennis Weaver as the harassed salesman.
Frequent Twilight Zone writer Richard Matheson adapted the scriptfrom his own short storythat was originally published inPlayboymagazine; he drew inspiration for the story after being tailgated by a trucker following a golfing match. The Emmy-winning film garnered universal praise, with Spielberg’s direction specifically singled out and heralded.Duelhas since become an influential cult classic, and is considered one of the greatest made-for-television films ever made, leading to Spielberg’s incredibly successful career.
12The Rat Pack (1998)
Rob Cohen’s 1998 HBO dramaThe Rat Packshowcases both the private and public lives of the iconic entertainers Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin and Peter Lawford, dramatizing their often volatile relationships with each other and their famous friends. Don Cheadle memorably portrays Sammy Davis Jr. and only had a couple of weeks to prepare for the role; he had to learn how to sing, tap dance, and become acquainted with various musical instruments.
For his performance, Cheadle won a Golden Globe Award and thebiopic’s other outstanding lead actors received praise, including Ray Liotta and Joe Mantegna. On the star-studded picture,the Seattle Timesproclaimed,“What’s surprising is the way the deftly handled drama exposes the darkness without destroying the glamour.”
11Trilogy of Terror (1975)
1975’s anthology horror flickTrilogy of Terrorcontains three segments, each based on unrelated frightening short stories by author Richard Matheson and features Karen Black in four different roles. One tale focuses on a college student’s crush on his teacher, the second about bizarre twin sisters and the final about a Native tribal doll that terrorizes a woman in her apartment.
The TV movie helped establish Black as a horror film performer and has earned a reputation as a cult classic. The Zuni tribal doll has been called by many as being“one of the scariest dolls in movie history”and MeTV deemed the picture as the scariest television film of all time. A follow-up sequel entitledTrilogy of Terror IIwas released, with original director Dan Curtis returning to oversee the project.
Related:These Are Some of the Best Sci-Fi Films of The 90’s, Ranked
10Helter Skelter (1976)
Based on the book by prosecutors Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry, 1976’sHelter Skelterdetails the investigation and trial of the horrific Tate-LaBianca mass murders committed by the Charles Manson Family. According to the prosecution’s theory, Manson used the term and Beatles’ song for an anticipated race war and scrawled the phrase in blood at the home of victims Rosemary and Leno LaBianca.
Tom Gries and stars directed the riveting and grizzly picture Steve Railsback as Manson and George DiCenzo as Bugliosi, and became the most-watched made-for-TV movie ever up until that point, surpassing 1972’sThe Night Stalker. Helter Skeltercurrently has a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 100% and won the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Television Feature or Miniseries.
9Brian’s Song (1971)
Widely regarded asthe finest sports movieand one of the most emotional films ever made, 1971’s ABC Movie of the WeekBrian’s Songrecounts the real-life relationship between Chicago Bears football players Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers, depicting their differing temperaments and racial backgrounds and Piccolo’s tragic terminal cancer diagnosis.
The film stars James Caan and Billy Dee Williams as the beloved athletes, and also highlights the pair’s legacy as the first interracial roommates in the history of the National Football League.Brian’s Songis based on Sayers’ account of his touching friendship with Piccolo and was a smash hit with both audiences and critics alike, and it was such a success that it was later released in theaters for an additional run. Television critics Matt Zoller Seitz and Alan Sepinwallwrote in their 2016 bookthat the drama was “The dramatic and emotional template for a good number of sports films and male weepies (categories which tend to overlap a bit).”
8Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark (1973)
1973’s made-for-television horror filmDon’t Be Afraid of the Darkcenters on a young couple who inherits an old Victorian mansion and discovers hideous goblin-like creatures lurking beneath a sealed fireplace, wreaking havoc on the pair. The picture contains plenty of thrills and chills, and its creepy ending is absolutely nightmare-inducing;Don’t Be Afraid of the Darkearned positive responses upon its release and has since become a cult classic.
Visionary mastermind Guillermo del Torowrote and produced a 2010 remake of the horror flick, starring Katie Holmes and Guy Pearce, and helped draw attention to the original once again. The esteemed directorpraised the 1973 picture, saying“It was something close to my heart for a very long time… We thought the movie was the most terrifying on Earth.”
7The Night Stalker (1972)
The 1972 horror mystery movieThe Night Stalkeris based off the then-unpublished novel by Jeff Rice entitledThe Kolchak Papersand follows an investigative reporter who begins to suspect that a serial killer in the Las Vegas area is actually a vampire. The film became the highest-rated original TV movie on U.S. television, and was so successful overseas that it inspired a direct sequel in 1973 calledThe Night Strangler, along with a short-lived series also starring Darren McGavin.
Thehorror flick provided inspiration forThe X-Filescreator Chris Carter, who was a devoted fan of the franchise and original television movie. Carter paid tribute toThe Night Stalkerand McGavin by making the actor’s character Arthur Dales the “father of the X-files.” It remains one of the most well-known and acclaimed made-for-TV-movies of all time.
6Threads (1984)
Just as ABC painted a bleak picture of the fallout of nuclear warfare on American soil, the BBC did the same in 1984 withThreads. This made-for-TV movie takes everything that made The Day After an incredible success and ups the stakes to eleven. With a story written by Barry Hines and the direction of Mick Jackson, Threads is a harrowing depiction of nuclear warfare as the small community of Sheffield is affected by the crossfire between NATO and the Warsaw Pact.
Threads is a gut-punching story that is not interested in moody coddling the feelings or expectations of the audience when it comes to the downfall of humanity. The story is not meant to be followed from the POV of a single character.The central theme is the fall of a community. No one is safe in this story as the poised surrogates die early, and the young people are left behind to deal with poisoned, charred land, unable to keep living as the world is no more.
