Which is itself an interesting idea: The term 'gargoyle' is actually a word of French derivation ('water-throat') that refers to ornamental fixtures or grotesques on Gothic era cathedrals who's mouths served as water spouts to facilitate the flow of rain buildup from their roofs.

The movie manages to cast its 'monsters' in a surprisingly sympathetic light and indeed the human protagonists come across as a bit barbaric as they propose a quick genocide to rid the world of the gargoyle menace. Sure, they are just stunt actors bedecked in rubber suits, but each of the film's gargoyle characters come across as an individual, and are a far more intriguing population that the film's human indigents.

The budgeting was tight and every dime is up there on the screen from a cast of convincing professionals (Cornel Wilde, Jennifer Salt looking fresh, Scott Glenn, good old Woody Chambliss and the scene-stealing Grayson Hall as an irascible drunk), a competently written screenplay by Elinor & Steven Karpf (who would later unleash the lovable 'Devil Dog: The Hound of Hell' on unsuspecting audiences), and makeup genius Stan Winston's remarkable gargoyle creations. The film was actually a CBS television production back in the age when made for TV movies were more than just product placement vehicles. It's been a pleasure to re-discover the film now in the digital age and find that not only does it hold up, but is a superior example of low budget horror trends of the era with it's stark southwestern American locations & dusty, arid themes of supernatural horror, ala 'Race With The Devil', 'The Devil's Rain', 'Brotherhood Of Satan', et al. 'Gargoyles' is a film that many of us over 30 are familiar with from repeat viewings on late night local creature feature monster movie matinée type screenings, a form of television that has sadly gone extinct.

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