What I love most about these obscure and semi-forgotten TV-productions from the 70s, is reading the nostalgia-laden user comments from people who re-discovered them online and instantly remembered how it were the most terrifying viewing experiences from their childhood. Personally, I never had that kind of pleasure, as I'm a product of the 80s, and 90s television is in no way comparable to the 70s.
I can understand my so many people have fond memories about this "The World Beyond", and why certain aspects - like the constant shrieking - haunted their nightmares forever after. It's a fine example of a TV-pilot that potentially could have become very successful, but for some reason got cancelled in an early phase. Who knows, maybe because there were already enough and similar supernaturally themed TV-shows at the time ("Kolchak: Night Stalker", "Night Gallery", "Thriller", ...).
Fact remains that "The World Beyond" most definitely had reason for existence, what with its intriguing concept about a sport journalist who, following a motorcycle accident and a brief 2'37" period of being clinically dead, receives desperate requests from deceased people to rescue their living loved ones from upcoming dangers. In the pilot, additionally titled "Monster", he must go to a remote and practically inhabited island to protect a woman from a Golem. The monster, created from mud and brought to life through black magic, remains largely unseen but its harrowing shrieks and howling is very unsettling. The short film - not even one hour - also contains a few bloody moments, and an early lead role for the talented JoBeth Williams ("Poltergeist").