Showing posts with label classic sci-fi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label classic sci-fi. Show all posts

The Twilight Zone: Vol. 18 (1959) Review

The Twilight Zone: Vol. 18 (1959)
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Volume 18 in "The Twilight Zone" DVD series offers an interesting combination of two space stories with one about the Civil War. "I Shot an Arrow Into the Air," written by Rod Serling and based on an idea by Madelon Champion, relates how the U.S. spaceship Arrow One disappears off the radar screen and crashes. Three of its astronauts survive the crash and find themselves on what they take to be an asteroid with only five gallons of water between them. Corey (Dewey Martin), decides the only way to survive is to kill the other two. Another spaceship is featured in the hour-long "Death Ship," written by Richard Matheson and based on his short story. The E-89 investigates something shining on the surface of a planet and discover what looks to be their own wrecked ship and dead bodies. Lieutenants Mason (Ross Martin) and Carter (Fredrick Beir) become convinced they are dead, but Captain Paul Ross (Jack Klugman), will have none of that. "Still Valley" by Serling based on Manly Wade Wellman's short story "The Valley Was Made Still," stars Gary Merrill as Paradine, a Confederate scout who stumbles upon a town filled with Union soldiers all standing frozen. An old man (Vaughn Taylor) has used a book of black magic to work this miracle. The old man is dying and begs Paradine to take the book and use it to win the war. This is another disc where none of the episodes qualify as a classic Zone story. Its chief virtue is seeing Jack Klugman once again on the show, but for once playing a strong and very determined character.

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The Outer Limits: Volume 1 (1963) Review

The Outer Limits: Volume 1 (1963)
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This "redundant" DVD re-release is absurd and unfair and doesn't do justice to the show. It's a disgrace and a real swindle that a major and "wealthy" Studio release a vintage show in two volumes. With today's technology, you could, at least, obtain a complete restoration from the original 35 mm prints. The first DVD release was cheaply cleaned up and featured no extras and worst: no language options. I advise all "Outer Limits" diehard fans to read a full account of the lowdown first DVD edition by getting this publication serving as an evidence for the future: "Video Watchdog", n° 89 and n° 102, November 2002 and December 2003, articles by "Outer Limits" expert David J. Schow. I reject this vulgar 2007 DVD edition that deserves to be dumped into the "Pit" (Cf. "It Crawled out of the Woodwork")! I believe that the right action from the Studio would be to re-release the entire season in one single set including:
- 32 restored copies
- the two "restored" alternate pilots ("Please Stand By" and "The Unknown")
- restored trailers and promos
- audio commentaries by expert David J. Schow
- interviews with "Outer Limits" cast and crew
- isolated scores
- languages options (dubbings and subtitles: English, Spanish, French)"When this passion called aspiration becomes lust, then aspiration degenerates, becomes vulgar ambition, by which sin the angels fell."
--End Narration from "The Bellero Shield".

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"The best program of its type ever to run on network TV!" ?Stephen KingPerhaps marked for its opening sequence and eerie voice-over "There is nothing wrong with your television set. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are controlling transmission", The Outer Limits pushed the boundaries of television and viewers minds by introducing a new caliber of science fiction.

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The Twilight Zone - Season 4 (The Definitive Edition) (1959) Review

The Twilight Zone - Season 4 (The Definitive Edition) (1959)
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The 4th season consists of 1 hour episodes. They include:
#1 In His Image
A science enthusiast creates a perfect mechanical man, one who compensates for his own shortcomings. Starring George Grizzard, Gail Kobe, Katherine Squire, Wallace Rooney.
#2 The Thirty-Fathom Grave
A man is haunted by the sounds from a submarine that sank 20 years ago. Stars Mike Kellin, Simon Oakland, David Sheiner, John Considine, Bill Bixby.
#3 Valley of the Shadow
A reporter discovers the secret of a small village but can he escape it? Stars Ed Nelson, Natalie Trundy, David Opatoshu, James Doohan.
#4 He's Alive
A young hatemonger is inspired by the ghost of Adolf Hitler. Stars Dennis Hopper, Ludwig Donath, Curt Conway, Paul Mazursky.
#5 Mute
A young couple experiment with telepathy. Stars Ann Jillian, Frank Overton, Barbara Baxley.
#6 Death Ship
An astronaut refuses to admit that he and his crew may be dead. Stars Jack Klugman, Ross Martin, Frederick Beir, Mary Webster.
#7 Jess-Belle
A girl strikes a deadly bargain with a witch to ensure the attention of a young man. Stars Anne Francis, James Best, Laura Devon, Jeanette Nolan, Virginia Gregg.
#8 Miniature
An introverted young man falls in love with a doll in a museum. Stars Robert Duvall, Pert Kelton, Barbara Barrie, Len Weinrib, William Windom.
#9 Printer's Devil
A newspaper editor who is facing bankruptcy hires a man who claims to be the Devil. Stars Robert Sterling, Patricia Crowley, Burgess Meredith.
#10 No Time Like the Past
A time traveler attempts to change history by warning the victims of impending disasters. Stars Dana Andrews, Patricia Breslin, Malcolm Atterbury.
#11 The Parallel
An orbiting astronaut passes into a strange parallel world. Stars Steve Forrest, Jacqueline Scott, Frank Aletter, Philip Abbott.
#12 I Dream of Genie
A store keeper discovers Aladdin's lamp. Stars Howard Morris, Patricia Barry, Mark Miller, Jack Albertson.
#13 The New Exhibit
Famous murderers from history become the star attraction of a wax museum. Stars Martin Balsam, Will Kuluva, Maggie Mahoney.
$14 Of Late I Think of Cliffordville
A remorseless businessman makes a deal with the Devil in order to go back in time. Stars Albert Salmi, Julie Newmar, John Anderson.
#15 The Incredible World of Horace Ford
A toy manufacturer relives his boyhood. Stars Pat Hingle, Nan Martin, Ruth White.
#16 On Thursday We Leave for Home
The leader of an expedition to a remote asteroid cannot bring himself to face the dissipation of his authority that returning to Earth would bring. Stars James Whitmore, Tim O'Connor, James Broderick.
#17 Passage on the Lady Anne
An unhappily married couple take a cruise to save their marriage. Stars Lee Philips, Joyce Van Patten, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Cecil Kellaway, Gladys Cooper.
#18 The Bard
A hack TV writer conjures up William Shakespeare to act as his collaborator. Stars Jack Weston, John Williams, Burt Reynolds, John McGiver.

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TWILIGHT ZONE:DEFINITIVE EDITION SSN - DVD Movie

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The Twilight Zone: Season Three (1959) Review

The Twilight Zone: Season Three (1959)
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#1 Two
Charles Bronson and Elizabeth Montgomery play the sole survivors of a nuclear holocaust.
#2 The Arrival
An airline official tests his theory that a newly arrived but totally empty plane is imaginary-with startling results.
#3 The Shelter
A neighborhood panics when they believe they are under a nuclear attack and attempt to invade the only bomb shelter on the block.
#4 The Passersby
A wounded Civil War soldier starts to believe that he and the people around him have already died.
#5 A Game of Pool
A pool master returns from the dead to play one last game with an eager young hustler.
#6 The Mirror
A dictator discovers a mirror that shows the faces of his assassins.
#7 The Grave
A hired gunman defies a Western outlaw's warning that if he ever came near his grave he'd reach up and snatch away his life. Stars Lee Marvin, Strother Martin, Lee Van Cleef.
#8 It's a Good Life
A six-year-old boy holds a town in terror with his powers to change or destroy anyone or anything at will.
#9 Deaths-Head Revisited
A former Nazi is tried by a jury of his own victims. .
#10 The Midnight Sun
The inhabitants of Earth prepare to meet their doom as their planet heads toward the Sun.
#11 Still Valley
A Confederate scout is given a magical book that could guarantee their victory.
#12 The Jungle
A former prospector is haunted in Manhattan by an African jungle beast.
#13 Once Upon a Time
A janitor puts on a helmet that takes him 72 years into the future. Stars Buster Keaton.
#14 Five Characters in Search of an Exit
Five people - a ballet dancer, a major, a clown, tramp and a bagpipe player - find themselves trapped in a featureless enclosure.
#15 A Quality of Mercy
A racist World War II soldier experiences the war in the body of a Japanese counterpart.
#16 Nothing in the Dark
Gladys Cooper plays an elderly woman locks herself in an abandoned building in order to avoid "Mr. Death." Robert Redford also stars.
#17 One More Pallbearer
A rich man devices a scheme to get revenge on those who humiliated him earlier in life.
#18 Dead Man's Shoes
A man steals who steals the shoes of a murdered gangster finds himself living in the dead man's footsteps.
#19 The Hunt
A hunter and his faithful dog arrive at the gates of Heaven.
#20 Showdown with Rance McGrew
A cowboy star is haunted by the ghost of Jesse James.

#21 Kick the Can
A group of elderly people recapture their youth.
#22 A Piano in the House
A strange piano allows the listener's hidden character to be suddenly revealed.
#23 The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank
When a young man steps out of his coffin at his own funeral the townsfolk grow to suspect that the devil has assumed the man's body.
#24 To Serve Man
Apparently benign alien emissaries show mankind how to end the misery of war, plague and famine.
#25 The Fugitive
A magical old man delights the local children with his power to change his appearance.
#26 Little Girl Lost
A couple is awakened in the middle of the night by the cries of their six-year-old daughter who has fallen through a mysterious door into another dimension.
#27 Person or Persons Unknown
A man awakens one morning to find that no one recognizes him, not even his mother.
#28 The Little People
A space traveler terrorizes the tiny inhabitants of a space station into accepting him as their God, but when another space ship arrives the tyrannical man discovers everything is relative.
#29 Four O'Clock
To combat all that he considers evil, a cranky man decides to make every evil person two feet tall at exactly 4 p.m.
#30 Hocus Pocus and Frisby
No one believes a local story-teller who claims that he was kidnapped by aliens.
#31 The Trade-Ins
An elderly man has his mind transferred to a new body.
#32 The Gift
A small village becomes fearful of a crashed space traveler.
#33 The Dummy
A ventriloquist's dummy takes on a life of its own.
#34 Young Man's Fancy
A young bride is not happy when her husband attempts to win back the days of his childhood.
#35 I Sing the Body Electric
A widowed father buys his three young children an electronic grandmother.
#36 Cavender Is Coming
Carol Burnet plays Agnes Grep who gets a visit from an apprentice angel trying to win his wings.
#37 The Changing of the Guard
A teacher feels like his life is over when he is asked to retire.

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The Twilight Zone: The Hitchhiker/ The 16 Millimeter Shrine (1959) Review

The Twilight Zone: The Hitchhiker/ The 16 Millimeter Shrine  (1959)
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One of Rod Serling's masterpieces which features a young, attractive woman on her way to California, who cannot escape the haunting vision of an eerie man thumbing a ride wherever she goes.
Going My Way? For fans of the Twilight Zone, this is a must-see indeed!

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The Twilight Zone: Nightmare at 20,000 Feet/ The Odyssey of Flight 33 (1959) Review

The Twilight Zone: Nightmare at 20,000 Feet/ The Odyssey of Flight 33  (1959)
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These are two of the best episodes from this great TV series. In one episode a commercial airliner Captained by veteran actor John Anderson goes back in time in THE ODYSSEY OF FLIGHT 33. Writen by Rod Serling this modern-moody episode is both memorable and entertaining. In the other episode, William Shatner gives a dazzling performance in NIGHTMARE AT 20,000 FEET written by Richard Matheson from the 5th season. As a just-released mental patient on an airplane flying home with his wife (Christine White), Shatner peers out the window and sees a wooly creature on the wing, dismantling one of the engines. This is one of my favorites and is probably the most recognizable episode from the entire series. Richard Donner ingeniously directed it.

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Outer Limits: Demon With Glass Hand (1963) Review

Outer Limits: Demon With Glass Hand  (1963)
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Simply put, the best Outer Limits episode ever made. This because of, not in spite of, the bugetary limitations imposed on the second season.
Robert Culp playes Trent, a man without memory being chased by the insidious Kyban. Outworlders who conquored the Earth 1,000 years in the future, but have gone back in time to capture Trent to find out just where the 70 Billion earthlings have dissapeared to. The secret lies within Trent's glass hand. A computer that knows all the answers IF Trent can capture the three "memory lobes" or fingers the Kyban possess. Almost all the action takes place inside the Dixon Building where Trent finds Consuela Byros, a poor clothsmaker who eventually falls in love with Trent.
This one packs real tension as Trent scurries through hallways and up staircases to find the Kyban Time Mirror. Robert Culp is superb in what may be his finest performance. His cat-like moves through the building, the budding romance between him and the hapless girl, and the incredable music are highlights. Complete with a bombshell of an ending that's brilliantly hinted at throughout the episode, but whose revalation is still a shock.
Of course, no review would be complete without little nitpicks. The Kyban are nothing more than humans with bad eyeshadow and shower caps. While Trent's glass hand is a marvelous creation, the way it raises and lowers on the screen is not well executed. And this episode continues the Outer Limits tradition of NOT GUARDING ANYBODY, NO MATTER WHAT. Allowing the hero or villan to escape. Still, these are very minor nits and certainly doesn't detract from what is the finest episode in the Outer Limits original series.
The odd thing is, if this episode had been given a proper budget, I don't think it would have pulled it off as well. A lesson for producers and directors everywhere who think more money will solve the problem.

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The Twilight Zone: Vol. 8 (1959) Review

The Twilight Zone: Vol. 8 (1959)
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Aliens abound but appearance can be deceiving, as we learn in the two of the episodes of "The Twilight Zone" on Volume 8 in this DVD series. The other two visits both have to do with the end of the world as we know it. Three of the episodes found here are well above average and one of those is an outright classic (although I do not think it is the best episode of the four), which is good enough to make this one of the better volumes in this 40-plus volume set of DVDs collecting all of Rod Serling's classic television anthology series:
Episode 14, "Third From the Sun" (Adapted by Rod Serling from Richard Matheson's short story, First aired January 8, 1960), tells of scientist William Sturka (Fritz Weaver), who is convinced the world is about to end in a nuclear war. Along with test pilot Jerry Riden (Joe Maross), they escape with their families in a stolen experimental spaceship to a new planet. This is a rather pedestrian episode, where you have to get to the twist at the end to realize you are in the "Zone." In the familiar face department this one has Edward Andrews as Carling, a government type who tries to keep the characters from stealing the rocket ship.
Episode 89, "To Serve Man (Adapted by Rod Serling from Damon Knight's short story, First aired March 2, 1962), is one of the most famous "Zone" episodes with its "Soylent Green" ending (although it predates that Charlton Heston film by a decade). A Kanamit (Richard Kiel) has come to earth to create a golden age with the advanced technology of his race. Michael Chambers (Lloyd Bochner), a government decoding expert, learns to learn the true meaning of the title of the book left by the Kanamit. Is it just me or getting to a second edition of "To Serve Man" going to prove to be impossible once the cat is out of the bag? Just wondering.
Episode 90, "The Fugitive" (Written by Charles Beaumont, First aired March 9, 1962), features J. Pat O'Malley as Old Ben, an alien who befriends a lovely little girl named Jenny (Susan Gordon). As the opening narration of the episode points out, this one combines science fiction and fantasy. Old Ben has the ability to turn into anything from a mouse to a monster, which comes in handy since he is being pursued by a pair of men. But Jenny wears a leg brace and Ben wants to do something about that before he leaves the little girl who does not want to be left behind.
Episode 68, "The Shelter" (Written by Rod Serling, First aired September 29, 1961), is my favorite and the best episode on the disc. This is one of Serling's "preachy" scripts where he hits the mark perfectly. The neighborhood is gathering for a surprise party for Doc Stockton (Larry Gates), when the radio announces radar has detected what appears to be incoming missiles. Doc, his wife and young son go to the shelter he has built in his basement. His unprepared neighbors beg to be let it, but there is not enough room or supplies. That is when things get ugly. Some people consider "The Shelter" to be melodramatic, but I always found it rather chilling since it suggests that civilization will end before the bombs actually go off.

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The Twilight Zone, Vol. 39 (1960) Review

The Twilight Zone, Vol. 39 (1960)
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All three episodes on this DVD were written by Rod Serling and represent a variety of themes and styles. THE SILENCE seems like it would be more at home as an episode of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents." However, Franchot Tone gives an excellent performance as an elder member of a parlor club who finds the ceaseless rhetorical chatter of a younger member (Liam Sullivan) too nauseating to bear. Franchot Tone offers Sullivan a half million dollars if he can keep silent for a full year. Jonathan Harris, Tone's friend advises him against making the bet but to no avail. This is actually one of Serling's more memorable episodes from the 2nd season and is true to his ongoing theme of nostalgia for days or generations past. However what is intriguing in this episode is how the old guard faces off against the new with surprising results and Serling does not really give us a any feeling of optimism which he usually does for this theme (WALKING DISTANCE for instance). ON THURSDAY WE LEAVE FOR HOME is a strong episode from the 4th season starring James Whitmore as the inflexible leader of space settlers stranded and decimated on a barren planet. When they finally get the chance to return to Earth from a relief ship captained by Tim O'Conner, Whitmore sees his power as the leader of the settlement slowly erode. This is a great character study by Rod Serling of a man torn between power, which he thinks he needs to survive, and the love of a home he probably never thought he would see again. This is one of the best hour-long episodes. MR. BEVIS from the 1st season is a rather lightweight episode about a good-natured fellow (Orson Bean) whose life is turned around when he receives "help" from his guardian angel (Henry Jones). It reminded me of Serling's CAVENDER IS COMING episode which I enjoyed much better.

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Episodes: "Mr. Bevis" (Episode 33, June 3, 1960) - Orson Bean is James B.W. Bevis, a good-natured, accident-prone eccentric whose guardian angel gives him a chance at success. But there's a catch: all the goofiness in his personality has got to go. "The Silence" (Episode 61, April 28, 1961) - Archie Taylor (Franchot Tone) offers incessant talker Jamie Tennyson half a million dollars if he can keep quiet for a year. It's a bet that Tennyson can't resist. "On Thursday We Leave for Home" (Episode 118, May 2, 1963, 50 min.) - William Benteen (James Whitmore) has been the unquestioned leader of a stranded outpost in space for 30 years. But when a rescue ship usurps his power, he tries to force the colonists to remain.

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Space Patrol (4 Early Tv Episodes) Vol. 2 Review

Space Patrol (4 Early Tv Episodes) Vol. 2
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Space patrol ran from 1950-55. It was one of the best of several early 50's optimistic views of the dawning space/atomic age. More often than not, the scripts and plots were fairly routine, but the view of the future was marvelous. Ed Kemmer portrayed a marvelous heroic figure in Buzz Correy. Lynn Osborne did a great job as the psuedo-kid sidekick--though in real life he dated Marilyn Monroe. Virginia Hewitt and Nina Bara were years ahead of their time in portraying intelligent, capable women. Sometimes the shows got into social commentary (ie., "the Atomic Vault" in volume 3) that seemed daring for the time. A great nostalgia tour for those of us who remember. And a persuasive argument that others had boldly gone before "Star Trek." Roddenberry was a fan according to his authorized biography. You can still see bits of it in "Star Trek."

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The Twilight Zone: Vol. 1 (1959) Review

The Twilight Zone: Vol. 1 (1959)
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The Twilight Zone was a truly great anthology series that perfected the ironic twist ending. You never knew if the episode was a joke or serious until that final zinger. Sometimes you could see them coming, but what the heck pobody's nerfect.
The three episodes (only THREE?) on this first volume are beloved by many, loathed by few (I disagree 100% with the one star reviewer) but do not fit well together. I guess they were put together as a representation of The Zone at its most diverse.
Night of the Meek: The only Christmas episode the series produced, but they got it close enough to right the first time so why tempt fate? The best thing about it is Art Carney's performance, which, if you only thought he could do Ed Norton, is a stunner.
The Invaders: Agnes Moorehead (who speaks no dialogue) is terrorized by teeny alien invaders that have landed their flying saucer on her roof. Jerry Goldsmith's excellent, and legendary, music help lift this episode (which is both playful and scary as hell) up to one of the series all time greats. So what if the Little Spacemen look like wind up toys?
Nothing in the Dark: Robert Redford plays an injured police officer that a woman hiding from Mr. Death reluctantly helps. This is far from my favorite Zone, but it does feature gruff character actor R.G. Armstrong in a small role as a man hired to tear the old lady's building down.
All three (only THREE???) episodes are good in their own unique way, but they do not play well together. I wished that more thought had been given to place episodes with similiar themes together, making for a stronger viewing experience. Nonetheless this stuff is required viewing for sci-fi buffs.

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Space Patrol (4 Early TV Episodes) Vol. 1 Review

Space Patrol (4 Early TV Episodes) Vol. 1
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Corny? Yes. Scientifically accurate? No! Good acting? No.
Great special effects? You gotta be kidding!
Great fun though, I recommend it highly.
Bill.

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The Twilight Zone: Vol. 6 (1959) Review

The Twilight Zone: Vol. 6 (1959)
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Vol. 6 is worth seeing for the episode "The Passerby", an extremely well-produced show. The set alone is very impressive, as is the plot device of the continuous procession of weary, bedraggled soldiers, especially as night falls.
I am greatly disappointed at author Mark Zicree's negative remarks about this episode in his "TZ Companion"; believe me, his opinions are just that, and he totally misses the beauty and eloquence of this show. True, the pace is weary and measured, but that's exactly what the plot demands. He says that James Gregory is "too old" to play a Confederate Sargeant----has he ever seen actual photos from the Civil War??? Men of ALL ages fought---and they aged tremendously from the torturous rigors of war.
Johanna Linville is wonderful--always on the edge of tears, heartsick, lost in her dreams of the past. Sure Mr. Zicree, WE all know what's happening fairly early on in the show---but SHE DOESN"T---she's too "disconnected" from reality to grasp it.
Fred Steiner's noble and elegaic score is wonderful, and the overall look of the show is terrific. There's even a real shocker of a scene involving a Union Lieutenant---even though James Gregory's lead-in dialogue and explanation during that scene is pretty contrived and "over-the-top".
And the final twist----how touchingly understated!
----------------------------
The rest of the dvd is variable. "The Grave" is OK in terms of atmosphere, and we all like watching Lee Marvin but COME ON--the ending is really stupid--no other way to say it!
Joseph Schildkraut, one of the great actors of all time, is excellent in "Death's Head Revisited" ---- a very moody and gripping morality play---(and rather daring for its time).
"Jeff Myrtlebank" is OK. Zicree thinks it's fabulous. Cute, maybe, but its minor stuff.
Buy it and judge for yourself.

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The Twilight Zone: Vol. 2 (1959) Review

The Twilight Zone: Vol. 2 (1959)
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No matter how many DVDs they put out with episodes of "The Twilight Zone," they cannot put out one with better episodes that Volume 2. This is not just because it has the quintessential "Zone" episode as the first one on the DVD, but also two of the other three episodes are outright classics and the final one is still an above average episode from Rod Serling's celebrated television anthology series. That is why when I started picking up choice volumes in this collection to own forever Volume 2 was number one on my list.
Episode 8, "Time Enough at Last" (Written by Rod Serling from Lynn Venable's short story, First aired November 20, 1959), stars Burgess Meredith, in what was surely his most recognizable role, plays Henry Bemis, a mild-mannered, myopic bank teller who only wants to read, but can never get away from this shrewish wife and demanding boss. But then Henry has the fortune of being in the bank vault reading a book when the world is destroyed by a nuclear war. Directed by John Brahm, no "Twilight Zone" episode ever backed a more unforgettable ending. I am even more impressed by the fact that this classic was such an early first season episode. Meanwhile, Burgess would appear in three more "Zones," although lightning never struck twice for him.
Episode 22, "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street" (Written by Rod Serling, First aired March 4, 1960) finds neighbors turning on each other as unexplained events fuel their fear that human-looking aliens have infiltrated Maple Street (filed on MGM's "Andy Hardy" street). Claude Atkins as Steve Brand and Jack Weston as Charlie head a strong cast that features Anne Barton as Mrs. Brand and Burt Metcalf as Don. Sheldon Allman and William Walsh are the aliens having fun with the human test subjects. This one is an excellent example of a first season morality play from Serling.
Episode 123, "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" (Written by Richard Matheson based on his short story, First aired October 11, 1963) stars William Shatner as poor Bob Wilson, who has left a sanatorium only to take a plane flight where a gremlin keeps trying to sabotage the engine. Of course nobody believes Bob when he tells them what he sees on the wing of the airplane, and he has to doubt his own sanity. But what if he is right? (a recurring question in the series). "Nightmare" was directed by Richard Donner, who went on to be a film director of some note. Shatner is best remembered for this particular "Zone," but I have to say that I think his "Nick of Time" is even better. The episode was the final chapter of "Twilight Zone: The Movie" in 1983, dircted by George Miller and with John Lithgow in the Shatner role, now renamed John Valentine.
Episode 54, "The Odyssey of Flight 33" (Written by Rod Serling, First aired February 24, 1961) is the only sub-classic episode on this disc. The story is about an airplane that picks up a freak tail wind that sends it back in time. John Anderson as Captain Farver leads the excellent cast that makes this rather far-fetched idea utterly believable. I remember reading once that Serling researched the talk in the cockpit and that it got points with real pilots for being so accurate. Final note: the sequence with the dinosaurs is from Jack Harris' 1961 film "Dinosaurs."

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Classic Sci-Fi TV - 150 Episodes (2009) Review

Classic Sci-Fi TV - 150 Episodes (2009)
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Mill Creek Entertainment has done it again! After tackling TV Westerns, TV Crime Shows, TV Spies and Family TV Shows, this offering focuses on early television science fiction shows, with a bit of horror and the paranormal thrown in for good measure. There is quite a bit to savor in this set, so here's the rundown, by category:
Animated Series:
Captain Fathom - 3 episodes
Clutch Cargo - 1 episode
Space Angel - 9 episodes
Filmed TV Series:
Captain Z-Ro - 24 episodes
Flash Gordon - 14 episodes
Johnny Jupiter - 1 episode
One Step Beyond - 16 episodes
Rocky Jones, Space Ranger - 23 episodes
Thriller (Boris Karloff version) - 1 episode
Live Television Series:
Climax - 1 episode
Lights Out - 4 episodes
Tales of Tomorrow - 6 episodes
Filmed Dramatic Anthology Series:
G.E. Theater - 2 episodes
The Star and the Story - 1 episode
Your Jeweler's Showcase (Operation E.S.P.) - 1 episode
Unsold TV Pilots:
Captain Fathom (live action version)
Destination Space
Here Comes Tobor
The Shadow (Tom Helmore version)
The Shadow: Invisible Avenger (Richard Derr version)
Tales of Frankenstein
Public Service Film:
Stamp Day for Superman (cast of "The Adventures of Superman")
Movie Serials:
The Phantom Empire
Radar Men from the Moon
The Undersea KingdomWhile some may consider the inclusion of movie serials to be a bit of a cheat on this set, one can argue that movie serials (and radio) served as a starting point of sorts for the early years of episodic television and, of course, the serials did eventually make their way to television's airwaves. Perhaps the only major omission of a show with a paranormal flavor that is in the public domain and is not included in this set is Boris Karloff's limited series "The Veil" which, possibly, could have substituted for one of the serials. Regardless, this 12-DVD set includes a mixture of some very common, some not so common, and some downright rare shows. Arguably, the biggest "find" on this set is the inclusion of 24 episodes of "Captain Z-Ro" and, to the best of my knowledge, this set marks the commercial DVD debut of Boris Karloff's "Thriller," a series that many fans have long desired to see on DVD. Perhaps the inclusion of the "Thriller" episode "The Return of Andrew Bentley" might prompt further consideration for an official DVD release of this series in the future. And those who previously purchased Mill Creek's 4-DVD set of 50 "One Step Beyond" episodes will be delighted to know that of the 16 episodes included here, only one episode ("Where Are They?") is repeated from that earlier box set.
Among the unsold pilots, I enjoyed the second incarnation of "The Shadow" titled "Invisible Avenger," which was filmed on location in New Orleans in the late 1950s and was eventually released theatrically, and "Tales of Frankenstein." Don Megowan, who appears as the monster in "Frankenstein" also appears in the live action version of "Captain Fathom," which plays like a low rent version of "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea." One also wonders about the possibilities of "Destination Space" had it been picked up as a regular series by CBS. Though a bit on the talky side (especially in the middle scenes depicted on earth), the pilot featured solid performances from TV veterans like Harry Townes, Charles Aidman, Edward Platt, Whitney Blake and Gail Kobe, and had the backing of a major studio, Paramount.
As is the case with compilations of public domain shows, the audio/visual quality is all over the map and reflects a variety of sources such as kinescopes for the live shows and unrestored 16 millimeter syndication prints for many of the TV show episodes. While none of the episodes that I have viewed so far are unwatchable, this is definitely not a set for videophiles, nor those expecting state-of-the-art special effects. In fact, the special effects are downright primitive when compared to today's special effects and CGI. But considering the low budgets for most of these productions, it's obvious that the SFX people were trying to do the best they could with the limited resources available to them and that's part of the charm of watching these early Sci-Fi TV efforts.
The variety of the shows included in this set is so broad that there is bound to be something to appeal to almost anyone who even remotely enjoys science fiction. This set is highly recommended for classic/vintage TV fans and those who enjoy the early days of science fiction on the small screen. My rating is closer to **** & ½ for this release, just missing a full five stars given the variable audio/visual quality.


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