Review: “The Twilight Zone: select episodes” – Rod Serling

PODCAST:

S4E3M – Twlight Zone: select episodes (tv series)*

SHOW NOTES:

Wherein we discuss our mutual love and admiration for this iconic television anthology series and it’s notable host. I’m joined again by indie filmmaker Mike O’Reilly (YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheMoreilly318), oil painter Andres Sercovich (Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ahserco/, and book reviewer Kaelin O’Reilly (Kaelin Reads Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3r-oumDi_CsMoFH4-vTqSA) in Appleton, Wisconsin during our attendance of the annual Wildwood Film Festival (https://www.wildwoodfilmfestival.com/) where Mike was screening his short drama “Volatile” later that night.

As we got into some of the changes that marked the differences between these television episodes and their originating printed tales, Mike was quick to point out when he felt the main theme of the story was maintained. Kaelin expressed her general preference for the written word, but also felt these episodes were good representations of the short stories.

Andres liked seeing more visual details developed in the television versions, which added texture and flavor that was lacking in the descriptions of the written works. In particular, Andrés enjoyed the episode “Passage on the Lady Anne” with its all-star cast of British actors and it’s exhibition of the eponymous ship which was so integral to the story. However, Andres mentioned a few of the more “dated” looking elements in the visual medium like the older practical effects and early special effects in “Perchance to Dream” or “The Howling Man.” Mike disagreed and noted these were things he liked about the show. Ryan and others felt deliberate directorial decisions in the television adaptations (like in “In His Image”) made certain aspects of the stories clearer; and for good or bad removed their ambiguous feel.

Overall the group enjoyed the thrill of watching or re-visiting these episodes and the genuine emotions they could still evoke for a modern audience.

-Ryan

 

Ryan, Kaelin, Andres, and Mike recording between panels and screenings at Wildwood Film Festival in Appleton, Wisconsin

 

WRITTEN MOVIE REVIEWS:

“Twilight Zone” by Rod Serling (TV show)

• “Perchance to Dream” (S1E9 – November 27, 1959)
• “The Howling Man” (S2E5 – November 4, 1960)
• “The Jungle” (S3E12 – December 1, 1961)
• “In His Image” (S4E1 – January 3, 1963)
• “Passage on the Lady Anne” (S4E17 – May 9, 1963)
• “Number 12 Looks Just Like You” (S5E16 – January 24, 1964)

Ryan: 4 Stars “…are these better than the stories–I’m not sure that they are better than the stories…but I don’t know they are all successful in my book so I’ll rate it the same…”

Mike: 4  Stars “…None of them really ranked in my like top five Twilight Zone episodes, but they’re still Twilight Zone episodes so I still like them…”

Kaelin: 3 3/4 Stars “…reading the [stories] and then seeing the episodes, and I had seen the episodes before, most of them except for this season four…I thought they were pretty good like comparisons to the book–I enjoyed them again…”

Andres: 3 Stars “….If I were to unglue the cultural icon part of it versus the straight story, say if I didn’t know anything about the Twilight Zone, I think I enjoy seeing…this icon…but as far as the stories they were interesting…”

 

FUN FACTOIDS:

This episode was also recorded while in attendance at Wildwood Film Festival in Appleton, Wisconsin. This is an excellent regional film festival that’s been going on for 18 years with a great mission: “The Wildwood Film Festival’s purpose is to promote Wisconsin film talent (actors, directors, writers, composers, editors, etc.). We also strive to educate high school students and adults in film basics-script writing, story boarding, filming, lighting, sound, editing and marketing.” (from https://www.wildwoodfilmfestival.com/)

On this episode Ryan mentioned listening to an American mathcore band out of New Jersey that took its name from one of the more famous episodes we discussed: The Number Twelve Looks Like You (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Number_Twelve_Looks_Like_You)

In our research for this episode we came across a documentary on the television series host. Check it out if you want to know more about him: American Masters Rod Serling: Submitted for Your Approval: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4ALNnImsmU.

It’s also worthwhile to note that comedian and horror director, Jordan Peele, will host, narrate and produce a rebooted version of The Twilight Zone, which is set to be released in April of 2019: https://consequenceofsound.net/2019/02/the-twilight-zone-first-trailer-watch/

 

* DISCLAIMER: Please be advised that the views and opinions of the hosts and guests of NDIOS are completely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views and beliefs of the other hosts and guests or that of NDIOS.