The Twilight Zone - Beware Spoilers

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Mrs. Danvers
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Re: The Twilight Zone - Beware Spoilers

Post by Mrs. Danvers »

Oh yes that's a great episode. There was a Twilight Zone marathon on Sy-Fy yesterday, I caught bits and pieces of episodes.

But I did catch most of the one where the tall big headed Aliens are here on Earth taking us away, as were learn at the end....to eat us. To Serve Man....IT'S A COOKBOOK!!!!!
We didn't need dialogue. We had faces!

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Kitty
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Re: The Twilight Zone - Beware Spoilers

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Mrs. Danvers wrote:
Wed Jul 05, 2017 8:48 am
Oh yes that's a great episode. There was a Twilight Zone marathon on Sy-Fy yesterday, I caught bits and pieces of episodes.
I don't have cable, but I've been wanting to re-watch the series for some time, now, and people talking about it on Twitter yesterday made me finally start!
You trying to tell me you didn't hear that shriek? That was something trying to get out of its premature grave, and I don't want to be here when it does. - Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

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Kitty
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Re: The Twilight Zone - Beware Spoilers

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The second episode is entitled One For the Angels, and stars the wonderful Ed Wynn. (He is not to be confused with Fred Gwynne, who was a very different actor. I always thought the similarities in the names was amusing, although the names are often confused by many.)
I don't know, I just find Ed Wynn so charming, and really a good actor! He seemed to be very in touch with his inner child. I've only seen him in three things. Those are the two episodes of The Twilight Zone and the lovely Disney classic Mary Poppins. I would love to see more of his work.
Well, in this episode he plays a moderately successful street vendor who sells everything from little robot toys to neckties. He has a neat box with an accordion bottom to sell his things out of. Love that thing!
We soon learn that the children in the neighborhood love this old man, who is 60ish, and named Louis J. Bookman. On this day, a very hot day in July, he goes home after a long day of work. The children ask him what he was selling today, and he gives two children a toy. If I were any of the other children, I think I'd feel left out, but none of the others seem miffed.
Coming home, he finds is a man sitting in his apartment. Lou recognizes him as a man he saw writing in a notebook earlier in the day. The man tells him of their 'departure' at midnight, and makes several attempts to make Lou realize that he is to die tonight. He is 69, 70 in September, and Death says it is his time to go.
The cutest little girl comes into the apartment while Death is there to have Lou fix the toy he gave her earlier, but she can't see him, although Lou tries to introduce her to him and make her say goodbye. In the meantime, Death is trying to tell him that she cannot see or hear him. In a very nice, albeit short performance, this little girl shines! She perceives the references to the empty chair as a game. "Oh, it's a game! The invisible man! Goodbye Invisible Man. See you after supper, Lou!"
A few times during this whole apartment scene, the door is opened and shut. Clearly a post-it is on the outside of the door. It looks like something is written on it, but we never find out what. Why is there a tiny post-it on Lou's door? One of the children couldn't have left it, because it is much too high, unless they got on a ladder to place it there! I wish I knew what that was all about.
After the girl leaves, Lou finally is made to see who this man is. But Lou is a healthy man! There is no reason for him to go just yet! Death explains there are sometimes circumstances that would delay such a departure. One is unfinished business. Lou makes up a couple of stories about how he's always wanted to ride in a helicopter and see a Zulu war dance.
Finally Lou has a brilliant idea! He makes a deal that he can't die until he makes a pitch that made the heavens open up. A pitch for the angels. Death agrees, but it is soon revealed that Lou has no intention of going through with the deal, and states that he'll never make a pitch again! Of course, this makes Death unhappy that he is being tricked, so he has to "make other arrangements".
We suddenly hear a skidding car outside and a scream. The little girl that came in earlier was hit by a car! When Lou realizes that she can see the mysterious man, he quickly offers to take her place. She's only 8 years old! Death refuses, saying she is to go with him at midnight.
That night, Lou is waiting for Death. He won't let him in, he decides. He won't let him go into the girl's room and take her at midnight. When Death arrives, Lou is ready. His final deed proceeds. He begins to make a pitch for the angels. "A pitch at this time of night?" Death scoffs.
The little touches in this series is what's so important to its success. Even at night, Lou and Death seem to be suffering in extremely hot weather, on a July 19th, as the date is stated earlier. It makes it believable, too believable, like at any time the viewer can jump in and join the crowd. It catches the imagination as to inspire the heart.
Lou ends up grabbing the angel of death's attention so long that he is late for his appointment with the little girl. Unheard of! So, since Lou fulfilled his end of the bargain, he goes off with Death, saving the little girl from certain fate.
Fantastic performance from all. Beautiful scenery. Another wonderful episode of The Twilight Zone.
You trying to tell me you didn't hear that shriek? That was something trying to get out of its premature grave, and I don't want to be here when it does. - Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

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Kitty
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Re: The Twilight Zone - Beware Spoilers

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The third episode of The Twilight Zone is set in the wild west and is called Mr. Denton on Doomsday.
I usually don't like westerns. That being said, this is not my favorite episode, but it isn't my least favorite episode, either.
The story is about the town drunk, who sits outside the saloon and disgraces himself by singing an odd song called "How Dry I Am!" continuously for the mean men who frequent the saloon. In return, they give him alcohol, laugh in his face, and call him 'Rummy'. All the time, a mysterious man is watching everything that goes on, unnoticed, might I add.
Denton passes out in the street, and upon waking up, finds a gun in close proximity. He picks it up and looks at it for a moment. He starts walking around with it nonchalantly, seeming to forget it is there. The lady in the saloon asks about the gun, and he tells her he found it in the street. He says he can't remember the last time he held a gun. She blames the loss of memory on drinking. The lady asks why he has to drink so much, to which he replies that he doesn't know.
The leader of the mean group in the saloon comes out and recalls that Denton used to be a good shot, and challenges him to a shooting match, much to the protest of the lady, the saloon owner, and most of all Denton. Denton accidentally shoots the leader's hand, who thought it would be funny to give him an advantage by using his left hand. Suddenly, Denton is a hero again, and is invited into the saloon. Meanwhile, the mysterious man is still creeping around watching. The leader follows him in and threatens him, where Denton's gun again accidentally goes off, this time hitting the chain to the lamp on the ceiling. This results in the lamp falling and knocking the gun out of the man's hand.
A patron calls him Mister. Apparently respect was all he needed to make him give up drinking for good, because he suddenly refuses a free drink and decided to get a shave. On his way out, the leader stands up, and Denton backhands him saying, "And don't call me Rummy anymore!"
Outside, he has a burst of memory as he relates to the last the reason he stopped engaging in showdowns and took up drinking. People used to come from all over once a day to challenge his shooting skills, when one day it was a 16 year old kid he shot and killed. Now he expects the next time will be his last, and this is just the beginning of it all over again.
Later, a lackey of a challenger comes and warns him of his boss's coming arrival. Denton is nervous about the showdown, and shakes while he practices. He decides the best way to deal is to skip town.
While he is packing, he looks out the window and for the first time notices the old man near a wagon that is labeled 'Dealer in Everything Henry J. Fate'. I couldn't help but notice that this character and Ed Wynn's character in One For the Angels both had the same middle initial.
Henry Fate offers him a drink from a vial that is supposed to make you a sure shot for a whole ten seconds after you drink it. He is instructed to drink it as soon as his challenger steps foot in the saloon. When he asks how much he owes him, the man replies, "No Charge." and "Just so you might remember the night Fate stepped in." Funny.
He takes the advice, and when the young man who enters the saloon to challenge him steps in, he takes a drink.... and he also notices that he has a vial of his own! They both shoot at once and hit each other's hand, messing up their shooting hands once and for all.
I'm not sure what the point is to the play. Maybe there is no point? What do you think?
I would only watch this one again if I wanted to study it, or if I'm watching the whole series again. Not for fun. :lol:
You trying to tell me you didn't hear that shriek? That was something trying to get out of its premature grave, and I don't want to be here when it does. - Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

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Mrs. Danvers
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Re: The Twilight Zone - Beware Spoilers

Post by Mrs. Danvers »

Ed Wynn is Keenan Wynn's dad and Keenan was the person who talked his comedian father into being a clown, that was a very sad episode.

Oh oh, that western one! Mr. Denton on Doomsday. I love that one because of Dany Duryea and a young Martin Landau. but mostly Duryea, he is one of my favorite film noir actors.

There is another western episode, with Lee Marvin playing a lawman, Conny Miller, that is golden, to me anyway. He gets goaded into visiting the grave of a man he was hunting. The Grave is the name of episode.
We didn't need dialogue. We had faces!

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Kitty
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Re: The Twilight Zone - Beware Spoilers

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This episode of The Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse was originally to be the pilot episode of The Twilight Zone, but CBS didn't like it, so it was shelved. The producer of The Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse liked it, apparently, and thought it good enough to be on his show. I thought it was fantastic, but I agree that it was not really suited for a first episode of The Twilight Zone. Apart from one small scene that I personally think should have been cut, I love this! From 1958, The Time Element.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9y8z2L4bxw
You trying to tell me you didn't hear that shriek? That was something trying to get out of its premature grave, and I don't want to be here when it does. - Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

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Kitty
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Re: The Twilight Zone - Beware Spoilers

Post by Kitty »

I've been listening to a podcast called The Twilight Pwn, where they pick apart the shows and discuss an episode every week. It's funny and informative and, to me, very interesting.
You trying to tell me you didn't hear that shriek? That was something trying to get out of its premature grave, and I don't want to be here when it does. - Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

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