The Twilight Zone
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Season 3
Absof*ckinglutely love The Twilight Zone, watched them back on TV as a kid and always remembered them as something unique and interesting.
I got the full box set a couple of months back and have been watching them late at night before bed, they are perfect viewing for the small hours, although because they are engaging and interesting sometimes i end up sitting up even later thinking about stuff.
For the time this was truly groundbreaking stuff and you can trace the roots of so many films back to these little haunting short films.
They are not always amazing but for me they generally have a 70% hit rate where i find something to enjoy, and the acting is great too with so many episodes featuring actors that became well known stars afterwards.
I'm on Series 3 at the moment and over the last 2 nights have watched these episodes.
Two
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Two survivors from a unknown war find each other in an empty city and slowly gain each others trust and put aside their differences.
Featuring Charles Bronson and Elizabeth Montgomery from Bewitched, i really liked this one.
The Arrival
A plane arrives at a airport but when boarded there are no passengers or crew.
An interesting idea but i wasn't that bothered by this one.
The Shelter
This was pretty intense, neighbours gathered at a party suddenly find their world turned upside down when an invasion begins, one has a shelter and the friends turn on each other in their desperation to survive.
Really liked this one.
The Passerby
A gothic drenched episode set in the aftermath of the American civil war, two people meet for a moment as a trail of dead soldiers walk on by to their final resting place.
Pretty good atmosphere. decent.
A Game of pool
A self absorbed pool player Jack Klugman (Quincey M.E) wishes he could play against a dead legendary pool player, sure that he could beat him, but when he gets the change will he be up to it?
A ok episode with good performances.
The Mirror
A peasant leads a revolt against a dictator, but afterwards instead of bringing change he descends into madness and paranoia.
Starring Columbo himself Peter Falk.
Ok but slight.
The Grave
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A gothic western piece featuring Lee Marvin and Lee van Cleef, after a notorious killer is killed, a bounty hunter turns up to his hometown on his trail, finding him dead he is challenged by the locals to prove his bravery.
Slight but enjoyable, nice atmospheric graveyard scene, despite featuring the stars mentioned the real star of this episode for me was the killers sister who gives a nice creepy performance.
It's a good life.
A story that was remade in the film version, A creepy kid has the power of a god and can create and destroy on a whim, leaving all the adults terrified and subservient.
Being more used to the film version this seemed slightly subdued, but it's a well acted, creepy good episode.
Deaths head revisited
A SS commander returns to his old now derelict concentration camp and is confronted by the ghosts of his victims.
A well acted and poignant story where we see the vicious Nazi get his comeuppance.
I really liked this one.
And that's it so far, for the amount of episodes they made, the entire series is so far above average it's ridiculous, especially considering the time they were made, ao many philosophical questions are raised and humanities stupidity is constantly exposed.
Rod Serling is the man in my eyes and i love his introductions, he often wanders into frame in an early scene and stands and delivers the episodes premise, but instead of being annoying i find it adds a little bit of kooky charm.
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Also most of the episodes are only 25 minutes long so even a bad one doesn't outstay its welcome and the quality of acting made the stories a joy to watch.
Unparalleled greatness and thoroughly recommended.