The Twilight Zone (1 Viewer)

[TravisR]

I like Living Doll but I don't think it's one of the great episodes. I think its reputation has been slightly bolstered by a very funny parody on The Simpsons and that parody has certainly made it more famous than most TZ episodes (for people under a certain age anyway). Still, you can't really go wrong with an episode where a doll says that they're going to kill someone.

 

[Ockeghem]

I like Living Doll but I don't think it's one of the great episodes. I think its reputation has been slightly bolstered by a very funny parody on The Simpsons and that parody has certainly made it more famous than most TZ episodes (for people under a certain age anyway). Still, you can't really go wrong with an episode where a doll says that they're going to kill someone.

Travis,Agreed. I love this episode. And I really like how Talking Tina's choice of wording becomes gradually more intense as the episode progresses.

 

[jimmyjet]

i never heard of mary laroche, but she does have a fair number of credits.

i think that she and telly did good acting jobs.

i just did not care much for the storyline.

 

[MattPriceTime]

I feel like that episode is often one of the things where the concept gets more highly remembered than the work as a whole. While the idea is a great one, it's not really the best killer doll story told (not at the time nor now) but still a good one for what's it's worth.

And on an older tangent, i was combing through a local old book store and sitting there lonely in the horror section was one of the publications of Richard Matheson stories and this one indeed contains the original Nightmare at 20,000 Feet story. Haven't read through the whole thing yet but something struck me enough to post here before finishing it.

It seems the story and the illustration on the front of the collection paint something far more looking traditional of a gremlin (well as traditional as 1920s folklore can be) Even though as far as i got in the story the word is not been used. However there is a description mentions hair so far it seems like the creature is intended to have more the ghastly traditional features instead of the more yeti/swamp monster looking thing we got in the episode. However it appears to still be much larger than tradition even in the original story. But then again having there be only one of them, i would assume even by magical creature standards it might be hard for one small creature to take a whole plane by itself.

Always thought it be cool to track down copies of some of the short stories that helped inspire plenty of tv episodes and telefilms, and this small experiment by random luck might end up leading me to do more of the same.

 

[Matt Hough]

The movie version of the story used a much different looking gremlin than in the TV version. For me, that episode in the film was the most effective one.

 

[Jack P]

The problem with the movie version of "Nightmare" though is they didn't give Lithgow's character the important backstory of being just recovered from a breakdown like with Shatner. Just making him a nervous guy removes the whole point of the story because as Zircee I think it was, said that Shatner's character goes through the TZ for a *reason*.

 

[Matt Hough]

He's not just nervous; he's suffering from pteromerhanophobia (fear of flying), so his experience is no less meaningful or horrifying (for him or the viewer) than if he were recovering from a nervous breakdown. That is, he is JUSTIFIED in fearing to fly and the others who thought him a twit were the foolish, mistaken ones.

 

[TravisR]

Nightmare is my favorite segment of the TZ movie but on a panic scale of 1 to 10, John Lithgow's character starts at a 9 so it's impossible for him to show a mounting terror at what he's going through. The TV show let William Shatner (who is a far weaker actor than Lithgow) build from being nervous up to a full scale panic and that's far more interesting to me. It's like The Shining when Jack Nicholson is crazy from the beginning rather than the superior book and mini-series where the Torrance character gradually loses it.

 

[jimmyjet]

the old man in the cave

boy, this was not only deep, but many layers

i am pretty sure that if i were to discuss this one with others, i would end up with some thoughts that i had not had before

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Nightmare is my favorite segment of the TZ movie but on a panic scale of 1 to 10, John Lithgow's character starts at a 9 so it's impossible for him to show a mounting terror at what he's going through. The TV show let William Shatner (who is a far weaker actor than Lithgow) build from being nervous up to a full scale panic and that's far more interesting to me.

Ever see there was a "Third Rock From The Sun" episode where Lithgow has to pick up his boss, played by Shatner, at the local airport? Lithgow asks how the flight was, and Shatner says it was fine, only that there was some creature on the wing and no one would believe him. Lithgow replies that the same thing happened to him once

 

[jimmyjet]

uncle simon - pretty good story about irony and greed

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

Has anyone investigating the disappearance of Flight 370 consulted "The Odyssey of Flight 33" in Season Two? It could be in the past flying over dinosaurs right at this moment.

 

[jimmyjet]

probe 7 - good episode

i recall the name of antoinette bower, but not what she played in.

her looks reminded me quite a bit of elizabeth montgomery.

 

[FanCollector]

She was just in your new favorite episode of Murder, She Wrote: If It's Thursday, It Must Be Beverly.

 

[moviebuff75]

I was thinking the same thing about Flight 33 in TZ! Remember, Rod said to look to the skies in case you hear a jet...it could be Fligh 33!

 

[jimmyjet]

the 7th - it was okay, for enjoyment.

not any real meaning behind it.

but what i disliked is that the 3 soldiers would never have done what they did, given their circumstances.

what would 3 extra men do ? get killed.

they would have taken the tank thru. nowhere was it intimated that the tank wouldnt run.

they simply stopped it, and got out to look.

once shot with the arrow, the one guy would not have been able to do much on his feet.

i think there were some holes in the writing on this one.

 

[jimmyjet]

short drink

ouch, that was pretty good

ruta lee sure had a cute figure

i dont recall the name, but she does have a whole bunch of credits

 

[Tooncy]

I think she was in a lot of the Lucille Ball stuff.

 

[Matt Hough]

Ruta's intro to Hollywood - Seven Brides for Seven Brothers billed under her real name: Ruta Kilmonis.

 

[jimmyjet]

i loved that movie - only saw it once a long time ago.

but i still have recall about the log dance - if that is the correct movie ?