Coming down to the end of the series, two more discs with episodes on them to watch, and one more disc with lots of extras on it. The 4th disc has 8 more episodes on it. I was curious about seeing the first episode on the disc, more so than most of the others, because it's been years and years since I saw it. When the TZ bought the film from the French producers they were only allowed two showings. It wasn't included in syndication packages but it has been included on the DVD.
An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge February 28 1964
Written and directed by Robert Enrico who adapted an Ambrose Bierce story. I was sure disappointed after watching this one. I knew that it was just a guy's mind imagining his escape and reunion with his wife but it all seems like a dirty trick. That guy's mind is a dick. There's a short bit of an interview with Rod that I liked more than the episode.
Queen Of The Nile March 6 1964
Written by Jerry Sohl but credited to Charles Beaumont and directed by John Brahm. A reporter goes to interview an actress who's really a 2000 year old youth stealing Egyptians. She kills him for his youth. Reporters have a pretty tough job, huh. I remembered that there was an episode with a youth stealer but not the details. I guess this was it.
What's In The Box March 13 1964
Written by Martin Goldsmith and directed by Richard L Bare. William Demarest and Joan Blondell are a married couple. He starts seeing their life on their TV after a repairman fixes it. He sees a scene where they have a knockdown drag out fight that ends with her being punched through the window to the street below. His wife doesn't see any of the scenes and thinks he's delusional. Things get worse and worse, he sees himself being tried and executed, and then flips out when she ridicules him. What was on the TV comes true and that the end of them. Reminds me not to get married. Sterling Holloway plays the TV repairman from the Twilight Zone. Good thing we don't need to get our TVs repaired much anymore.
The Masks March 20 1964
Written by Rod and directed by Ida Lupino. A dying rich man has his greedy horrible family wear masks until midnight. The masks are hideous, he's chosen them to reflect their personalities. The masks change their faces, making them hideous. Ha, ha. Now they're rich and ugly. There's an ok commentary by Alan Sues. Remember him from Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In.
I Am The Night - Color Me Black March 27 1964
Written by Rod and directed by Abner Biberman. A man who killed a bigot is about to be hung and the morning it's supposed to happen the sun doesn't come out. The darkness is some sort of TZ reaction to the haters in the town. Michael Considine is the sheriff, George "Goober" Lindsey is his deputy, Paul Fix is the newspaper editor, and Ivan Dixon is the reverend. It gets darker after the man is hung. Sucks to be that town. The show ends with the darkness appearing in other places. There's a short but interesting interview with Terry Becker who played the hanged man.
Sounds And Silences April 3 1964
Written by Rod and directed by Richard Donner. John McGiver is a boorish businessman who likes lots of noise. His wife leaves him and he has trouble hearing, every noise is louder and louder. His doctor can't find anything wrong so he sends him to a psychiatrist who tells him it's all in his mind. He believes this and is cured. After his wife comes to get some jewelry he used mind over matter to shut her out and goes completely deaf. Serves him right, he's a big asshole. I didn't remember this one but it was funny and I liked it better than a lot of them.
Caesar And Me April 10 1964
Written by Adele T. Strassfield and directed by Robert Butler. Here's an interesting bit about the writer of the episode from the Wikipedia.
The writer of the episode, Adele Strassfield, was the secretary of William Froug, the producer of the second half of the final season of The Twilight Zone. According to Froug, they worked out this episode together. Strassfield (billed in the credits as "Adele T. Strassfield", not "A.T. Strassfield" per Zicree) is the only woman credited with writing an original teleplay for the original version of The Twilight Zone, though several women received credit for stories that were adapted for the show. She later wrote a first season episode of Gilligan's Island with executive producer Froug's assistance.
Jackie Cooper is a ventriloquist who can't seem to get a job because he isn't that funny. He has conversations with Caesar the dummy and the dummy picks on him. Jackie can't even get a job since he has no real working skills and he's dead broke. The dummy talks him into breaking into a delicatessen to get some cash. Things go down hill from there and Jackie gets tossed in jail. Caesar starts to pervert the horrible niece of the rooming house's landlady. We leave them with Caesar telling her that poison darts are a good way to kill her aunt. What a dick that dummy is, huh. I wouldn't see that girl go down in flames. She's really an asshole. Kind of funny. I didn't remember it.
The Jeopardy Room April 17 1964
Written by Rod and directed by Richard Donner. Martin Landau is a KGB agent who wants to defect. He gets caught by another agent who locks him in a room with a bomb and a three hour limit. If he triggers the bomb it blows up, if he tries to run, or quit looking, or turn out the lights they will shoot him. What a predicament! John van Dreelen plays the other agent who makes up the elaborate plan. It fails and he dies because his henchman is a dim witted boob. I didn't remember it but it was alright. There's a nice commentary by Martin Landau.
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