| Author | Message | ||
     Frank (Frank) Username: Frank Registered: 09-2008 Posted From: 85.222.86.72 |
The last incarnation of the Twilight Zone remade 'The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street', 'Eye of the Beholder' and did a sequel to 'It's A Good Life' called 'It's Still A Good Life', the latter of which stars two of the original actors, the great Cloris Leachman and Billy Mummy himself (his real life daughter plays his onscreen daughter). I have only seen the 'It's A Good Life' continuation, but boy, oh boy, what would dear RS think of such ill-advised foolery. | ||
| Carolinec (Carolinec) Username: Carolinec Registered: 06-2009 Posted From: 82.38.75.85 |
>>what would dear RS think of such ill-advised foolery.<< Not a lot, I suspect! I think I saw It's Still A Good Life and thought it was absolutely awful (BTW anyone here read the actual It's A Good Life story by Jerome Bixby? It's one of the scariest things I've ever read). I don't remember remakes of The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street or Eye of the Beholder (both of which are two of my favourites from the original TZ). I've either blanked them out of my memory completely, or I haven't actually seen them. I do recall one good new TZ I saw. I can't remember the name of it, and I can't even remember the plot now, but I recall it starred Danny Kaye. It was really rather good. Does anyone remember anything about that one? | ||
| Frank (Frank) Username: Frank Registered: 09-2008 Posted From: 85.222.86.72 |
The Danny Kaye episode, Caroline, was part of the second Twilight Zone incarnation in the 1980's, and in my opinion is totally under-rated series. I think RS would have been delighted at the new series. It drew unfavorable comparisons with the original simply because they had dared to make it. It had quality writers, quality actors and superb stories and production values. The Grateul Dead music was inspired. One of the most imaginative and inventive series of them all, and a more than a worthy successor to the sublime original. In time it will hopefully find its place. Of coourse there were one or two bum episodes, such as the adaptation of Stephen King's 'Grandma', but that was more error than anything akin to the travesty of the last incarnation. It is a very sophisticated show, and boasts some superlative episodes. And yes, the Bixby original short is masterful. I have it in the Twlight Zone companion somewhere. If you want to see a frightening TZ episode, try Mirror Image. Truly scary. | ||
| Carolinec (Carolinec) Username: Carolinec Registered: 06-2009 Posted From: 82.38.75.85 |
Ah, I thought you were referring to the series from the eighties (which I thought was dire). I had no idea there'd been a new New Twilight Zone. I think that one must have passed me by. I'll look it up. If you say it's good, it might be worth me seeking it out. I'm a huge fan of the late, great Rod Serling, so if you reckon he'd have been proud, that's good enough for me!  | ||
| Frank (Frank) Username: Frank Registered: 09-2008 Posted From: 85.222.86.72 |
No, Caroline, the 80's show was the one I was referring to as great. The last one, with Forest Whittaker as host, was and is, truly diabolical. The original had an episode by William Friedkin called 'Nightcrawlers'. Outstanding in every way. One of the best shorts ever devised and written for TV. | ||
| Carolinec (Carolinec) Username: Carolinec Registered: 06-2009 Posted From: 82.38.75.85 |
Sorry, Frank, I think I'm a bit confused!  I'll go back to the corner and sit here with my dunce's cap on. However, I think we can all agree that the original TZ was the best!  | ||
| Mick Curtis (Mick) Username: Mick Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.182.163.130 |
Indeed it was! I'm just working my way through Night Gallery at the moment... | ||
| Stevie Walsh (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 82.17.252.126 |
I'm not familiar with that William Friedkin episode, Frank. Was it one of the proper B&W Twilight Zones? Have to say I thought the 80s TZ was awful... no atmosphere or feel for the material at all imo. The 90s 'Outer Limits' has been the most succesful of these reinventions - some truly outstanding episodes but still pales beside the nightmarish original. What I wouldn't do to get seeing 'Boris Karloff's Thriller'.. which reminds me...!! | ||
| Frank (Frank) Username: Frank Registered: 09-2008 Posted From: 85.222.86.72 |
Steve - I also thought (at the time) that the 80's version was bad. But now, on watching them all over again, they sparkle. BUT, perhaps they appear to do so because of the truly dire incarnation made several years ago. The Friedkin episode is the 80's version. A Vietnam vet who's too afraid to go to sleep. That's all I'm going to say. | ||
| Stevie Walsh (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 194.32.31.1 |
I've always venerated the original Twilight Zone as quite possibly the Greatest TV Series of any kind ever made so the 80s reinvention had an impossible task to live up to, but... I still remember being distinctly underwhelmed by the lacklustre treatment and production values. If I see it on again I'll give it another whirl. I had expected the same from the 90s 'Outer Limits' but remember being generally impressed - it was as good as they could have made it imo. | ||
| Frank (Frank) Username: Frank Registered: 09-2008 Posted From: 85.222.86.72 |
Nothing touches the original, of course, as I am now once again, wending my way delightfully through season five. I passed my O' level English oral examination (a presentation before there are any smart arse remarks) on Rod Serling. I was once, for a short period of time known as the Twilight Zone boy. Yes, the original is without doubt the greatest TV show ever aired. After that, The Prisoner. |