To call Black Mirror a modern-day Twilight Zone is a failure to comprehend the metaphor of the series title.
A black mirror is the reflective black screen you stare into whenever your TV, phone, or laptop is turned off. It's whatever is left of the dream, the fantasy, that technology feeds you after you turn the mechanism off.
In other words, nothing.
The show's creator, Charlie Brooker, seems fascinated by the nightmare of our technologically driven society.
Since the show debuted in 2011, when AI was merely a speck on the horizon, we have transcended Brooker's nightmares of what we might become.
We have embraced AI to the point that we find human interaction boring, stressful, and anti-climactic compared to hyperbolic simulations of the human experience.
To watch Black Mirror's earlier seasons and to enter its universe is to see the worst aspects of ourselves reflected -- to experience the...
A black mirror is the reflective black screen you stare into whenever your TV, phone, or laptop is turned off. It's whatever is left of the dream, the fantasy, that technology feeds you after you turn the mechanism off.
In other words, nothing.
The show's creator, Charlie Brooker, seems fascinated by the nightmare of our technologically driven society.
Since the show debuted in 2011, when AI was merely a speck on the horizon, we have transcended Brooker's nightmares of what we might become.
We have embraced AI to the point that we find human interaction boring, stressful, and anti-climactic compared to hyperbolic simulations of the human experience.
To watch Black Mirror's earlier seasons and to enter its universe is to see the worst aspects of ourselves reflected -- to experience the...
- 5/13/2024
- by Michael Arangua
- TVfanatic
The terror in "The Twilight Zone" always comes from "What if?" What if there was a little boy with way too much power for anyone to tell him "no"? What if what you thought of as Heaven turned out to be more like Hell? What if man-eating aliens arrived and made humans as docile as lambs to the slaughter?
These questions may be outrageous fantasy, but the terror of them is timeless. We still watch "The Twilight Zone" decades later, and the best episodes can still leave you chilled -- all thanks to the imagination of series creator Rod Serling.
Serling is synonymous with "The Twilight Zone" even for casual viewers; one could call him TV's first auteur. His reputation was as much thanks to his on-camera work as his writing. Serling was the narrator of "The Twilight Zone," introducing and closing out each episode. (He got the job after...
These questions may be outrageous fantasy, but the terror of them is timeless. We still watch "The Twilight Zone" decades later, and the best episodes can still leave you chilled -- all thanks to the imagination of series creator Rod Serling.
Serling is synonymous with "The Twilight Zone" even for casual viewers; one could call him TV's first auteur. His reputation was as much thanks to his on-camera work as his writing. Serling was the narrator of "The Twilight Zone," introducing and closing out each episode. (He got the job after...
- 5/12/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
While The Twilight Zone solidified its place in the cultural canon decades ago, there are times when it feels like we’re only scratching the surface of Rod Serling’s revolutionary series. Many of us know classic episodes like “To Serve Man,” “Time Enough at Last,” and “The Monsters are Due on Maple Street” due to their TV rerun presences and the countless references to them in other works over the years. Those episodes deserve all the acclaim they’ve acquired (if not more), but it sometimes feels like we really only talk about 20-25 episodes out of The Twilight Zone‘s original run of 156 episodes when we talk about that series.
In those other 130+ episodes, you’ll find not just some hidden gems but the heart of the show. At its core, The Twilight Zone was a variety series that often took some big creative risks. Not all of those risks paid off,...
In those other 130+ episodes, you’ll find not just some hidden gems but the heart of the show. At its core, The Twilight Zone was a variety series that often took some big creative risks. Not all of those risks paid off,...
- 5/11/2024
- by Matthew Byrd
- Den of Geek
This post contains spoilers for the latest episodes of "Doctor Who."
There's a moment in the latest episode of "Doctor Who," a campy, big-hearted, Beatles-featuring riff on the importance of music, in which the Doctor opens up a bit more than fans might expect. It's been clear since last year's introductory episode that Ncuti Gatwa's era of the long-running sci-fi series (which is also former showrunner Russell T. Davies' second era) will be different from the "Doctor Who" we've seen before. As the Fifteenth Doctor, Gatwa infuses the show with a sense of modernity. He's openly queer, Black, and a Millennial, and he performs the lead role with a precise and deeply endearing sense of emotional openness. Die-hard fans of the series can quickly count the amount of times the Doctor has cried in the past, but Gatwa's Fifteen has already had tears welling behind his eyes a few...
There's a moment in the latest episode of "Doctor Who," a campy, big-hearted, Beatles-featuring riff on the importance of music, in which the Doctor opens up a bit more than fans might expect. It's been clear since last year's introductory episode that Ncuti Gatwa's era of the long-running sci-fi series (which is also former showrunner Russell T. Davies' second era) will be different from the "Doctor Who" we've seen before. As the Fifteenth Doctor, Gatwa infuses the show with a sense of modernity. He's openly queer, Black, and a Millennial, and he performs the lead role with a precise and deeply endearing sense of emotional openness. Die-hard fans of the series can quickly count the amount of times the Doctor has cried in the past, but Gatwa's Fifteen has already had tears welling behind his eyes a few...
- 5/11/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
This article contains spoilers for "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes."
In 1968's "Planet of the Apes," astronaut George Taylor (Charlton Heston) and his companions find themselves traveling from 1972 to the year 3978 during their voyage, initially assuming they've traveled through space as well as time. Famously, Taylor finds this assumption woefully incorrect, discovering that a malfunctioning spacecraft took him right back to his point of origin: an Earth, but 2,006 years in the future, where humanity has all but destroyed itself with nuclear war, and a race of sentient apes have risen to become the world's dominant species.
While that original film has arguably been surpassed in quality by its subsequent sequels and the modern reboot saga, its cultural impact cannot be matched; everything from its visual iconography and immortal twist ending is firmly ingrained within pop culture. That's a big reason why the "Planet of the Apes" films, even...
In 1968's "Planet of the Apes," astronaut George Taylor (Charlton Heston) and his companions find themselves traveling from 1972 to the year 3978 during their voyage, initially assuming they've traveled through space as well as time. Famously, Taylor finds this assumption woefully incorrect, discovering that a malfunctioning spacecraft took him right back to his point of origin: an Earth, but 2,006 years in the future, where humanity has all but destroyed itself with nuclear war, and a race of sentient apes have risen to become the world's dominant species.
While that original film has arguably been surpassed in quality by its subsequent sequels and the modern reboot saga, its cultural impact cannot be matched; everything from its visual iconography and immortal twist ending is firmly ingrained within pop culture. That's a big reason why the "Planet of the Apes" films, even...
- 5/10/2024
- by Bill Bria
- Slash Film
For a writer, signing on to “Planet of the Apes” is less an assignment than a calling. After all, it’s the longest-running science-fiction series in film history. So when Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, the husband-and-wife screenwriting and producing team, conceived “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” in 2011, they envisioned more than a single-serving reboot. “We did see that if we played it right, there’d be at least three movies,” Jaffa tells Variety.
He wasn’t wrong: Their four-film stint culminates with “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” the franchise’s 10th installment (and the first in a reported new trilogy). Their tenure follows that of Paul Dehn, who took over screenwriting duties from Rod Serling and Pierre Boulle for the 1970s “Planet of the Apes” sequels. “Kingdom” also echoes the series’ labyrinthine internal timeline, which elapses across a millennia of circular (and occasionally contradictory) storytelling.
He wasn’t wrong: Their four-film stint culminates with “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” the franchise’s 10th installment (and the first in a reported new trilogy). Their tenure follows that of Paul Dehn, who took over screenwriting duties from Rod Serling and Pierre Boulle for the 1970s “Planet of the Apes” sequels. “Kingdom” also echoes the series’ labyrinthine internal timeline, which elapses across a millennia of circular (and occasionally contradictory) storytelling.
- 5/8/2024
- by Todd Gilchrist
- Variety Film + TV
In the grand scheme of things, Matt Reeves’ two entries into the Planet of the Apes series might be the highest peak this beloved franchise has experienced since the original 1968 movie. There have been other good movies about talking chimpanzees and the humans they enslave—a shocking amount too when you think about that premise for a minute—yet Reeves brought a somber, frigid tactility to the material we’d never seen before. So following in those footsteps, as well as those left by the monumental performance of Andy Serkis as Caesar (a Spartacus among apes), was always going to be a tough act.
But if I’m being honest, I missed how chatty the apes first were in the original Rod Serling screenplay from more than 50 years ago. While Reeves’ movie did an impressive job of setting the stage for how human civilization collapsed while a nascent strand of super smart gorillas rose up,...
But if I’m being honest, I missed how chatty the apes first were in the original Rod Serling screenplay from more than 50 years ago. While Reeves’ movie did an impressive job of setting the stage for how human civilization collapsed while a nascent strand of super smart gorillas rose up,...
- 5/8/2024
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Franklin J. Schaffner's 1968 sci-fi classic "Planet of the Apes" introduces its titular primates in a gloriously nightmarish fashion. The film's central astronaut trio, lost on a distant planet (wink), finds panicked, mute humans running through a field of tall grass, fleeing attackers on horseback. The camera then zooms dizzily into the face of one of said attackers, revealing that he is, in fact, a gorilla. This world, we see, is topsy-turvy. It is a place where humans and apes are transposed, with the former treated like animals by the latter. Schaffner, and screenwriters Michael Wilson and Rod Serling, present this tilted universe as a conduit for satire, a means to dissect and examine the foibles of humanity via the absurd -- even whimsical -- image of talking ape men. The film may end on a bleak note, but there's some levity mixed into the very batter.
In contrast, the...
In contrast, the...
- 5/8/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Ever since Charlton Heston climbed out of a little rocket ship in the toxic waters of the Forbidden Zone, science fiction has never been the same. The film in which he starred was based on a Pierre Boulle novel, but by the time it reached the big screen, it felt like an epic cinematic version of The Twilight Zone (and it had the Rod Serling writing credit to prove it).
The ending of the film is still one of the all-time great “twists” in cinema history, birthing the first modern science fiction franchise. And it’s never let up since. When Wes Ball’s latest installment in this upside down universe, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, hits big screens this coming weekend, the series will have seen nearly a dozen films released over the span of about 60 years. Some have been good, some have been bad, but almost...
The ending of the film is still one of the all-time great “twists” in cinema history, birthing the first modern science fiction franchise. And it’s never let up since. When Wes Ball’s latest installment in this upside down universe, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, hits big screens this coming weekend, the series will have seen nearly a dozen films released over the span of about 60 years. Some have been good, some have been bad, but almost...
- 5/7/2024
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
"Fallout" is the smash success Amazon Studios has been waiting for. The show, based on the popular video game series of the same name, has become one of the biggest hits to date on Prime Video. Amazon has revealed that the series is now the second-most-watched show in the history of the streaming service, trailing only the mega-budgeted "Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power."
According to Variety, "Fallout" was streamed by 65 million viewers during its first 16 days of release. Amazon made the choice to release the entire first season all at once on April 10. That's closer to the traditional Netflix binge model, rather than the week-to-week episode model that Prime Video has employed in recent years. That may have attracted more viewership in the early going, and that makes the show one of Prime Video's biggest hits ever out of the gate. As such, it's not surprising that...
According to Variety, "Fallout" was streamed by 65 million viewers during its first 16 days of release. Amazon made the choice to release the entire first season all at once on April 10. That's closer to the traditional Netflix binge model, rather than the week-to-week episode model that Prime Video has employed in recent years. That may have attracted more viewership in the early going, and that makes the show one of Prime Video's biggest hits ever out of the gate. As such, it's not surprising that...
- 4/30/2024
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
There is nothing that excites me more than seeing Jonathan Frakes. Yes, that’s Riker from Star Trek: Next Gen, but it’s also Jonathan Frakes from Beyond Belief. My best friend and I used to sit in bed and watch Beyond Belief while eating Chicken Biscuits with squeeze cheese. We were slightly obsessed. Not with just the show and Jonathan Frakes, but also with narrator Don Lafontaine and the research work of author Robert Tralins. This was our A-Team.
The series was created by Lynn Lehman, whose only other credit was an acting role in 1976’s Guardian of the Wilderness. The show was like a mysterious puzzle for the audience. Each episode presented a collection of short stories, ranging from paranormal encounters to bizarre coincidences. Viewers were treated to tales of kids being total dicks, like pulling pranks that bordered on the supernatural, or the haunting ghost of a...
The series was created by Lynn Lehman, whose only other credit was an acting role in 1976’s Guardian of the Wilderness. The show was like a mysterious puzzle for the audience. Each episode presented a collection of short stories, ranging from paranormal encounters to bizarre coincidences. Viewers were treated to tales of kids being total dicks, like pulling pranks that bordered on the supernatural, or the haunting ghost of a...
- 4/30/2024
- by Niki Minter
- JoBlo.com
This post contains spoilers for "Primer."
It is tempting to describe "Primer" as a time travel film — which it very much is — but the sheer headiness of the subject matter morphs it into something undefinable and elusive, eclipsing the metaphor of a puzzle box by the time the credits roll. Crafted with a shoestring budget of roughly $7,000, Shane Carruth's debut feature demands a certain sense of discipline and meticulous attention to detail, where seemingly innocuous dialogue or subtle character expressions often prove crucial to unraveling its wildly complicated plot. To call "Primer" confusing is an understatement: it is a film that absolutely requires repeat viewings simply to be understood, but engaging intimately with it does not guarantee comprehension of every facet.
Although Carruth peppers enough clues and red herrings to help us arrive at a sound conclusion, "Primer" does not encourage the tying up of every loose end, or...
It is tempting to describe "Primer" as a time travel film — which it very much is — but the sheer headiness of the subject matter morphs it into something undefinable and elusive, eclipsing the metaphor of a puzzle box by the time the credits roll. Crafted with a shoestring budget of roughly $7,000, Shane Carruth's debut feature demands a certain sense of discipline and meticulous attention to detail, where seemingly innocuous dialogue or subtle character expressions often prove crucial to unraveling its wildly complicated plot. To call "Primer" confusing is an understatement: it is a film that absolutely requires repeat viewings simply to be understood, but engaging intimately with it does not guarantee comprehension of every facet.
Although Carruth peppers enough clues and red herrings to help us arrive at a sound conclusion, "Primer" does not encourage the tying up of every loose end, or...
- 4/28/2024
- by Debopriyaa Dutta
- Slash Film
Plot: In a remote fishing village, a wrecked boat containing a baby washes up on the shore. Rescued by the local mayor (Clayne Crawford) and his wife (Lara Jean Chorostecki), they adopt the baby and name her Isla. As it turns out, the child has mysterious healing powers and can even fill the sea with fish, allowing the island to be completely self-sufficient. As she grows into a young woman (Alix West Lefler), Isla becomes almost like a deity, but when her powers fail, the town becomes desperate to protect their way of life, no matter what the cost may be to Isla herself.
Review: The King Tide reminded me a lot of the type of genre-tinged morality tales we used to get from Rod Serling’s version of The Twilight Zone. The premise is pretty intriguing. Imagine a child existed in your town whose mere presence guaranteed your health...
Review: The King Tide reminded me a lot of the type of genre-tinged morality tales we used to get from Rod Serling’s version of The Twilight Zone. The premise is pretty intriguing. Imagine a child existed in your town whose mere presence guaranteed your health...
- 4/26/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
A few weeks ago I received a rather intriguing invite. Vvs Films, one of the biggest film distributors in Canada, invited JoBlo.com to participate in a press junket for the new film, The King Tide, which was to be held in Newfoundland. As a proud Canadian, I was excited, as I had never visited the Maritimes before.
Indeed, the studio seemed to be rolling out the red carpet for the assembled press, with us being treated to a wonderful experience in St. John’s, Newfoundland, which included me being “screeched in” (watch it right here) at a local pub (located on St. George Street which has the highest amount of per capita bars per street in the country), which included drinking rum (count me in!), kissing a cod and eating baloney (ewww – gross). We also got to take a trip to scenic Bonavista, close to where the film was shot.
Indeed, the studio seemed to be rolling out the red carpet for the assembled press, with us being treated to a wonderful experience in St. John’s, Newfoundland, which included me being “screeched in” (watch it right here) at a local pub (located on St. George Street which has the highest amount of per capita bars per street in the country), which included drinking rum (count me in!), kissing a cod and eating baloney (ewww – gross). We also got to take a trip to scenic Bonavista, close to where the film was shot.
- 4/25/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
You just can't keep those damn dirty apes down. 10 years after Tim Burton's 2001 "Planet of the Apes" re-imagining failed to reignite audiences' passion for stories about intellectually-enhanced simians, the long-running sci-fi franchise made an unexpectedly strong comeback with "Rise of the Planet of the Apes." Director Rupert Wyatt's entry in the series is now generally considered the weakest of the modern "Apes" trilogy, which is more of a testament to what Matt Reeves was able to accomplish with his subsequent sequels than necessarily a knock against Wyatt's film. "Rise" itself makes for an effective cautionary tale about humanity's hubris, our lack of compassion toward other living beings, and our habit of being our own worst enemy, as seen through the eyes of its co-protagonist, Caesar (Andy Serkis in his touchstone motion-capture role).
Yes, it's easy to forget that Caesar wasn't originally the singular lead of his own story.
Yes, it's easy to forget that Caesar wasn't originally the singular lead of his own story.
- 4/22/2024
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
True lightning-in-a-bottle phenomena are immensely difficult to recapture. 60 years after "The Twilight Zone" completed its initial run in 1964, subsequent attempts to resuscitate the property -- either with an anthology film or reboot series -- have failed to match its cultural impact, even with vaunted directors Steven Spielberg, George Miller, Wes Craven, William Friedkin, Jonathan Frakes, Ana Lily Amirpour, Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead, and Osgood Perkins lending their talents behind the camera. It's a testament to everything the late Rod Serling accomplished with his surreal amalgamation of genre storytelling and social commentary that we tend to overlook his many other significant contributions as an artist (which include co-penning the 1968 "Planet of the Apes" movie).
When the original "Twilight Zone" ended, however, its legacy seemed far from assured. Serling had burnt himself out after writing so many episodes for the series, with the consensus being that the show's final two seasons were...
When the original "Twilight Zone" ended, however, its legacy seemed far from assured. Serling had burnt himself out after writing so many episodes for the series, with the consensus being that the show's final two seasons were...
- 4/21/2024
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
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One key thing to remember, when watching a "Treehouse of Horror" episode of "The Simpsons," is that everything is a reference to something. Sometimes the thing the show's parodying is instantly recognizable, like season 5's take on "The Shining" or season 2's take on "The Raven." But if you find yourself watching a fun "Treehouse" segment and not recognizing where the story's from, that's a sign that you're missing out on a really fun piece of pop culture.
Such is the case with "The Twilight Zone," a '60s anthology show with 150+ episodes of fun premises to choose from. Some of the episodes "Treehouse" chooses to parody are already extremely famous but others are a little more obscure. Below is a ranking of our favorite "Twilight Zone" parodies throughout the "Treehouse" specials. If you're surprised to find that a given...
One key thing to remember, when watching a "Treehouse of Horror" episode of "The Simpsons," is that everything is a reference to something. Sometimes the thing the show's parodying is instantly recognizable, like season 5's take on "The Shining" or season 2's take on "The Raven." But if you find yourself watching a fun "Treehouse" segment and not recognizing where the story's from, that's a sign that you're missing out on a really fun piece of pop culture.
Such is the case with "The Twilight Zone," a '60s anthology show with 150+ episodes of fun premises to choose from. Some of the episodes "Treehouse" chooses to parody are already extremely famous but others are a little more obscure. Below is a ranking of our favorite "Twilight Zone" parodies throughout the "Treehouse" specials. If you're surprised to find that a given...
- 4/14/2024
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
Directors and actors can often develop unique and intense relationships due to the nature of their work together, and that seems to be true in the case of "Dune: Part One" and "Dune: Part Two" director Denis Villeneuve and star Timothée Chalamet. The two had a private little bubble of sorts on the sets of the films by exclusively speaking French to one another that hints at the closeness between them. In interviews together and on-set photos, they seem to have a lot of comfort with one another and a very familial dynamic, which translates well to what's needed of the relationship between a director and actor.
In an interview with the New York Times, Villeneuve and Chalamet discussed their friendship, which some have compared to the relationship between a father and son, and Villeneuve shared what made him feel like a proud papa. Chalamet also revealed the "great irony" in being directed by Villeneuve,...
In an interview with the New York Times, Villeneuve and Chalamet discussed their friendship, which some have compared to the relationship between a father and son, and Villeneuve shared what made him feel like a proud papa. Chalamet also revealed the "great irony" in being directed by Villeneuve,...
- 4/12/2024
- by Danielle Ryan
- Slash Film
John Wilkes Booth was desperate to be famous. Instead, he became infamous as the man who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln. He had been born in 1838 as the ninth of ten children of the famed actor Junius Brutus Booth. Though he had shown talent, his career was often derailed by his emotional instability. His older brother Edwin Booth was considered one of the top actors of the day.
The handsome younger Booth had received strong reviews in a New York production of “Richard III” with the New York Herald declaring him a “veritable sensation.” Booth even told the paper “I’m determined to be the villain.” A staunch supporter of the Confederacy, by 1864 he had recruited several co-conspirators in his plan to kidnap Honest Abe. Their attempts failed, but on April 14, 1865, he learned Lincoln would attend the comedy “Our American Cousin” at Ford’s Theater that evening, During the third act...
The handsome younger Booth had received strong reviews in a New York production of “Richard III” with the New York Herald declaring him a “veritable sensation.” Booth even told the paper “I’m determined to be the villain.” A staunch supporter of the Confederacy, by 1864 he had recruited several co-conspirators in his plan to kidnap Honest Abe. Their attempts failed, but on April 14, 1865, he learned Lincoln would attend the comedy “Our American Cousin” at Ford’s Theater that evening, During the third act...
- 4/8/2024
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
"Nightmare as a Child" isn't the best episode of "The Twilight Zone," or even the fifth or sixth best. On IMDb, the episode has the 93rd slot when ranking by user ratings, putting it in the lower half of the series' 153-episode run, while Paste's ranking puts it in a more generous 45th position. The episode, which appears late in the show's first season, could be more tightly plotted and punctuated with stronger lines, but it still deserves far more credit than it gets. "Nightmare as a Child" is actually one of the most upsetting episodes of the entire mind-bending series, as it examines a human phenomenon that's far more disturbing than aliens or robots: repressed memories.
The episode tells the story of Helen Foley, a teacher who meets a precocious and unsettling little girl (Terry Burnham) on the stairs outside her apartment. We know little about Helen except that she loves kids,...
The episode tells the story of Helen Foley, a teacher who meets a precocious and unsettling little girl (Terry Burnham) on the stairs outside her apartment. We know little about Helen except that she loves kids,...
- 4/1/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
As a brief prologue, we must remind ourselves how Rotten Tomatoes works. When a critic submits a written review to the Rt aggregate, they are asked to deem that review either "fresh" or "rotten." The critic typically gets to make the distinction, meaning a 2.5-star review can be either positive or negative, based on who is submitting it. It's based on pass/fail grades. Rotten Tomatoes will then create a percentage of "positive" reviews. If 60% or more of the submitted reviews are positive, the film is deemed "fresh." If 59% or fewer are positive, it's "rotten."
If a film has, say, a 73% approval rating, it doesn't mean that every critic gave it a 73 out of 100. It only means that 73% of the submitted reviews are positive.
All that said, some films receive such low approval ratings that one might be able to draw some logical conclusions about the film being rated. A...
If a film has, say, a 73% approval rating, it doesn't mean that every critic gave it a 73 out of 100. It only means that 73% of the submitted reviews are positive.
All that said, some films receive such low approval ratings that one might be able to draw some logical conclusions about the film being rated. A...
- 3/31/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Say what you will of the Netflix era of "Black Mirror," but there's at least one episode everyone agrees is pretty great. "USS Callister," the season 4 premiere centered around a guy who reveals his ugly side in his own personal VR video game, is a clear fan favorite. What made it so good? Well, there's the way it gives us the usual final act twist surprisingly early on, revealing that it's Nanette (Cristin Milioti) who's our actual, far-more-likeable protagonist. Then there's the way the episode's main setting, a "Star Trek"-inspired virtual reality world that the characters are left to explore, leads to so many more storytelling opportunities ahead of them. (That's why the news that the episode's getting a sequel shouldn't be too surprising.)
But the main appeal of "USS Callister" is just how emotionally resonant its main plot point is. Seemingly nice guy Robert Daly is gradually revealed...
But the main appeal of "USS Callister" is just how emotionally resonant its main plot point is. Seemingly nice guy Robert Daly is gradually revealed...
- 3/31/2024
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
Of all the movies debuting this summer, I am most looking forward to "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes." This series has been on a roll since the 2011 reboot and I'm excited to see it take a new direction more akin to the original films
300 years after the events of "War for the Planet of the Apes," Ape-kind has entered its Bronze Age. They've also forgotten Caesar's first teaching — "Apes together strong!" — and splintered into different and warring tribes. The chimpanzee Noa (Owen Teague) must go on a journey after his people are attacked by apes from the kingdom of Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand). The trailers for "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" have been teasing the state of this new ape-ruled world. Green forestry has reclaimed the land and the apes live in the shadow of decaying structures built by humans (think of how people in the...
300 years after the events of "War for the Planet of the Apes," Ape-kind has entered its Bronze Age. They've also forgotten Caesar's first teaching — "Apes together strong!" — and splintered into different and warring tribes. The chimpanzee Noa (Owen Teague) must go on a journey after his people are attacked by apes from the kingdom of Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand). The trailers for "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" have been teasing the state of this new ape-ruled world. Green forestry has reclaimed the land and the apes live in the shadow of decaying structures built by humans (think of how people in the...
- 3/30/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
For a show as ambitious as "The Twilight Zone," with seemingly so many storytelling opportunities to choose from, it's vital to maintain a bit of structure. Not only did the first three seasons stick to a clear 22-minute format with narration and act breaks happening right on cue, but there were clear guidelines on how speculative they should get and how much they should always be asking of their audience. According to the producer Buck Houghton in his 1991 book "What a Producer Does," he and creator Rod Serling established a list of rules that every episode needed to follow. An episode could be about nearly any speculative premise, they decided early on, as long as it remembered to do a few things:
"Find an interesting character, or a group, at a moment in crisis in life, and get there quickly; then lay on some magic. That magic must be devilishly...
"Find an interesting character, or a group, at a moment in crisis in life, and get there quickly; then lay on some magic. That magic must be devilishly...
- 3/23/2024
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
Well, this is a semi-dangerous decision. Yes, I’m starting with The Twilight Zone 80s. Niki, haven’t we been telling you to do Og Twilight Zone… why are you doing this? A couple of reasons, the first being that this has been on repeat for me the past 6 months or longer, with Tales from the Crypt never being too far behind it. The other being that I felt like it. You’re lucky I didn’t start with Night Gallery, or maybe that’s what you wanted. So let’s talk 80s Twilight Zone, or New Twilight Zone, or Twilight Zone reboot/revival, whatever you choose to call it.
The reason to give it another go was simple. Rod Serling, my personal hero, sold the rights to Twilight Zone after the show ended its run in 1964. The studio bought the rights even though they weren’t exactly ready to start it up again.
The reason to give it another go was simple. Rod Serling, my personal hero, sold the rights to Twilight Zone after the show ended its run in 1964. The studio bought the rights even though they weren’t exactly ready to start it up again.
- 3/20/2024
- by Niki Minter
- JoBlo.com
Rod Serling's "The Twilight Zone" features several stories about haunted towns, extraterrestrial invasions, and every strange thing that occurs within the titular liminal space, where belief and superstition meet. (Remember when an entire town of actors was seemingly frozen in place?) In the show's 134th episode, "You Drive," a sentient car hounds a guilty man to mete out justice — in this instance, technology and human inventions are not symbols of doom, but demonstrate self-awareness and morals that some of their inventors or users lack. Although the writing in this episode comes off as muddled or shallow at times, "You Drive" remains memorable for pulling off an impressive feat: Creating the illusion of a self-driving car following a guilty man around.
Before we delve into the mechanics of the sequence, here's a recap the broad strokes of the story. Oliver Pope (Edward Andrews), an anxious, self-absorbed government official driving a 1956 Ford Fairlane Club Sedan,...
Before we delve into the mechanics of the sequence, here's a recap the broad strokes of the story. Oliver Pope (Edward Andrews), an anxious, self-absorbed government official driving a 1956 Ford Fairlane Club Sedan,...
- 3/16/2024
- by Debopriyaa Dutta
- Slash Film
Universal TV continues to develop a 'reimagining' of the 1969 Rod Sterling horror/supernatural anthology TV series "Night Gallery", from Jeff Davis ("Teen Wolf") and Universal Cable Productions:
"...the new series will explore the dangers of social media and modern nightmares in the digital age..."
The original "Night Gallery" aired 1969-1973, featuring stories of horror and the macabre, with Rod Serling of "Twilight Zone" fame as both on-air host and major contributor of scripts.
Serling appeared in an art gallery setting and introduced the macabre tales that made up each episode by unveiling paintings that depicted the stories. His intro usually was:
"Good evening, and welcome to a private showing of three paintings, displayed here for the first time.
"Each is a collector's item in its own way—not because of any special artistic quality, but because each captures on a canvas, suspended in time and space, a frozen moment of a nightmare.
"...the new series will explore the dangers of social media and modern nightmares in the digital age..."
The original "Night Gallery" aired 1969-1973, featuring stories of horror and the macabre, with Rod Serling of "Twilight Zone" fame as both on-air host and major contributor of scripts.
Serling appeared in an art gallery setting and introduced the macabre tales that made up each episode by unveiling paintings that depicted the stories. His intro usually was:
"Good evening, and welcome to a private showing of three paintings, displayed here for the first time.
"Each is a collector's item in its own way—not because of any special artistic quality, but because each captures on a canvas, suspended in time and space, a frozen moment of a nightmare.
- 3/14/2024
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Like most areas of the entertainment industry outside of acting, casting and costuming, television writing was generally one big boys club until women began making (incremental) inroads during the 1990s. There were trailblazers like "I Love Lucy" scribe Madelyn Pugh, but that trail was walked far too infrequently for far too many years.
Anyone who possessed a conscience knew this was unacceptable, which is why it's disappointing that a politically progressive (particularly for his era) writer like Rod Serling never made a concerted effort to work at least one female writer into "The Twilight Zone" mix during the series' five seasons (which stretched from 1959 to 1964). To be fair, Serling did adapt the work of women for certain episodes; in fact, a tale that many consider the show's finest half-hour, "Time Enough at Last," was based on a short story by sci-fi/fantasy writer Lynn Venable. But he never managed to...
Anyone who possessed a conscience knew this was unacceptable, which is why it's disappointing that a politically progressive (particularly for his era) writer like Rod Serling never made a concerted effort to work at least one female writer into "The Twilight Zone" mix during the series' five seasons (which stretched from 1959 to 1964). To be fair, Serling did adapt the work of women for certain episodes; in fact, a tale that many consider the show's finest half-hour, "Time Enough at Last," was based on a short story by sci-fi/fantasy writer Lynn Venable. But he never managed to...
- 3/9/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Denis Villeneuve's new hit film "Dune: Part Two" sees the rise of a villain not glimpsed in "Dune: Part One." In the film, the evil Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård), having lost faith in his nephew Rabban (Dave Bautista) and his ability to exterminate the Fremen on Arrakis, turns to his far more sociopathic, aggressive nephew Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler), a young man with no remorse and a murderous streak a mile wide. A large section of "Dune: Part Two" is devoted to describing Feyd's horrible evil, with several Bene Gesserit witches noting that he can only be controlled through flattery and sexuality, not conscience. Feyd is a violent, walking id, and the film ultimately culminates in a knife fight between him and the Messianic Paul Atreaides (Timothée Chalamet).
In David Lynch's eccentric 1984 "Dune" adaptation, rock star Sting played Feyd, and there is a notorious scene wherein Sting emerges from a bizarre,...
In David Lynch's eccentric 1984 "Dune" adaptation, rock star Sting played Feyd, and there is a notorious scene wherein Sting emerges from a bizarre,...
- 3/5/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
"Oblivion" feels like the rare big-budget Tom Cruise vehicle that doesn't get talked about very much, despite being helmed by the A-lister's "Top Gun: Maverick" director Joseph Kosinski. The film casts Cruise as Jack Harper, a humble maintenance techie who oversees operations on Earth in the wake of an alien attack that forced humanity to abandon the planet. All is not what it seems, though, as Jack keeps having visions of a mysterious woman from his past (Olga Kurylenko), only for her to abruptly crash-land on Earth out of the blue. Basically, if you were to chuck "The Twilight Zone," "2001: A Space Odyssey," the original 1977 "Star Wars," and a handful of other '60s and '70s sci-fi titles into a blender, you might come up with something like "Oblivion."
"Oblivion" aims for a blend of big sci-fi ideas, emotional storytelling, and spectacle similar to Kosinski's feature directing debut on "Tron: Legacy,...
"Oblivion" aims for a blend of big sci-fi ideas, emotional storytelling, and spectacle similar to Kosinski's feature directing debut on "Tron: Legacy,...
- 3/4/2024
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Two years after the original run of the 1960s series "The Twilight Zone" came to an end, creator Rod Serling found himself as essentially a writer for hire. In his book "The Twilight Zone Companion," author Marc Scott Zicree says Serling was "far from satisfied" at that point in his career, quoting Serling's friend, producer Dick Berg, as saying "Serling and Chayefsky were the two major names from the golden era of television. And to move from that to becoming a member of the army of working journeymen writers was a great comedown. In Hollywood, he was a guy taking assignments."
One of those assignments was a 1966 TV movie called "The Doomsday Flight." Serling wrote the screenplay, which involved a mentally disturbed mechanic who used to work for an airline planting a bomb on a commercial airliner and rigging it to explode if the plane falls below 4,000 feet. Things turned...
One of those assignments was a 1966 TV movie called "The Doomsday Flight." Serling wrote the screenplay, which involved a mentally disturbed mechanic who used to work for an airline planting a bomb on a commercial airliner and rigging it to explode if the plane falls below 4,000 feet. Things turned...
- 3/3/2024
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
There are a lot of good things that have come about because of television syndication. It's helped shows find their footing and new audiences, and even helped other shows get created. After all, without the success of the original series of "Star Trek" in syndication, "Star Trek: The Next Generation" might have never happened. Essentially, syndication is when a television producer sells the rights to a show's reruns to other networks or channels, which is how "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air" magically seems to be on TV at almost every time of the day. Most of the time, shows selected for syndication are ones that don't require seeing several other episodes to understand, as they're often shown out of order (and sometimes seemingly at random). That means sitcoms work best, but game shows and anthology series also work pretty well.
Because of its self-contained anthology nature, "The Twilight Zone" seemed tailor-made for syndication.
Because of its self-contained anthology nature, "The Twilight Zone" seemed tailor-made for syndication.
- 3/2/2024
- by Danielle Ryan
- Slash Film
This article contains spoilers for "Dune: Part Two."
Frank Herbert's "Dune" is a masterpiece of science-fiction, a book with almost unparalleled worldbuilding, complex explorations of politics, ecology, religion, and more — while at the same time being just a really good and effective epic tale.
However, Herbert was also a very weird dude whose books go to some bizarre places. Sure, there is still political intrigue and intricate themes and worldbuilding, but there are also people who become worm hybrids and dogs bio-engineered to be shaped like chairs — truly. It is this strange mix of tones that makes Herbert's "Dune" books so difficult to adapt without being either utterly ridiculous or losing that spark that makes the original novels unique.
That's where Denis Villeneuve's adaptation comes in. Both films, but particularly "Dune: Part Two," are a brilliant and bleak blockbuster spectacle that focuses on the story of Paul Atreides...
Frank Herbert's "Dune" is a masterpiece of science-fiction, a book with almost unparalleled worldbuilding, complex explorations of politics, ecology, religion, and more — while at the same time being just a really good and effective epic tale.
However, Herbert was also a very weird dude whose books go to some bizarre places. Sure, there is still political intrigue and intricate themes and worldbuilding, but there are also people who become worm hybrids and dogs bio-engineered to be shaped like chairs — truly. It is this strange mix of tones that makes Herbert's "Dune" books so difficult to adapt without being either utterly ridiculous or losing that spark that makes the original novels unique.
That's where Denis Villeneuve's adaptation comes in. Both films, but particularly "Dune: Part Two," are a brilliant and bleak blockbuster spectacle that focuses on the story of Paul Atreides...
- 3/1/2024
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
It's been a long first couple of months of 2024 at the box office. Overall, ticket sales are down 15% compared to this same point in 2023, and following the rough few years that theaters had thanks to the pandemic, this is a dangerous downturn for the industry. But a savior is on the horizon and his name is Paul Atreides. More accurately, his name is Timothée Chalamet, who leads the star-studded cast of the much-anticipated "Dune: Part Two," which finally arrives in theaters on Friday after being pushed back several months by Warner Bros. It turns out that may be a wise move, as this is now poised to be a much bigger hit than its predecessor -- one that may mirror, in some ways, one of the biggest hits of last year: Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer."
Director Denis Villeneuve's "Dune" sequel is currently expected to pull in between $60 and $80 million on opening weekend,...
Director Denis Villeneuve's "Dune" sequel is currently expected to pull in between $60 and $80 million on opening weekend,...
- 2/26/2024
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
For as much as Rod Serling's landmark anthology series "The Twilight Zone" reinvented the genre of science fiction storytelling, many of its best episodes also deal in the world of the fantastical, whether through witches, time-traveling radios, or just plain inexplicable phenomena. What kept "The Twilight Zone" consistent through it all is its focus on human nature and irony, the idea of following desire ultimately leading to one's downfall. You can see that in many of the classic episodes of the show, no matter what the genre is.
That focus on human drama is what keeps "Jess-Belle," a most unusual episode of "The Twilight Zone," in the running for the show's top tier. For one, "Jess-Belle" came out of the show's difficult fourth season, during which CBS had contracted hour-long episodes, twice as long as the episodes' usual length, per Marc Scott Zicree's indispensable "Twilight Zone Companion." While...
That focus on human drama is what keeps "Jess-Belle," a most unusual episode of "The Twilight Zone," in the running for the show's top tier. For one, "Jess-Belle" came out of the show's difficult fourth season, during which CBS had contracted hour-long episodes, twice as long as the episodes' usual length, per Marc Scott Zicree's indispensable "Twilight Zone Companion." While...
- 2/25/2024
- by Anthony Crislip
- Slash Film
Burgess Meredith had a damn good run. He became a Broadway and film star almost simultaneously in the 1930s via his starring role in the Sacco and Vanzetti-based drama "Winterset," and turned in an unforgettable portrayal of George opposite Lon Chaney Jr.'s Lennie in Lewis Milestone's 1939 adaptation of "Of Mice and Men." He worked steadily, tirelessly until his death at the age of 89 in 1997. He was the Penguin on ABC's "Batman," the Italian Stallion's gruff-but-lovable trainer Mickey Goldmill in five "Rocky" movies, and Jack Lemon's surly Pops in the "Grumpy Old Men" movies.
And he was fortunate enough to appear in four particularly memorable "Twilight Zone" episodes.
Meredith's finest half-hour in the land of both shadow and substance, or things and ideas was obviously "Time Enough at Last," where he stars as a bibliophile who survives a nuclear apocalypse (and winds up wishing he didn't). The...
And he was fortunate enough to appear in four particularly memorable "Twilight Zone" episodes.
Meredith's finest half-hour in the land of both shadow and substance, or things and ideas was obviously "Time Enough at Last," where he stars as a bibliophile who survives a nuclear apocalypse (and winds up wishing he didn't). The...
- 2/24/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
The "Twilight Zone" episode "Come Wander With Me" is probably better remembered for its titular song than its strange, ambiguous story. Unlike many other episodes of "The Twilight Zone," where the twist is thoroughly explained, the ending of this one is left up to the viewer's interpretation.
The episode centers on a cocky young singer called Floyd Burney (played by Gary Crosby), who styles himself as "The Rock-a-Billy Kid" and is scouring the backwoods of the U.S. for old folk songs that he can jazz up and call his own. But when he hears a beautiful young woman called Mary Rachel singing a song called "Come Wander With Me," Floyd is so fixated on capturing the tune that he chases it all the way to his grave. Mary Rachel cryptically says that he does so "every time," trying and failing to persuade him to make different choices. It's part ghost story,...
The episode centers on a cocky young singer called Floyd Burney (played by Gary Crosby), who styles himself as "The Rock-a-Billy Kid" and is scouring the backwoods of the U.S. for old folk songs that he can jazz up and call his own. But when he hears a beautiful young woman called Mary Rachel singing a song called "Come Wander With Me," Floyd is so fixated on capturing the tune that he chases it all the way to his grave. Mary Rachel cryptically says that he does so "every time," trying and failing to persuade him to make different choices. It's part ghost story,...
- 2/23/2024
- by Hannah Shaw-Williams
- Slash Film
Periodically throughout the animated sci-fi sitcom "Futurama," the couch potato characters will sit in front of their 31st-century TV and take in an episode of "The Scary Door." "The Scary Door" is the future's take on "The Twilight Zone," complete with a Rod Serling-like announcer (played by Maurice Lamarche) explaining the weird ironies about to be witnessed. Naturally, the twist endings in "The Scary Door" go beyond irony and dive headfirst into absurdity.
In one episode, a gambler dies and awakens in an afterlife casino. He wins once and figures it must be Heaven. He wins twice and figures that it must be Hell; what gambler wants to win every time? But then he realizes that his afterlife casino is actually on a plane ... and there's a monster on the wing of the plane. When he calls someone for help, he realizes that he is also Adolf Hitler. He...
In one episode, a gambler dies and awakens in an afterlife casino. He wins once and figures it must be Heaven. He wins twice and figures that it must be Hell; what gambler wants to win every time? But then he realizes that his afterlife casino is actually on a plane ... and there's a monster on the wing of the plane. When he calls someone for help, he realizes that he is also Adolf Hitler. He...
- 2/22/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The Chattanooga Film Festival returns for its eleventh year, unleashing another summer camp for cinephiles from June 21-28, 2024. For this outing, the acclaimed fest is venturing into “The Twilight Zone.”
As it did in its 10th edition, the festival will be presented in a hybrid format, with in-person and virtual programming available. The festival’s in-person dates, June 21-24, will again be staged at Chattanooga’s historic haunted hotel, The Read House. Along with its dates, Cff also teased a handful of films and special events 2024 attendees can look forward to and put 2024 all-access VIP badges on sale with special Early Bird pricing and discounts in effect until March 20.
Anchoring this year’s festival is a tribute to the influential anthology sci-fi/horror series “The Twilight Zone” and the fascinating life and career of its legendary creator Rod Serling. Presiding over this salute is Rod’s daughter, author Anne Serling,...
As it did in its 10th edition, the festival will be presented in a hybrid format, with in-person and virtual programming available. The festival’s in-person dates, June 21-24, will again be staged at Chattanooga’s historic haunted hotel, The Read House. Along with its dates, Cff also teased a handful of films and special events 2024 attendees can look forward to and put 2024 all-access VIP badges on sale with special Early Bird pricing and discounts in effect until March 20.
Anchoring this year’s festival is a tribute to the influential anthology sci-fi/horror series “The Twilight Zone” and the fascinating life and career of its legendary creator Rod Serling. Presiding over this salute is Rod’s daughter, author Anne Serling,...
- 2/20/2024
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
Rod Serling's "The Twilight Zone" has likely inspired more nightmares than any other TV series in history. Several of the show's notorious twist endings often revealed horrors and grotesquerie typically not seen on the airwaves in the late '50s and early '60s, leaving younger viewers rattled and afraid.
The above image, from the episode "The Masks" came at the end of an episode where a quartet of greedy gold-diggers were forced to wear personality-based masks by the rich patriarch they hoped would die. The patriarch does indeed die, but when the characters remove their masks, they find their faces have mutated underneath. That one kept this author up a few nights.
Other scary faces popped up all across "The Twilight Zone." Many might immediately think of the episode "Eye of the Beholder", which was wholly a close-up of a young woman (Maxine Stewart) waiting to remove her bandages after extensive cosmetic surgery.
The above image, from the episode "The Masks" came at the end of an episode where a quartet of greedy gold-diggers were forced to wear personality-based masks by the rich patriarch they hoped would die. The patriarch does indeed die, but when the characters remove their masks, they find their faces have mutated underneath. That one kept this author up a few nights.
Other scary faces popped up all across "The Twilight Zone." Many might immediately think of the episode "Eye of the Beholder", which was wholly a close-up of a young woman (Maxine Stewart) waiting to remove her bandages after extensive cosmetic surgery.
- 2/18/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
There's something about doppelgangers that's captivated the minds of so many speculative fiction writers over the years, from Edgar Allan Poe to David Lynch to Jordan Peele. At their core, these types of stories are popular because they provide such an easy opportunity to explore questions around identity. Who would you be if you'd grown up in a different environment? Doppelgängers can shed some light on that. Is having full self-awareness a virtue or a curse? Doppelgängers can help you figure that out. In a visual medium, there's the added benefit that doppelgänger storylines give actors the chance to really show off; it's hard to watch "Us," for instance, and not be amazed as by Lupita Nyong'o's dual performance.
For Rod Serling, part of his inspiration for creating "The Twilight Zone" came from an experience of his a few years earlier. At some point in the late 1950s he...
For Rod Serling, part of his inspiration for creating "The Twilight Zone" came from an experience of his a few years earlier. At some point in the late 1950s he...
- 2/18/2024
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
What is it about small towns tucked away far from the bustling streets that is so laden with nostalgia? Perhaps it is the quaint, simple quality of life that defines existence in these spaces, or simply a case of looking back at one's past with rose-tinted glasses. "Valley of the Shadow," the third episode in the fourth season of "The Twilight Zone," examines a town named Peaceful Valley, where a reporter named Phillip Redfield (Ed Nelson) gets lost. However, Phillip's experiences in the town are far from pleasant — he stumbles upon life-altering secrets and is rendered a prisoner with almost no way out. Once Phillip learns that he can steal a technological formula that can make the world a better place, he is faced with obstacles that are designed to test his heart and his intentions as a seemingly well-meaning human being.
The technological gifts that the townspeople enjoy were...
The technological gifts that the townspeople enjoy were...
- 2/17/2024
- by Debopriyaa Dutta
- Slash Film
Planet of the Apes is one of the most successful and durable science fiction franchises in Hollywood history. Starting in 1968 with the original film, the Apes series has generated more than $2.1 billion in box office grosses over the course of just nine movies, with a highly-anticipated 10th entry, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, due for release this May. The property has also spawned both a live-action and animated TV series, books, comics, video games, and toys – the latter produced in the wake of the first film’s success and arguably the template for future movie merchandising campaigns.
And yet, as we’ve seen over and over again with blockbuster pop culture milestones like Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, and numerous others, Hollywood at the beginning was loathe to touch the property. After publicist-turned-producer Arthur P. Jacobs secured the rights to the novel upon which the original film was based,...
And yet, as we’ve seen over and over again with blockbuster pop culture milestones like Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, and numerous others, Hollywood at the beginning was loathe to touch the property. After publicist-turned-producer Arthur P. Jacobs secured the rights to the novel upon which the original film was based,...
- 2/15/2024
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
Short of "To Serve Man," the most famous "Twilight Zone" twist ending is probably "Eye of the Beholder." Set in a hospital, the episode follows surgeons and nurses discussing patient Janet Tyler, who's undergone treatment to remove a facial deformity. Miss Tyler's face is hidden behind bandages and the hospital staff are glimpsed only in shadow or from behind — until the third act. It turns out, by the audience's standards, Janet is a blonde bombshell and everyone else is pig-faced. Beauty truly lies in the phrase that gives the episode its title.
Since her appearance is initially concealed, the crew was able to cast two actors as Janet: Maxine Stuart when she's bandaged up and Donna Douglas (future star of "The Beverly Hillbillies") when she's unmasked. (Both actors are no longer with us.)
n 2004, Stuart sat down with the Archive of American Television to discuss "Eye of the Beholder." She...
Since her appearance is initially concealed, the crew was able to cast two actors as Janet: Maxine Stuart when she's bandaged up and Donna Douglas (future star of "The Beverly Hillbillies") when she's unmasked. (Both actors are no longer with us.)
n 2004, Stuart sat down with the Archive of American Television to discuss "Eye of the Beholder." She...
- 2/12/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Rod Serling's "The Twilight Zone" was not renewed after five seasons, and while the final seasons weren't as compelling as the entries in its initial run, the series is still lauded for its groundbreaking impact on sci-fi-centered anthology television. One of the reasons behind the show's decline in narrative integrity and audience appeal can be attributed to burnout, as Serling became exhausted from having to write fresh material in addition to serving as the series' host and executive producer. This kind of burnout was natural, as Serling had contributed to 48 scripts throughout the show's first three seasons. Then, by the time season 4 was about to premiere, something unexpected happened.
"The Twilight Zone" relied on sponsors like any other television series at the time, but it was unable to find one in 1962. According to Mark Scott Zicree's "The Twilight Zone Companion," this delay in securing a sponsor on time came at a heavy cost,...
"The Twilight Zone" relied on sponsors like any other television series at the time, but it was unable to find one in 1962. According to Mark Scott Zicree's "The Twilight Zone Companion," this delay in securing a sponsor on time came at a heavy cost,...
- 2/11/2024
- by Debopriyaa Dutta
- Slash Film
When "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" first premiered on CBS in October 1955, the episodic half-hour anthology series immediately gained immense popularity. Hosted by Hitchcock himself, every episode opened with the director's silhouette and Charles Gounod's "Funeral March of a Marionette" playing in the background, which became a cultural landmark in itself. As Hitchcock believed that the show's half-hour format did not do justice to the intricate anthology tales of suspense and terror, the episodic duration was subsequently extended when the show was revamped and retitled to "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour," which ran from 1962 to 1965.
Per John McCarty and Brian Kelleher's "Alfred Hitchcock Presents: An Illustrated Guide to the Ten-year Television Career of the Master of Suspense," NBC (where the show ended up airing alternatively), after witnessing the success of Hitchcock's show, started planning a brand new mystery/suspense anthology that was set to run from 1957 through 1958. This unofficial spin-off was titled "Suspicion,...
Per John McCarty and Brian Kelleher's "Alfred Hitchcock Presents: An Illustrated Guide to the Ten-year Television Career of the Master of Suspense," NBC (where the show ended up airing alternatively), after witnessing the success of Hitchcock's show, started planning a brand new mystery/suspense anthology that was set to run from 1957 through 1958. This unofficial spin-off was titled "Suspicion,...
- 2/11/2024
- by Debopriyaa Dutta
- Slash Film
Despite its unambiguously stellar reputation today, the production of "The Twilight Zone" was filled with constant drama and controversy -- some of which revolved around accusations of plagiarism. There were writers like Ray Bradbury who felt that the series was taking too much of its material from previous speculative novels and short stories, and then there were many of the writers who responded to the show's early call for screenplays. 14,000 audience members sent in an episode script, hoping to get their writing produced on the show, and precious few of them were considered readable, let alone good enough to get accepted.
The fact that so many people sent in their own scripts was a problem, because that was 14,000 episode ideas Serling was technically exposed to. If he wrote an episode that even vaguely resembled the basic premise of any of those 14,000 scripts, it's easy to see how any of those writers could've felt ripped off.
The fact that so many people sent in their own scripts was a problem, because that was 14,000 episode ideas Serling was technically exposed to. If he wrote an episode that even vaguely resembled the basic premise of any of those 14,000 scripts, it's easy to see how any of those writers could've felt ripped off.
- 2/11/2024
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
1956's "Forbidden Planet" follows a crew of astronauts traveling the galaxy in a flying saucer. While visiting planet Altair IV, they find a scientist and his daughter (Anne Francis) living alone on this deserted world — and realize they are hiding something.
Directed by Fred M. Wilcox and starring a young Leslie Nielsen, "Forbidden Planets looks like a kitschy B-movie today — and in a way it always was, but it was also a trailblazer. It was one of the first films to show humans in the distant future flying around in faster-than-light starships. Without "Forbidden Planet," there would be no "Star Wars" or "Star Trek."
While the Enterprise has an underbelly and nacelles beneath its saucer head, the "Forbidden Planet" ship (the C-57D) is a simple flying saucer — except this UFO is operated by humans, not aliens. The ship and the other effects got the "Forbidden Planet" special effects team an Oscar nomination.
Directed by Fred M. Wilcox and starring a young Leslie Nielsen, "Forbidden Planets looks like a kitschy B-movie today — and in a way it always was, but it was also a trailblazer. It was one of the first films to show humans in the distant future flying around in faster-than-light starships. Without "Forbidden Planet," there would be no "Star Wars" or "Star Trek."
While the Enterprise has an underbelly and nacelles beneath its saucer head, the "Forbidden Planet" ship (the C-57D) is a simple flying saucer — except this UFO is operated by humans, not aliens. The ship and the other effects got the "Forbidden Planet" special effects team an Oscar nomination.
- 2/10/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Greg Finley, an actor, voiceover artist and Adr (additional dialogue replacement) specialist with credits including Robotech, The X-Files and Men in Black II, has died. He was 76.
Finley, who appeared and/or was heard in hundreds of movies and TV episodes, died Feb. 1 while on vacation in Phoenix, his son Guy Finley announced.
Finley served as a writer, director and voice actor on the 1980s syndicated anime series Robotech and created sounds for the Cigarette Smoking Man (played by William B. Davis) on The X-Files in the 1990s and a group of tiny aliens in Men in Black II (2002).
He retired in 2018 but still worked occasionally, appearing as recently as last year on the Netflix docuseries The King Who Never Was.
Greg Ronald Finley was born in Los Angeles on May 8, 1947. His father, Larry, a cousin of Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling, hosted shows on Ktla-tv and Kfwb radio and...
Finley, who appeared and/or was heard in hundreds of movies and TV episodes, died Feb. 1 while on vacation in Phoenix, his son Guy Finley announced.
Finley served as a writer, director and voice actor on the 1980s syndicated anime series Robotech and created sounds for the Cigarette Smoking Man (played by William B. Davis) on The X-Files in the 1990s and a group of tiny aliens in Men in Black II (2002).
He retired in 2018 but still worked occasionally, appearing as recently as last year on the Netflix docuseries The King Who Never Was.
Greg Ronald Finley was born in Los Angeles on May 8, 1947. His father, Larry, a cousin of Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling, hosted shows on Ktla-tv and Kfwb radio and...
- 2/8/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Greg Finley, a prolific voiceover actor whose many credits include animated fare like Robotech and live-action projects including The X-Files and Men at Work II, died peacefully February 1 of heart-related causes while on vacation at a family member’s home in Phoenix, Arizona. He was 76.
His death was announced by his son Guy Finley.
A voiceover actor with scores of credits stretching back to the 1980s, Finley (occasionally credited under the name Guy Garrett) had by that time already begun his show business career as an on-screen actor with small roles in episodes of, among others, Kolchak: The Night Stalker (1975) and, in 1981, Flo and The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo.
His voice work began when fellow Beverly Hills High School alum Paul Rabwin, a producer on CHiPs, invited him to provide Adr on that series. . He’d soon...
His death was announced by his son Guy Finley.
A voiceover actor with scores of credits stretching back to the 1980s, Finley (occasionally credited under the name Guy Garrett) had by that time already begun his show business career as an on-screen actor with small roles in episodes of, among others, Kolchak: The Night Stalker (1975) and, in 1981, Flo and The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo.
His voice work began when fellow Beverly Hills High School alum Paul Rabwin, a producer on CHiPs, invited him to provide Adr on that series. . He’d soon...
- 2/7/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
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