I've long been a fan of The Twilight Zone, and have been looking to expand my range of science fiction in film and television this summer, so it seemed only natural to seek out The Outer Limits (1963-1964). I know Harlan Ellison's script Soldier was part of the basis of James Cameron's The Terminator, and Steven King has heavily praised the original series. Both items have caught my interest and convinced me to watch this series.
That said, I've now finished the first two episodes and have been less than impressed. Since I have the discs free of charge from the local library, I'll continue watching for a while. I hope it gets better.
The Galaxy Being
writer: Leslie Stevens
director: Leslie Stevens
What immediately strikes me about this series is its beautiful black and white photography. In just these two episodes, it has stood out as the best thing about this series, and the pilot episode sets the tone for a look that is comparable to film noir.
The series opening is rather well put-together, although it lacks the catchy theme music of The Twilight Zone, which I think was a mistake. Iconic all the same, though ("do not adjust your television set...").
The visual effects here are quite good for their time as well. The alien seems to simply be an actor in a suit with the film printed as a negative instead of a positive (could have those mixed up), but it is very effective. When the being goes berserk around the town the effects are nice as well.
But I must say...the writing was awful. Two-way communication is somehow possible between Earth and the Andromeda Galaxy using only period technology. On a similar point, the 1963 computer can somehow translate the alien's speech into perfect English instantaneously. I wish my 2009 computer could do that with known languages! And then, somehow, the communication becomes a form of teleportation for this nitrogen-based being, who rampages around the town. It doesn't make a lick of sense.
Sexism is pervasive. The character of the wife is portrayed as unreasonable and irrational, as if that excuses the way men talk down to her in the episode. Hell, even the military blasts away at her without a second thought, but pauses when the male lead emerges. I suppose it was the early 1960s (pre-Star Trek, even), but it's annoying.
A Hundred Days of the Dragon
writers: Allan Balter and Robert Mintz
director: Byron Haskin
This one was absurd from start to finish, a cheap television knock-off of The Manchurian Candidate (Frankenheimer's adaptation was released 11 months prior to this film) with half the imagination and none of the budget of the film version of that book.
Somehow the ambiguous Asian doctors (Chinese? Korean? The episode doesn't make it clear, preferring to talk about the "orient.") come up with a serum that makes skin malleable. Well, not exactly. Apparently, it only works on the face and fingerprints, since there are no impressions left on the subject's hands after they've held the mold tightly against their own face.
The cinematography is again good, although there is some really poor rear-projection in a car scene or two. A shot of the candidate's hand on the bible followed by some stock footage of an inauguration is a clever way of covering up for the tiny budget, though.
The security present around the candidate is simply absurd in this episode, from start to finish. A Presidential Candidate nearly on the eve of an election (all the language indicates this is November, not a primary race) all alone in a hotel room, with a foreign espionage team able to book the room right across the hall, and not a secret serviceman in sight anywhere? A gun goes off and there's no immediate commotion? They must have booked a hotel in an awfully seedy part of town.
Even more silly, the Ambiguous Asian Leader comes to the White House, carrying big glossy photos of everyone he plans to replace with doubles? The VP's home is entirely unguarded, and an agent (played by James Hong, proving he must be in everything) almost captures the VP by sneaking through the bushes? And then they expect to be able to capture him while he is in a motorcade, a plan that only goes wrong because the VP decides to add security (as if he would have a choice in the matter)?
Silly, silly, silly.
Luckily the episode can hammer home a quick and unrelated message about avoiding nuclear war in the final minute, when the VP (now President) proclaims that he will not respond to the Ambiguous Asian plot at all (the same guy who wouldn't withdraw from Southeast Asia after the Ambiguous Asians did). Heavy handed stuff like this wouldn't work with Rod Serling, and Vic Perrin doesn't come close as the "control voice."
What do other people think of this series, and these two episodes?
That said, I've now finished the first two episodes and have been less than impressed. Since I have the discs free of charge from the local library, I'll continue watching for a while. I hope it gets better.
The Galaxy Being
writer: Leslie Stevens
director: Leslie Stevens
What immediately strikes me about this series is its beautiful black and white photography. In just these two episodes, it has stood out as the best thing about this series, and the pilot episode sets the tone for a look that is comparable to film noir.
The series opening is rather well put-together, although it lacks the catchy theme music of The Twilight Zone, which I think was a mistake. Iconic all the same, though ("do not adjust your television set...").
The visual effects here are quite good for their time as well. The alien seems to simply be an actor in a suit with the film printed as a negative instead of a positive (could have those mixed up), but it is very effective. When the being goes berserk around the town the effects are nice as well.
But I must say...the writing was awful. Two-way communication is somehow possible between Earth and the Andromeda Galaxy using only period technology. On a similar point, the 1963 computer can somehow translate the alien's speech into perfect English instantaneously. I wish my 2009 computer could do that with known languages! And then, somehow, the communication becomes a form of teleportation for this nitrogen-based being, who rampages around the town. It doesn't make a lick of sense.
Sexism is pervasive. The character of the wife is portrayed as unreasonable and irrational, as if that excuses the way men talk down to her in the episode. Hell, even the military blasts away at her without a second thought, but pauses when the male lead emerges. I suppose it was the early 1960s (pre-Star Trek, even), but it's annoying.
A Hundred Days of the Dragon
writers: Allan Balter and Robert Mintz
director: Byron Haskin
This one was absurd from start to finish, a cheap television knock-off of The Manchurian Candidate (Frankenheimer's adaptation was released 11 months prior to this film) with half the imagination and none of the budget of the film version of that book.
Somehow the ambiguous Asian doctors (Chinese? Korean? The episode doesn't make it clear, preferring to talk about the "orient.") come up with a serum that makes skin malleable. Well, not exactly. Apparently, it only works on the face and fingerprints, since there are no impressions left on the subject's hands after they've held the mold tightly against their own face.
The cinematography is again good, although there is some really poor rear-projection in a car scene or two. A shot of the candidate's hand on the bible followed by some stock footage of an inauguration is a clever way of covering up for the tiny budget, though.
The security present around the candidate is simply absurd in this episode, from start to finish. A Presidential Candidate nearly on the eve of an election (all the language indicates this is November, not a primary race) all alone in a hotel room, with a foreign espionage team able to book the room right across the hall, and not a secret serviceman in sight anywhere? A gun goes off and there's no immediate commotion? They must have booked a hotel in an awfully seedy part of town.
Even more silly, the Ambiguous Asian Leader comes to the White House, carrying big glossy photos of everyone he plans to replace with doubles? The VP's home is entirely unguarded, and an agent (played by James Hong, proving he must be in everything) almost captures the VP by sneaking through the bushes? And then they expect to be able to capture him while he is in a motorcade, a plan that only goes wrong because the VP decides to add security (as if he would have a choice in the matter)?
Silly, silly, silly.
Luckily the episode can hammer home a quick and unrelated message about avoiding nuclear war in the final minute, when the VP (now President) proclaims that he will not respond to the Ambiguous Asian plot at all (the same guy who wouldn't withdraw from Southeast Asia after the Ambiguous Asians did). Heavy handed stuff like this wouldn't work with Rod Serling, and Vic Perrin doesn't come close as the "control voice."
What do other people think of this series, and these two episodes?
