Merch Spotlight: Nightmare at 20,000 Feet diorama (Bif Bang Pow!)

I received Bif Bang Pow!’s Nightmare at 20,000 Feet diorama as a birthday gift from my good buddy Bill Huelbig about six months ago. I took pictures of it for my intended spotlight… which never quite happened. I have no excuse for this item slipping through the proverbial cracks, other than the fact that writing two blogs for eight months straight has been a bit overwhelming. I’ll attempt to rectify this oversight now.

When the first “Classic Moments” diorama (a San Diego Comic Con exclusive based on “The Invaders”) was announced, one of my initial reservations concerned the size: the promotional pictures made it seem big enough to be a big unwieldy for my purposes (never mind that the damned dimensions were readily available: 6.5” deep x 5.0” wide x 3.5” tall). I also wasn’t a fan of the sculpt (I think eliminating the Agnes Moorehead character entirely and just featuring the Invader and his flying saucer would’ve been way better). Another reservation was the price: $24.99 plus shipping, which seemed somehow unreasonable (however, I had no context to justify this conclusion).  Further, I had grown a bit disenchanted with BBP’s offerings in general, especially since their action figure line had essentially screeched to a halt (see here for the sad tale). When the second diorama (based on “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet”) was announced, I found myself quite underwhelmed, and decided at that point to avoid the dioramas completely.

I did experience a bit of regret when the third diorama was announced (from “Eye of the Beholder”), which looked really impressive. But by then the “Invaders” diorama had sold out, and finances prohibited me from paying aftermarket prices (also, the completist in me couldn’t bear to buy some but not all of them), so I stuck to my guns and didn’t bite.

And then--- good ol’ Bill sent me the “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” diorama for my birthday, and all bets were abruptly off.

First off, the box is approximately the same size as those that house BBP’s TZ bobble heads, but the actual item itself is much smaller (6.5” wide x 4.5” long x 2.5” tall; again, having never bothered to check the specs, I was expecting it to be quite a bit bigger). I found the compactness quite appealing, and my original (unfounded) unwieldiness argument was immediately shattered. Plus---- well, the damned thing ended up being quite cool in general, so my original underwhelmed reaction was supplanted as well.

Have a look, kids.

If I have a complaint, it’s the fact that the Gremlin is painted the same gray as the plane, which makes him (it?) really hard to see. Just a few brushstrokes of a darker gray would’ve made a big difference (I’m certainly not expecting much detail at this scale). Otherwise---- a really solid piece. After my initial blasé reaction, I’m quite happy to wholeheartedly recommend it. Thanks Bill!

If you want your own (and why wouldn't you?), it's still available from Entertainment Earth. $18.99 plus shipping and it's yours.

So now the inevitable question arises: what about those other two dioramas?  The “Eye of the Beholder” diorama (which is still available for $29.99 plus shipping; I'm not sure why the price point is so much higher) is definitely something I want to pick up at some point. It appears that perhaps the line will stop at three (it’s been over a year, and a fourth diorama still hasn’t been announced), so I suppose I can swallow the aftermarket price of the “Invaders” diorama (I’ve still got some issues with the sculpting but, given the diminutive scale, it may be much less problematic) for completion’s sake.

Episode Spotlight: "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" (10/11/1963)

Season 5, episode 3 (123 overall)

Originally aired 10/11/1963

Cayuga Production # 2605

50 years ago tonight, a nervous air traveler came face to face with an impossible enemy: an otherworldly creature out on the wing, who apparently is determined to sabotage the plane and endanger everyone on board.

Richard Matheson’s “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” is probably one of The Twilight Zone’s most recognizable episodes. It’s been spoofed repeatedly over the years (more on this below), and it had the (dubious) honor of being remade in 1983’s Twilight Zone: The Movie. After Captain Kirk, it’s probably William Shatner’s most famous screen role (well, maybe it’s a tie with T.J. Hooker), and well-deservedly so: he’s straight-up brilliant here, his characterization nuanced and complex. He’s completely convincing as a man struggling with two demons: the one out on the wing, and his own precarious grip on reality.

Bob Wilson has just spent six months in a sanitarium after experiencing a nervous breakdown on an airplane (the specifics aren’t given; did he see something on the wing that time too?). Evidently he’s recovered and, as a final breakthrough, he’s going home on a plane (is it just me, or is this approach kinda sorta asking for trouble?). Of course he’s got a window seat, and of course his seat just happens to be right next to an emergency hatch.

Oh, there’s also a wicked storm directly in the plane’s flight path, promising a rough ride. Jesus, this guy can’t catch a break.

Most of the episode is spent having Bob see the Gremlin, but only when nobody else is there to see it. We wonder if it’s all in his head (this argument seems pretty valid until the very end of the episode). His wife, the stewardess, and finally the pilot interact with him in a placating but skeptical manner, but wouldn’t we do the same? Even if there were a man (or whatever) out on the wing, he (or it) would’ve been blown off immediately upon takeoff... right? The fact that this Man Crying Wolf was very recently crazy (pardon my political incorrectness there) doesn’t help his case.

My only real gripe (other than the gigantic one directly below) is the fact that Bob easily (too damned easily) manages to get his hands on a nearby air marshal’s .38. I won’t spoil it, but trust me when I say it’s contrived and awkward, not to mention completely unbelievable. In Matheson’s original story, Bob is in the midst of experiencing a nervous breakdown and is contemplating suicide, so he has his own pistol in his carryon bag (wow, things are sure different now). Of course you couldn’t do suicide on TV at that time, so Matheson went this route. I’m not sure I could’ve thought of something better, but I still don’t like it.

However, the gun situation is negligible when you consider the true, fatal flaw of this episode. We must now discuss the elephant in the room. This particular subject has been touched on previously in the pages of this very blog, but it’s high time we tackle this beast head-on.  And as it turns out, “beast” is a pretty accurate descriptor. I’m of course referring to…

*Sigh* The Gremlin is, hands down, one of the stupidest creature designs I’ve ever seen, on The Twilight Zone or elsewhere. Matheson’s seminal short story describes it as follows: “It was a hideously malignant face, a face not human. Its skin was grimy, of a wide-pored coarseness; its nose a squat, discolored lump; its lips misshapen, cracked, forced apart by teeth of a grotesque size and crookedness; its eyes recessed and small --- unblinking. All framed by shaggy, tangled hair which sprouted, too, in furry tufts from the man’s ears and nose, in birdlike down across his cheeks.” Matheson was reportedly unhappy with its television incarnation, which is basically a giant teddy bear with a mongloidish face (crafted by William Tuttle and presumably cobbled together from leftover “Eye of the Beholder” prosthetics), and why wouldn’t he be? It looks utterly ridiculous, particularly when it swoops in and out of the frame on (hidden) wires. 

I fly through the air with the greatest of ease…

The Gremlin isn’t scary in the least, and severely undermines the tension that the episode is otherwise building quite successfully.  I’ll even go so far as to say that it pretty much ruins the episode. And look! Even the bottoms of its feet look dumb:

FAMILIAR FACES

This is William Shatner’s second TZ appearance. We saw him previously in season two’s “Nick of Time,” in which he played Don Carter, a somewhat-less neurotic slave to our old friend The Mystic Seer. I like to think of Don Carter and Bob Wilson as variations on the same basic character, and Bif Bang Pow! clearly agrees with me, as evidenced by their action figure of William Shatner, which comes with both characters’ outfits and accessories!

But Bif Bang Pow! didn’t stop there: they’ve released bobbleheads of both Bob Wilson and The Gremlin, a furry action figure of The Gremlin (which actually looks better than the “real” thing), and a diorama of the airplane with a li’l tiny Gremlin on the wing (my purchases of TZ collectibles have pretty much ground to a halt, but I must admit this last one’s kinda cool).

A 12-inch action figure of The Gremlin was released several years back by Sideshow Collectibles. Their work is usually superb, but something went horribly wrong here. I mean horribly. Just look at it. Just take a moment or two and gaze at its hideousness. What an utter piece of shit. It's a monstrosity (and not the good kind).

*Ahem* Back to the cast. Christine White is quite good as Ruth, Bob’s long-suffering wife (and fellow passenger on the plane).  She was also Ace Larson’s long-suffering girlfriend in season two’s “The Prime Mover,” so apparently she was quite adept at the whole long-suffering thing.  Ms. White passed away just two months ago, after which the NY Times wrote a very “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet”-centric story about her here. 

The stewardess is played by Asa Maynor, whose very first TV role was “Ginger Snap” on a 1960 episode of Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer. This is her only TZ appearance; however, she gets a special mention because she’s a bona fide TZ Babe.  Arrrrooooooogah!

The episode was remade in 1983 for Twilight Zone: The Movie (retitled “Nightmare at 35,000 Feet” to bring it up to modern aviation specs), this time featuring John Lithgow in the lead (though Shatner was certainly still young enough to reprise his role; I guess he was busy with the aforementioned T.J. Hooker at the time). The film’s Gremlin design is a gigantic improvement over its furry ancestor; however, the segment as a whole (directed by George Miller of Mad Max fame and, more recently, Happy Feet, which suggests a pretty bizarre career path) is much too frenetic to generate any true tension (many reviewers consider it the highlight of the film; I find it grating, personally, but I guess I kinda agree, which should give you an idea of my thoughts on the film as a whole).

Many of The Twilight Zone’s iconic, most widely-remembered episodes have been parodied by TV’s The Simpsons over the years, and “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” is no exception. The 1993 episode “Treehouse of Horror IV” includes “Terror at 5½ Feet,” which moves the action from an airplane to Bart Simpson’s school bus. Interestingly, the framework of this particular episode is patterned after Rod Serling’s Night Gallery, with Bart introducing each segment using gallery paintings.

The episode was more recently parodied on Saturday Night Live in 2010, with Bobby Moynihan playing the Gremlin and the brilliant Bill Hader standing in for Rod Serling. It’s a bit dumb, but very well done on a technical level. I was going to embed the video directly into this entry, but I can't seem to find it anywhere (including SNL's own website), so.... sorry, mates.

Splice the ’83 Gremlin (not the car, dammit) into the ’63 episode and give Bob Wilson his own pistol (as in Matheson’s short story) and you’d have an undeniable classic.  As it stands, however, “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” is still a classic… but not the masterpiece that it could’ve (and should’ve) been. That fucking Gremlin just wrecks it for me. Your air mileage may vary.

Coming up:

STOP everything and WATCH this. Ha, see what I did there?  No? Well, it’ll make more sense next week.

New Merch from Bif Bang Pow!

Happy Thanksgiving!  Y’now, funny story, I was actually born on Thanksgiving (11/27/1969) and, since the holiday always falls on the fourth Thursday of November, it lands on my birthday (or, more appropriately, my birthday falls on it) every so many years (the next one is 2014). 

I know, I know… who cares, right?  It’s Thanksgiving, so I’m sure y’all have better things to do than listen to me prattle on.  I’ll get right to the point so you can go back to your turkey and football and whatnot.

Our friends at Bif Bang Pow! have announced a few new TZ-related collectibles.  It’s a bit of a mixed bag, but there are a couple of interesting items to be found….

First up we have a Twilight Zone travel mug.  Honestly, why the hell?  In fairness, Bif Bang Pow! is doing the exact same thing with every single property they license (Venture Bros., The Six Million Dollar Man, etc).  Man, nothing says “crass branding” like slapping a logo onto the ubiquitous travel mug.  Honestly, anyone out there in need of a travel mug probably already owns several.  Sorry guys, you know I love you, but damn.  Not buying it.  I should mention that it’s being advertised as an Entertainment Earth exclusive, which is strange since, as far as I know, Bif Bang Pow! sells all their merchandise exclusively through Entertainment Earth.

$12.99 (plus shipping)

Okay, in fairness, it does look kinda snazzy as far as travel mugs go.  It looks like the iconic doorway repeats all the way around, which is… well, a bit lazy now that I’m thinking about it.  Why not spread several icons (clock, eyeball, spiral, etc) around?  Unless the repeating doorway is intended to convey the parallel earth/alternate reality theory, which would be… I dunno, kinda cool.  I still like my idea better.  If this is your bag, it’s available now at the above link. 

A similar (and equally questionable) item is the Twilight Zone stainless steel water bottle.  Ugh.

$9.99 (plus shipping)

It features the exact same design as the travel mug.  *Sigh*  It’s also available now, if you want it, at the above link.

Hey, I seem to recall that we were supposed to be getting shot glasses and beer steins at some point (not to mention drink coasters)…. These would be much more useful for a beer-swillin’, liquor-lovin’ rapscallion like me.

Next is the second in a series of Twilight Zone dioramas.  This time it’s “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet,” and I’m frankly a bit stumped.  It’s a plane perched atop the iconic season 3 spiral design… with a tiny gremlin on the wing. 

$24.99 (plus shipping)

It’s kinda neat in a goofy sorta way, but unfortunately the itty bitty Gremlin is far too small to really convey anything approximating the drama and tension of the episode.  I can’t tell from the picture, but I don’t think Shatner is even visible inside the plane.  I think a better approach would have been a smaller section of the plane, just part of the cabin and the wing, which would have permitted both a bigger (and more menacing) Gremlin (and a visible Shatner).  Of course, this was kind of already accomplished with the matching bobbleheads (both of which are still available, incidentally, here and here).   The diorama is scheduled for a February 2013 release.

$24.99 (plus shipping)

The first diorama (above), based on “The Invaders,” is problematic as well.  The iconic character (in this case, The Invader) is too small to really impress (and the Invader sculpt looks a bit sloppy to these eyes);  further, the Agnes Moorehead head is too big, the trapdoor is too small, and everything is too damned close together.  Far too many liberties were taken with the scale, and consequently nothing really looks right.  Honestly, I’d have left Moorehead out entirely and just featured the saucer on the rooftop, with the stairway hatch lowered and both Invaders milling about.  The Forbidden Planet saucer sculpt is admittedly cool, however, which justifies the piece all on its own (hey, speaking of the Forbidden Planet saucer, I wouldn’t mind seeing it immortalized in bobblehead form).

I’m actually not collecting the dioramas, for a few reasons.  First and foremost… I've just gotta draw the line someplace.  I've already got boxes of TZ action figures and bobbleheads that I’m not currently displaying (space is at a pretty severe premium in my current digs), so I’m reluctant to shell out for more stuff that’s destined to reside in my storage unit for the foreseeable future.  Second, at $24.99 plus shipping, the price is a bit steep.  Third, I’m just not that impressed by them, which makes said price seem even higher.  I dunno, if future dioramas turn out way better, then I may have to rethink this, but for now…. nope, not doing it.

Three, count ‘em, three distinct license plate frames are available now.

$9.99 (plus shipping)

$9.99 (plus shipping)

$9.99 (plus shipping)

They’re cute.  I might just spring for these… I haven’t decided yet.  At ten bucks a pop, they’re pretty reasonable.  I don’t own three cars, however, so I may need to pick just one.

Next up is the Doorway to The Twilight Zone tin tote, which is basically an old-school metal lunchbox (without a thermos, dammit). 

$12.99 (plus shipping)

I can’t deny…. It looks pretty cool.  I already own the Kanamit Tin Tote (which I’ll be reviewing very soon), so I’ll probably have to get this at some point (once you’re in, you’re IN; at least for those of us with OCD collecting tendencies).  Style points for putting the iconic TZ door on the hinged side, allowing it to be an actual functioning door (of sorts).

Finally, Bif Bang Pow! has come up with something just…. freakin’…. AWESOME.  Readers of this blog will recall that I’m quite a fan of the Mystic Seer (already produced in various iterations, most notably the full-size--- and fully functional--- replica, which I still don’t have and still long for, achingly so), so imagine my delight to learn of the Mystic Seer Monitor Mate Bobble Head!

$9.99 (plus shipping)

It’s basically a miniature version of the Mystic Seer bobblehead, which was the very first Twilight Zone collectible that Bif Bang Pow! released (way back in late 2009).  It bobbles and… well, that’s about it.  But it’s unrelentingly cool, and I want several (one for each computer monitor I own, plus my laptop, plus the PC I use at work, plus a few more just because).  It’s not due till February 2013, but goddammit, I want this thing like YESTERDAY.   Here’s hoping this is the first in a line of Monitor Mates… for example, I’d love a mini Invader (or a whole bunch of ‘em).  And a mini Gremlin might be fun (I’m imagining an ongoing photo blog with the li’l guy turning up in all kinds of unexpected places).

Overall, it seems the TZ merchandise is moving away from the bobbleheads and action figures and more into the random memorabilia realm…. Which I’m not entirely okay with.  C’mon, lose the travel mugs and water bottles and give us something cool.  Cufflinks, maybe?  A set of eyeballs, a set of spirals, a set of TZ logos… Hell, I’d buy all of those (and start dressing better so I could utilize them regularly).  Or what about an iPhone cover? Belt buckles?

Underwear?  Oh, wait... it's been done before.  *Shudder*

Spotlight: Bob Wilson/Don Carter action figure (Bif Bang Pow!)

Earlier today we gazed lovingly at Bif Bang Pow!'s Bob Wilson bobblehead. Now we move on to their action figure version, which has one rather surprising bonus feature: he's actually two characters in one!

William Shatner appeared in two Twilight Zone episodes, both beloved classics: season five's "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" (in which he played the aforementioned Bob Wilson, a man beleaguered by a Gremlin on the wing of an airplane) and season two's "Nick of Time" (in which he played Don Carter, a man beleaguered by a Mystic Seer fortune telling machine). This action figure serves as both characters, including complete outfits and episode-specific accessories (they do share the same pair of shoes, however). This Bob Wilson/Don Carter hybrid immortalizes Shatner's contribution to the series while offering collectors the ultimate in interactivity: you can choose which Shatner character you'll proudly display.


Yeah, okay, this approach is somewhat problematic if you want to display both characters, as you'll have to buy two Bob/Dons to do so, which will give you duplicate sets of clothing and accessories. You'll also pay more, as this deluxe single figure will run you $32.99 (as opposed to the $37.99 Entertainment Earth charges for two regular figures), which means you're paying $14 for a change of clothes and a fancy box. Yeah, maybe this isn't such a good idea after all. It's certainly an interesting approach, and the fact that it's a Comic-Con exclusive adds to its perceived value, but if you're the type to open and display your figures, you're probably gonna be a bit pissed.


CHARACTER LIKENESS

No, I am NOT James Van Der Beek.

The Shatner likeness is... well, a bit disappointing, especially after the Bob Wilson bobblehead turned out so good. It's not a bad sculpt at all, don't get me wrong, it just... well, doesn't look much like Shatner. It's really too bad, not to mention frustrating, since Shatner himself gave the sculpt his stamp of approval! Even more madding is the fact that Mego pulled off a vastly superior Shatner likeness on their Captain Kirk action figure, at this EXACT same scale, over 30 years ago:



Well, since we're dealing with essentially two different action figures, let's tackle them individually. First up: Bob Wilson (the default or, in other words, the only one you'll ever see if you don't open him up and change his clothes).

Bob Wilson is really a no-brainer for the action figure treatment, since Bif Bang Pow! has already given us his nemesis The Gremlin. Bob comes with everything you'd expect: suit and tie, newspaper, pistol; it's nice to see Bif Bang Pow! throwing in some accessories (out of six TZ figures last year, only 1 had an accessory: The Kanamit's cookbook). Surprisingly, the best of Bob's accessories is the newspaper, because it contains a brilliant in-joke. It's a variation on the newspaper featured in season one's "And When the Sky Was Opened"!

Bob comes with a pretty spiffy looking wristwatch, which carries over nicely to his inevitable Don Carter identity switch.


Bob doesn't come with socks, but since his pants hang low enough, it's not really an issue. For the record, none of the new human characters come with socks. As I recall, only Talky Tina from last year had socks, which were painted on (but then again, her ankles were visible, so it was necessary).


Okay, now I'm gonna straight-up get my bitch on. The Mego-style body used for these TZ figures works well enough if they aren't encumbered by too much clothing.... which Bob Wilson is. You've got a shirt with collar, a necktie and a jacket, which adds up to a problem I'm calling EPS (Excessive Puffiness Syndrome). Nothing looks (or sits) right, poseability is severely restricted, and the sleeves of both shirt and jacket aren't long enough. Further, the elastic-band necktie (while a clever idea) totally fucks up the shirt collar (this same problem will resurface with Henry Bemis, who we'll spotlight later in the week).



My solution is to put the necktie UNDER the shirt, which looks a bit goofy but allows the collar to lay down correctly.


The necktie is held in place by a tiny little square of Velcro near the bottom of the shirt (it's actually hidden behind the waistband of the pants when the shirt is tucked in).


I'm not gonna sugarcoat this: I hate the fabric suit, period. Why they couldn't simply create a single-piece jacket with a faux shirt collar and tie is beyond me. It would've looked better, been easier to handle, and would've undoubtedly been cheaper to produce. At this scale, it's just too many layers, and it looks ridiculous.

Hand over the gorilla suit. It's gotta be more comfortable than this bullshit.

Heeeeeey ladies!

Let's get Bob out of that ill-fitting suit and into something a little more comfortable... like a whole new identity. Ladies and gentlemen, Don Carter!


First, the good: the outfit is pretty much dead on. Here's a shot from "Nick of Time" to demonstrate:

Nagging wife not included.

The not-so-good? The polo shirt is utterly destroyed by that horrendous collar. Seriously, what the hell happened here?


I think maybe the collar is supposed to lay down. Mine doesn't. A couple of tiny strips of Velcro would've REALLY come in handy here. But even then, the collar is still too damned big. A thinner material would've really worked well here (the shirt doesn't need to be as thick as a real polo shirt at this scale, guys).

Don Carter is obviously the less dynamic of the two Shatner characters here, but he does come with a killer accessory. That's right, it's a miniature Mystic Seer!


No, it doesn't dispense fortunes. And yes, the head is a bit ratty looking, but this thing is literally TWO INCHES TALL. The detail is pretty impressive, all things considered, and it's even got the bejeweled eye!

Don's final fortune read: "Ditch the bitch and take ME home."

PACKAGING


The front of the box is actually a flap, held shut by a tiny dab of Velcro. When opened, we are treated to shots from both episodes on the inside of the flap, and a window-box granting us a full-frontal view of Bob, flanked by his (and Don's) various accessories. Each character is depicted on opposite sides of the box:


The back of the box gives us a rather cute group shot of the whole Twilight Zone action figure family, including six figures that won't be released till next year:

This same picture adorns the card-backs of all the newer TZ figures. I especially appreciate the crashed spacecraft in the background, which looks like it came directly from season five's "Probe 7 - Over and Out."



I've gotta give Bif Bang Pow! props for the packaging. The figure and its assorted accessories are packed in a triple-layer plastic tray system, which makes it quite easy to put everything back into the box exactly as it came from the factory (the regular figures come on blister-packs, which are effectively destroyed upon opening). After my photo session with Bob/Don, I put him carefully back into his box, and you'd never know he'd been opened. Now THAT'S collector-friendly!



FINAL THOUGHTS

If you couldn't tell, I'm really torn on this item. There are a few things I love, a few things that I hate, and a lot of things that I'm relatively ambivalent about. If you're a TZ collector like me, you obviously have to own this (if you don't already). I do recommend it (if for no other reason than the awesome accessories it comes with), but with pretty heavy reservations. Think before you buy.

Cheer up. You're gonna outlive Nimoy no matter what.