TZ Promo: "On Thursday We Leave for Home" (5/02/1963)

Season 4, Episode 16 (#118 overall)

Cayuga Production # 4868

Originally aired May 2, 1963

He’s their everything:  leader, doctor, counselor, moral compass, father figure, priest. For thirty years he’s presided over them like a watchful shepherd and, in that time, developed into a gentle dictator of sorts. His name is William Benteen and, fifty years ago tonight, his reign came to a fitful, heartbreaking end.

Rod Serling’s “On Thursday We Leave for Home” drops us on V-9 Gamma, a desolate, lifeless planet and invites us to observe a pitiable band of colonists who have been stranded there for three decades. It’s a cruel, ugly place, with two merciless suns that never set and horrific, deadly meteor storms that arise out of nowhere. The colonists’ morale is at an all-time low, as evidenced by the latest in a string of suicides.

“Captain” Benteen is apparently the only thing standing between civilization and total anarchy. Colonist Al demands his freedom at the girl’s funeral, but is placated (probably for the umpteenth time) by Benteen’s promise that a ship is most certainly coming to save them. The crowd chants “there’s a ship coming!” over and over in a desperate form of liturgy that’s both moving and a bit disturbing (the whole Jesus-is-coming-back-someday vibe is palpable).

The funeral is interrupted by a meteor storm (man, these people can’t catch a break), forcing them to take refuge in a large cave (their usual assembly place). As their wounds are tended to, Benteen regales them with a touching description of the earth he remembers, and again promises that help is indeed coming. Then, as if on cue… a ship arrives to take them home at last.

Sparks almost immediately start to fly between Benteen and Colonel Sloane, commander of the earth ship Galaxy VI. Sloane doesn't quite recognize or respect Benteen’s authority, which is apparently unofficial (the history of the colony is vague, and one can’t help but wonder how his absolute rule over the colonists evolved in the first place); Benteen, meanwhile, is very clearly threatened by Sloane’s actual authority.  It’s a bit of a power struggle, and Benteen becomes increasingly hostile and irrational as the ship’s departure date nears.  It becomes very evident that, as much as the colonists have needed and relied upon him, he’s needed his power over them even more (a very telling moment comes when he tells Sloane that the colonists are essentially children who will literally die without his leadership, even after they’re safely back on earth!).  As the colonists’ loyalty to him dissolves, Benteen’s grip on reality begins to dissolve as well.

The shots of the earth ship descending (and later ascending) are re-purposed from “Death Ship” and yes, it’s the beloved United Planets C-57D Space Cruiser from Forbidden Planet in its seventh and final Twilight Zone appearance, here called the Galaxy VI. We see LOTS of it here, as much of the action in the second and third acts takes place in and around the landed craft.  

But the Forbidden Planet connection doesn't end there:  the earth crew wears the same outfits, caps and all, as those worn in the 1956 film (we saw these uniforms, sans caps, in season three’s “The Little People” and the more recent “Death Ship”).  I suppose the case could be made that this episode takes place in the same universe as Forbidden Planet, and both ships are part of earth’s interstellar fleet (for that matter, “Death Ship” could be included here as well).  The barren, rocky V-9 Gamma scenery closely resembles the film’s Altair IV landscape (which was shot at MGM, where TZ was also shot, so they’re likely the same cycloramic backdrop; the same goes for season one’s “People Are Alike All Over”). Further, the Altair IV landscape may very well have inspired the more minimalist rock-studded background from TZ’s first season opening sequence.

Check out the gigantic cave set, in which the colony’s equivalents of town meetings take place. It looks familiar, but I can’t place where I might’ve seen it before. The colony’s communication tower, with its rotating telemetry dish, is impressive as well… anybody out there know where it came from?

This is Emmy-award winner James Whitmore’s only TZ role, but his work stands as one of the greatest performances in the entire series. As Benteen, Whitmore is a natural leader, alternately staid and gentle, then hard and authoritative as situations dictate. It’s apparent very early on that the colonists have survived as long as they have thanks solely to the strength of his will and determination that they do, in fact, survive. Unfortunately, he’s come to view himself as the colonists’ ultimate authority and savior (in other words, he’s bought into his own hype), which probably would've been fine had their remote bubble never been disturbed. It’s fascinating to watch the layers of delusion melt away as his hold on his people weakens, particularly in the devastating final scene. Whitmore is probably most recently remembered for his heartbreaking turn in 1994’s The Shawshank Redemption.

This is Tim O'Conner’s only TZ appearance (as Colonel Sloane), but he ventured into The Outer Limits twice (“Moonstone” and “Soldier”). He’s all business here, not quite able to grasp Benteen’s resistance to what amounts to the salvation of the colonists, and he serves as a great foil against Benteen’s increasingly-irrational machinations. Genre fans will fondly remember O’Conner as Dr. Huer on TV’s Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979-1980).

Lots of friendly and familiar TZ faces to see here. Colonist George is played by Paul Langton, who appeared in season one’s “Where Is Everybody?” while fellow colonist Julie is played by Jo Helton from season three’s “The Shelter.”  The child, Jo-Jo, is played by Daniel Kulik, last seen in season three’s “Cavender is Coming” (he probably got these gigs because his father was Buzz Kulik, who directed both that episode and this one).

Lew Gallo (Lt. Engle) completes a TZ trifecta, having previously appeared in season one’s “The Hitch-hiker” and season two’s “The Rip Van Winkle Caper.” Russ Bender (colonist Hank) also appeared in “The Hitch-hiker,” as well as season three’s “The Fugitive.”  And finally, Shirley O’Hara (hard to spot as an unnamed colonist; I had a helluva time spotting her) also showed up in “The Rip Van Winkle Caper” riding in that cool futuristic car (which, incidentally, was a Forbidden Planet prop!). O’Hara visited The Outer Limits twice (“The Human Factor” and “Expanding Human”).

This episode’s musical score is comprised mostly of stock cues by Bernard Herrmann and Fred Steiner; however, one particular cue by Nathan Van Cleave stands out: “Quiet Western Scene,” which is heard during Benteen’s reminisces about earth just before the rescue ship arrives, is one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever heard on the show. It’s never been released on any music format, but I’m happy to report it’s available in isolated form on both DVD releases (volume 38 and the Season Four Definitive Collection) as well as the more recent blu-ray release. Or… you can just listen to it right here:

“On Thursday We Leave For Home” is powerful and moving, and the tragedy that unfolds in its final scenes is frankly unforgettable. Like the best science fiction offerings on The Twilight Zone (and elsewhere), the episode uses a fantastic and alien setting to frame a very down-to-earth human tale. In a season in which Serling’s contributions were disappointingly inferior to those of his peers, he manages to deliver one of his best scripts of the entire series here. Very highly recommended.

As I scanned the episode to harvest screen captures, I made a connection that, oddly, had never occurred to me before.  In some ways (more thematic than actual) this episode ends where season one’s “The Lonely” begins. It led me to imagine a sequel in which Benteen leaves the empty colony site to explore different parts of the planet, and discovers the inert body of the robot Alicia. He sets about repairing her, succeeds, and they keep one another company for the rest of his days. Yes, I’m aware that “The Lonely” takes place on an asteroid and not a planet (not to mention several other fairly irreconcilable differences between the two stories), but isn't impossibility one of the cornerstones of The Twilight Zone?  I know, it’s a goofy idea… or is it…?

Seven days hence:

a bickering couple takes a cruise and has a terrible time.  I mean, it’s not Carnival levels of terrible, but still…

TZ Favorites: Further Mutations.

Top 20 Favorite Twilight Zone episodes (listed chronologically; writer's name in parentheses)

1.       The Lonely (Serling)

2.       Perchance to Dream (Beaumont, based on his story)

3.       And When the Sky Was Opened (Serling, based on Richard Matheson story)

4.       The Four of Us Are Dying (Serling, based on George Clayton Johnson story)

5.       Third from the Sun (Serling)

6.       The Hitch-hiker (Serling, based on Lucille Fletcher radio play)

7.       Mirror Image (Serling)

8.       Long Live Walter Jameson (Beaumont)

9.       A Passage for Trumpet (Serling)

10.   The After Hours (Serling)

11.   Eye of the Beholder (Serling)

12.   Shadow Play (Beaumont)

13.   The Obsolete Man (Serling)

14.   A Game of Pool (Johnson)

15.   It’s a Good Life (Serling, based on Jerome Bixby story)

16.   Death’s-Head Revisited (Serling)

17.   To Serve Man (Serling, based on Damon Knight story)

18.   The Midnight Sun (Serling)

19.   In His Image (Beaumont, based on his story)

20.   Death Ship (Matheson, based on his story)

It’s been almost two years since I last compiled a favorites list, so it’s probably time for a revision.  However, my ultimate results look pretty similar to the previous list, which tells me that, by and large, my favorites are more or less set in stone.  Note that a whopping HALF of the list is from the series’ first (and, by far, best) season.  Also note that all three of the four episodes starring the late, great Jack Klugman are here (curiously, “A Passage for Trumpet” is now present instead of “In Praise of Pip”; maybe I’ll feel differently when the latter turns 50 this fall; as it stands now, nothing from season 5 is here).

A great many of the episodes were written by Rod Serling (fourteen); however, five of them are adaptations of existing works.  Charles Beaumont comes in second with four.  Richard Matheson and George Clayton Johnson finish with one teleplay each.

Other changes: “Walking Distance” also dropped off, but that doesn’t mean I still don’t highly respect it (it’s probably in my top 30 or 40). New to the list is “The Four of Us Are Dying.”  Time will tell if it has the staying power of, say, “Perchance to Dream” or “The Hitch-hiker.”

I didn’t even bother trying to break out my top ten favorites this time… twenty was hard enough.  I’ve spent thirty years with these episodes so they’re kinda like family members in a sick, twisted way.  Nitpicking favorites is a bit torturous.

Will I do another revised list in two more years?  I’m inclined to think not, since the series’ five-year 50^th anniversary will be over before then (6/19 of next year, if you’re keeping track), and I probably won’t continue the blog much past that (I am still planning on revisiting much of season one, for reasons detailed here, once I’m done with season five).

TZ Promo: "The Incredible World of Horace Ford" (4/18/1963)

Season 4, Episode 15 (#117 overall)

Cayuga Production # 4854

Originally aired April 18, 1963

50 years ago tonight, yet another of The Twilight Zone’s nostalgic misfits found himself visiting his own idealized past.  No, it’s not last week’s episode all over again.

“The Incredible World of Horace Ford” (written by Reginald Rose, adapted from his own 1955 Studio One teleplay) finds the title character, an overgrown man-child, designing toys for a living and aching for his treasured childhood on Randolph Street (is this the same Randolph Street from “A Game of Pool”?) as he nears his 38th birthday.  He takes an evening stroll down to the old neighborhood and marvels at how little has changed.  

A gang of kids runs by, one of whom bumps into him and knocks his pocket watch out of his hands. The boy smiles at him before running off, and Horace recognizes him as Hermy Brandt, a kid he knew as a youth, impossibly still a child. Horace, understandably freaked out, gets the hell out of there.  Later that night, Horace’s wife answers the doorbell: it’s Hermy, who hands her the pocket watch and smiles, “He dropped this.”

It’s a pretty obvious hook to get him to return to Randolph Street… which he does.  He won’t like what he finds, though, as time has a tough lesson to teach him.

It’s impossible to watch “The Incredible World of Horace Ford” without drawing parallels to season one’s “Walking Distance” (and other similar nostalgia-driven time travel stories throughout the series’ run).  It’s fairly successful on its own, but the been-there-done-that vibe is palpable.  In all fairness, Rose’s original version was written before Serling's 1959 teleplay, which makes one wonder if Serling remembered the live broadcast and, um, subconsciously borrowed from it.  However, one could draw a parallel between Rose’s original 1955 teleplay and Ray Bradbury’s 1953 short story “The Playground,” in which a man is beaten to a pulp by a mob of children (oops, spoiler alert!), and wonder if Rose did some, um, borrowing of his own.

Hey kids!  If you've ever had difficulty making paper airplanes (like yours truly), we’re given a very useful step-by-step close up of Horace doing just that at the end of the prologue.

And I’m not sure it’s an actual Forbidden Planet connection, but Horace’s robot toy design looks, at least from the waist down, an awful lot like Robby the Robot.

Is it just me, or does there seem to be a little something-something going on between Horace's wife Laura and Leonard, his coworker at the toy company?  Watch as he stares intently at her with the burning gaze of unrequited passion, and gasp in shock as he basically paws the hell out of her, never mind that her husband is in the next office over.

Down with O.P.P.? Yeah, you know me.

Pat Hingle is pretty effective here as Horace, swinging wildly from wide-eyed glee to sullen brooding, oftentimes in a matter of seconds (you know, like a little kid).  It’s impossible not to get caught up in his excitement as he giddily relives his childhood to whoever happens to be in the same room, and it’s easy to forgive his childish behavior once we've witnessed his living situation (he shares a home with his wife AND mother!). Hingle is probably best remembered by modern audiences as Commissioner Gordon in the Tim Burton (and later Joel Schumacher) Batman films (1999-2007).

Nan Martin is fine as Laura in her only classic TZ appearance (I’m undecided if she qualifies as a TZ babe; she’s not bad looking, though….). She’d return to The Twilight Zone for two appearances (“If She Dies” and “A Saucer of Loneliness”) in the 1985-1987 revival series on CBS.

We last saw Phillip Pine (Leonard) playing Virgil Sterig, one of Arch Hammer’s alternate faces, in season one’s “The Four of Us Are Dying.”  He also plays a pivotal role in the “Hundred Days of the Dragon” episode of The Outer Limits as Vice President Ted Pearson.

Mr. Judson, Horace’s boss, is played by Vaughn Taylor in his fourth (out of a total five) TZ appearance.  We previously saw him in season one (“Time Enough at Last”), twice in season three (“Still Valley” and “I Sing the Body Electric”), and we’ll see him again in season five (“The Self-Improvement of Salvadore Ross”).  He also showed up twice on The Outer Limits (“The Guests” and “Expanding Human”).

“The Incredible World of Horace Ford” is yet another stock-scored episode with disparate cues by multiple composers, including Rene Garriguenc, Lyn Murray, Fred Steiner, Nathan Van Cleave and, most significantly, Bernard Herrmann.  Herrmann’s “Walking Distance” evokes the sweet ache of nostalgia, so it fits in quite well here (as it did in season three’s “Kick the Can”).

"The Incredible World of Horace Ford” is decent, but it would undoubtedly be more effective as a half-hour episode. Horace goes back to the same moment in time on Randolph Street three different times, stretching the proceedings out into three stages instead of one.  Martin Sloan, meanwhile, learned his lesson in a single trip and that, ladies and gentlemen, is the power of the half-hour format.

Ha! Suck it, Horace!

Two weeks from tonight:

A bunch more Forbidden Planet eye candy but, more importantly, a great episode.

The 16mm... Shrine?

On March 11 of this year, Portland’s historic Hollywood Theatre hosted a rather unique program. Local film archivist Dennis Nyback presented three classic Twilight Zone episodes on 16mm film, from his private collection, called (appropriately enough) Twilight Zone! Twilight Zone! Twilight Zone!, complete with vintage commercials. The episodes shown were “A Penny for Your Thoughts,” “The Fugitive,” and “The Eye of the Beholder.” I found out about it… well, a day or two after that date. D’oh!

However, on April 8 (last Monday), Nyback presented another three episodes (“The Trade-Ins,” “The Prime Mover,” and “Five Characters in Search of an Exit”). This time I knew about it in advance, and this time I made damned sure I was there.

The first thing I noticed when I entered the Hollywood’s lobby was the selection of beers available. TZ and beer? Was this heaven? As I made my way into the actual theater, I was surprised to see Nyback himself setting up his 16mm projector in the back of the theater, out in front of the projection booth.Maybe somebody can chime in and educate me, but can’t 35mm projectors run 16mm film?

Note the projector shadow on the screen.

I was one of the first people to arrive. I sat in the fourth row. As he was setting up a large speaker at the front of the theater, Nyback smiled and thanked me for “coming to his show.” I told him that I missed the first one, but I wasn’t about to miss this one. I then asked him if any more of these events were planned, and was delighted to hear that there’d be one each month for the next six months. I was almost giddy at the prospect.

The place got pretty full as the magic hour (7:30 pm) approached. As a hardcore TZ fan who frequently feels a bit isolated within this particular passion, it was heartwarming to see so many people turn up. At 7:30, Nyback addressed the crowd, the lights dimmed, and the projector came to life.  I must’ve been grinning like a kid on Christmas as the 3-2-1 countdown appeared.

Unfortunately, the presentation left a great deal to be desired.  Either Nyback’s prints are in rough shape, or his projector is way past its prime.  I’m inclined to suspect the latter for several reasons: first, there was a pretty constant jitter throughout the entire program (particularly during “The Trade-Ins”). After a technical problem delayed the start of “Five Characters in Search of an Exit” by about ten minutes, much of the episode was distractingly blurry around the edges (I have no idea what would cause that). And finally, the audio was horrendous throughout all three episodes.  I mean really horrendous.  I feel sorry for anyone in that audience who wasn’t already familiar with these episodes, as much of the dialogue was unintelligible.

So what was good? “The Prime Mover” looked pretty decent by comparison, and the sight of the prologue’s shocking car accident up on the big screen was certainly impactful.  Happily, all three episodes were complete and uncut (so these weren't syndication prints). The single best thing about the evening, however, was the vintage commercials:  Crisco, Gleem toothpaste, Folgers, 9-Lives cat food and many, many others. It appears that Nyback spliced the vintage commercials in, so it’s highly doubtful that they were the actual commercials that originally aired with the episodes, which wouldn't be a problem except that, at one point, the ABC logo popped up (!).

Nyback’s next installment screens on May 20 (the episodes haven’t been announced yet), and I've gotta say, I’m seriously torn here. I want to support anything that draws attention to The Twilight Zone, and I really believe that the concept is sound (showing episodes on the big screen). But I can’t deny that the presentation left me pretty cold, especially since I can screen my blu-rays on my 60” plasma set at home and they look (and sound) stunning. And I can probably find an endless supply of vintage TV commercials on YouTube, so there’s really no reason for me to go back.

But... I still might, though.