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Category | Sci-Fi / Television | Theatrical Trailer(s) | No |
Rating | Other Trailer(s) | No | |
Year Released | 1959-1963 | Commentary Tracks | No |
Running Time | 100:01 minutes | Other Extras | Biography - Rod Serling
Production Notes |
RSDL/Flipper | No/No |
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Start Up | Menu | ||
Region | 2,4 | Directors | Don Wies
Buzz Kulik Robert Stevens Lamont Johnson |
Distributor |
Warner Vision |
Starring | Lee Marvin
Jack Klugman Jonathan Winters Gig Young Ernest Truex Russell Collins |
RPI | $34.95 | Music | Van Cleave
Bernard Herrmann |
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Pan & Scan/Full Frame | Full Frame | MPEG | None |
Widescreen Aspect Ratio | None | Dolby Digital | 1.0 |
16x9 Enhancement | No | Soundtrack Languages | English (Dolby Digital 1.0, 96Kb/s)
French (Dolby Digital 1.0, 96Kb/s) |
Theatrical Aspect Ratio | 1.33:1 |
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Macrovision | Yes | Smoking | Yes |
Subtitles | Dutch
Swedish Italian Spanish |
Annoying Product Placement | No |
Action In or After Credits | Yes |
Volume 3 has the following 4 episodes:
Steel (Oct 4 1963, 25:05 minutes) - Set in the far future of 1974, where human boxing has been outlawed and only humanoid robots are allowed to fight (gosh I love this series), "Steel" (Lee Marvin) is a boxer from the old school, and has an old worn out B2 series boxing machine. Pitted against the newer and far more capable B7 android in a match due very soon, his trusted B2 throws a spring, and Steel is left with no option but to don a face place and make like his robot if he is to get paid his $500 (big money). Actually, the robots look very good and quite convincing, and this is an amusing tale. Directed by Don Weis, and with music by Van Cleave.
A Game Of Pool (Oct 13 1961, 24:54 minutes) - Jack Klugman, who later starred as the scruffier one in the TV series "The Odd Couple", has dedicated his whole life to becoming the best pool player ever. Never quite good enough, he is given the chance to play a legend, the best of all time, and prove his worth. The problem is, being the best comes with responsibilities, as Jack finds out. Directed by Buzz Kulik, and with a brilliant performance by Jonathan Winters as the pool legend sent from above.
Walking Distance (Oct 30 1959, 25:10 minutes) - Gig Young is a man who is tired of the city corporate life - reports, meetings, deadlines, stress and so on. Breaking down at a garage just outside his hometown, he decides to walk the distance whilst his car is fixed and see how much his old stomping ground has changed. Well, being the Twilight Zone, nothing has changed, and he finds himself in the past, even meeting himself as a young boy. This one is not the most compelling story, but the message is to look forward and not behind. Look out for a small cameo by Ron Howard, one of the best filmmakers of all time, who is about five years old here. Directed by Robert Stevens, and with music by Bernard Herrmann.
Kick The Can (Feb 9 1962, 24:52 minutes) - Another episode which was redone for the 1983 film version of the Twilight Zone, this is the classic tale of old folk wanting to recapture their youth. It is interesting that the makers of this series were all quite young, being in their twenties and with Rod Serling only in his early thirties, and yet death, dying and general doom was a popular theme with them. Well, these elderly people get their wish, and find youth again after playing a game of "kick the can" outside their retirement village. Starring Ernest Truex and Russell Collins, and directed by Lamont Johnson.
The episodes in this volume, as with all volumes, are pulled from different seasons anywhere from 1959 to 1964, and the quality of each episode is variable. However, all are a pleasure to watch being well detailed and clear. There is minimal edge-enhancement, and little grain.
These episodes are the genuine black and white ones, and I wouldn't have them any other way. I just love the strange feeling this gives the stories, and they just wouldn't be the same or as effective in colour.
There were no MPEG artefacts in this volume. Film artefacts were quite regular, but given the age one can again forgive these as simply part and parcel of 40 year old film stock, and I am not about to complain.
The dialogue for all episodes was clear and easy to understand.
Limited by recording techniques of the day, this is not high fidelity audio, but rather it is functional and gets the job done.
Since this is Dolby Digital 1.0 mono, there is nothin' but the good old centre speaker for company here. Also left out is the subwoofer. Run this one through your television speaker if you want, it doesn't matter! I don't say that often, believe me!
The video is perfectly acceptable and as good as can be expected.
No complaints for the audio either.
There are enough extras to keep the wolves at bay, making this a nicely rounded disc.
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Audio | |
Extras | |
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Overall |
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DVD | Panasonic A360 (S-Video output) |
Display | Pioneer SD-T43W1 125cm Rear-Projection Widescreen (16x9) |
Audio Decoder | Panasonic A360 DVD Player internal decoders - DTS & Dolby Digital 5.1 |
Amplification | Sony STRDE-525 5x100 watts Dolby Pro-Logic / 5.1 Ready Receiver; 4 x Optimus 10-band Graphic EQ |
Speakers | Centre: Sony SS-CN35 100-watt, Main & Surrounds: Pioneer CS-R390-K 150-watt floorstanders, Subwoofer: Optimus 100-watt passive |