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Christian Nyby (The Thing) directed this thoughtful, eloquent, and superbly acted Rawhide episode. Michael Ansara guest stars as Joseph, a Comanche who a short-handed Rowdy Yates (Clint Eastwood) hires for the cattle drive. Racial tensions within the camp ("Once a Comanche, always a Comanche") are heightened with the arrival of Colonel Macklin (James Whitmore), who led a massacre of the Comanche and is in defiance of a recently signed treaty. The paranoid and increasingly unstable Macklin is gunning for Chief Iron Bull, who he has never seen but is convinced that he "is out to get me." Trail boss Gil Favor (Eric Fleming) warns Macklin that "our business is driving cattle, not fighting Indians." But Macklin's taunts("Maybe Chief Iron Bull is hiding with the women," he challenges tribal elders) and the tragic shooting of an Indian boy sets the stage for a showdown, unless Gil turns over to the Comanche "a gift": Macklin. Whitmore gives an Emmy-worthy performance. His climactic recounting of the massacre he led is chilling. Another standout is veteran character Richard X. Slattery as the camp's most venal racist. --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (2)

DVD please! All the Rawhide episodes deserve to be on DVD!
Not putting Rawhide on DVD is such a loss of great entertainment. Rawhide was one of the longest runnnig and loved western series ever made! When Rawhide was originally shown on Friday nights in the 50s and the 60s it had a good number of devoted fans. (It even made it into the top ten list of most popular television shows). Abroad, however it enjoyed a fanatical level of viewership, especially in Japan! Now why don't they put this on DVD! DVD please!
Ok, as for this episode, Iron Bull, it's a good episode. The 'Iron Bull' in the title refers to the legend of an Indian named 'Iron Bull'.In this episode a military man of the time has it out for 'Iron Bull', and Iron Bull's warriors have it out for the miliatary man, with Mr. Favor in the middle! It's hard to say too much about the episode because it's better to watch the episode and let it unfold itself.

Pretty Cool
I think these people how made the movie were kinda good I really enjoyed this movie! :) :) ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The best "Twilight Zone" love story (and another one)
Both of these episodes of "The Twilight Zone" reflect one of Rod Serling's favorite themes, which is people being given a second chance. "The Trade-Ins" (April 20, 1962) features veteran actors Joseph Schildkraut and Alma Platt as John and Marie Holt, who visit the New Life Corporation hoping to translate their personalities into beautiful young, artificial bodies. However, they only have enough money for ONE operation. This episode is my favorite "Twilight Zone" love story, made all the more effective by the performances of Schildkraut and Platt. You would have thought that with all those other episodes to choose from they could have come up with a better second episode to pair with it on this videotape.

"Third from the Sun" (January 8, 1960) is about the end of the world (almost). Adapted by Serling from Richard Matheson's short story, the episode tells of scientist William Sturka (Fritz Weaver), who is convinced the world is about to end in a nuclear war. Along with test pilot Jerry Riden (Joe Maross), they escape with their families to a new planet. This is one of those episodes that is going to be more effective for those who were not weaned on "The Twilight Zone," because most of us can see the twist coming at the end of this one. Yes, the spaceship used in this episode is the one from the classic 1956 film "Forbidden Planet."

Stories about new chances
It could be said that the episodes on this compilation share a common theme of getting a chance to start again. They are, however very different. While i found The Trade-Ins a pleasant, if unspectacular watch, Third From The Sun blew my top.
In a strong contrast to the Trade-Ins, an emotional episode, Third From The Sun is a nervous, tight piece of doomsday fear. I must say, the USA of late 50's let some VERY thinly disguised political criticism be broadcast..The strong visual style and the pacifist theme of the story remind me very much of the Outer Limits.
Third From The Sun is one of those very few TZ episodes that might have worked even at 45 minute length. The tension starts in the first scene and keeps up until the end...and what an end!
I strongly recommend this episode to anyone comparing TZ and Outer Limits unfavorably. The two series had a LOT in common, Twilight Zone is just a lot more varied. And oh yes, The Trade-Ins isn't a waste of time either :-)

Excellent Tape....period.
I am a huge fan of the Twilight Zone. "The Trade Ins" is a mildly disturbing tale, yet good. But "Third from the Sun is one of the series's best. Good overall episodes. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The Children: We Are Here For the Same Reason You Are
There is the unfortunate but understandable tendency to judge the merits of THE CHILDREN OF THE DAMNED against its highly successful predecessor, VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED. In the latter, director Wolf Rilla created crackling suspense with the birth of a brood of telepathic blond children who are clearly the result of extraterrestrial intervention. Their mission was to create more of their own kind; hence the mutually antagonistic Darwinian confrontation between them and humanity. With the former, however, director Anton Leader shifts the focus from the why of the children to the how. Several times, a human scientist asks the children, "Why are you here?" Each time, the reply is noncommital. For the most part the children are eeriely silent, and it is only toward the end that they can verbalize, however imperfectly, their mission. Just before the inevitable bloodbath, the children's spokesboy Paul notes: "We are here for the same reason you are." This reply raises more questions than it answers since humanity is here only because as a species human beings have run roughshod over all competitors.

This film is not meant to be a sequel to the earlier VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED, despite the similar titles and storyline. CHILDREN OF THE DAMNED is a stand alone film that is typical of the British thrillers of the mid 1960's. The production is starkly filmed in harsh shades of black and white with an earnest cast that delivers considerable suspense, even if none of the actors is known to American viewers. Both films suggest that humanity is quite willing to meet all threats to its safety with a singlemindedess of purpose that is at least as fixed as any the children could produce.

Not as good as Village of the Damned.
I like both versions of Village of the Damned. The children are eerie and a little scary, so cold-blooded and cruel. The children in this movie, six children from different countries staying in an abandoned church in London, don't look as eerie and seem to be confused rather than evil. The small town in the first movie is also a more interesting environment than the big city in this sequel.

The acting is quite fair but the screenplay is far from as good as the one of the first movie. The cinematography is quite good, but this sequel should have been better, but it's not a bad movie, watch this if it is on TV but don't pay too much to see it. If you have seen neither of them, watch Village of the Damned, it's quite much better. I give this movie 6 points of 10. I wouldn't buy this movie.

a decent movie in it's own right, but not really a sequel
While many people seem to think this movie is a sequel to Village of the Damned, it really isn't. This fact should be clear to anyone who has seen both films. Children of the Damned is actually a completely different take on the same basic theme presented in Village of the Damned (kids with super brains and psychic powers wreaking havoc). There is no continuity between the two films. In Village of the Damned, women have alien children artificially implanted into their wombs. Children of the Damned creates the same problem by having children mysteriously born with a mutation that causes them to be a million years ahead of ordinary humans in the process of evolution. One should also notice that all the children in Village of the Damned were blond. This is not the case with Children of the Damned. This movie is well acted and suspenseful. It is a solid piece of early 60's black and white horror. In my opinion, it is not quite as good as Village of the Damned for two reasons, the first one being that the story is very vague about the cause of the children's existence and what is motivating them to terrorize people. The second reason is that this movie is simply not as creepy as Village of the Damned. All that having been said, It's still a great movie if you like old sci-fi and horror flicks, so definitely see it!

Another uneven sequel to a classic. . .
Perhaps Children of the Damned would have been a lot more effective had it not been for the heightened expectations created by the original Village of the Damned. By itself, it's not a bad little chiller, combining strong elements of suspense, horror, some unintentional humor, and adequate special effects. The plot is a bit too predictable and the action too slow in developing. The action/horror sequences lack the surprise and unpredictability of the earlier film, but are decent in their own right. This is a perfect three-star effort, not too good, not too bad. If you really like modern variations of gothic horror, you'll enjoy Children of the Damned. If you only like truly good horror films, or your tastes lean markedly in another direction, this one probably isn't worth the effort.

A thriller of not knowing what's going to happen next
This movie was great and very suspense! I think it took imagination and a lot of thinking! You never knew what was going to happen and I had to take breaks just to calm myself down! I would recomend this to a lot of people! 12 and older is just the age you have to be! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A Passage from Death to Life
In all, Jack Klugman starred in four episodes of The Twilight Zone. These include the deeply moving "In Praise of Pip" (made in 1963) and this excellent 1960 episode, "A Passage for Trumpet." With his "odd, intense face" (Rod Serling's description of the character Klugman plays) and his "everyman" persona, Klugman is ideal in the role of Joey Crown, a disillusioned jazz musician who commits suicide after selling his beloved trumpet. Joey then undergoes an IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE-like progression from despair to gratitude for the joy his talent can give. He learns to appreciate the beauty in life, and in a touching conclusion the sound of his trumpet attracts the attention of a nice young woman. Klugman's performance, the fine supporting cast, the evocative musical score, the marvelous camera work, and - of course - writer Serling's combination of darkness and sentiment make "A Passage for Trumpet" well worth seeing.

A couple of guys get second chances in the Twilight Zone
There is clearly a common thread to the two episodes on this Twilight Zone collection as two men are offered second chances, with decidedly different results. Jack Klugman makes his return appearance to the Zone in "A Passage for Trumpet." In this Rod Serling script, Klugman plays the despairing Joey Crown, who tries to commit suicide by throwing himself in front of a truck. Apparently a ghost, Joey returns to his old haunts and discovers his life but not have been wonderful, but it was pretty good. A man with a trumpet offers Joey a second chance. John Anderson as "Gabriel" lends a nice touch to this episode, directed by Don Meddord. "The Four of Us are Dying" tells the story of Arch Hammer, who is played by Harry Townes, Ross Martin, Phillip Pine and Don Gordon, because he has the ability to change his face. Trying to improve his lot in life, Townes finds he keeps picking the wrong person to impersonate. Written by Rod Serling from an unpublished story by George Clayton Johnson, this episode was directed by John Brahm. The first episode, with the nice performance by Klugman, is the better Zone of the two.

Great show starring Jack Klugman
Although best known for playing Oscar on the Odd Couple, Jack is also a good serious dramatic actor too, and this tape shows a Twilight Zone episode where he plays a trumpet player who wants to end his life, but a guardian angel (John Anderson) shows him that music and life are inner-connected and that he should try to apply the magic in music to his life. Another Twilight Zone classic from Rod Serling.

Great second episode too!
In the second episode on this video, "The Four Of Us Are Dying", Ross Martin of the original Wild Wild West television series guest stars as a man with the ability to change himself so that he appears like anyone else he chooses.

Superb science fantasy with a touch of the godly....
Absolutely smashing performancy by "early" Jack Klugman. Clear delineation of character marked by a taut script, clean direction and the usual "Twilight Zone" mastery of the camera and lighting. All designed to create one of the best of the best of Mr. Serling's hallmark series! ... Read more

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A pair of sub-par "TZ" episodes by Montgomery Pittman
This particular volume in "The Twilight Zone" videotape series has a pair of episodes written and directed by Montgomery Pittman, which might explain why they are a couple of subpar efforts overall. "The Grave" (October 27, 1961) starts with Pinto Sykes (Richard Geary) being gunned down by the folks in a western town. They had hired Conny Miller (Lee Marvin, in his first "TZ" appearance) to do the job, but he never caught up with Sykes and we have doubts about his courage. Now Miller hears that before he died Sykes vowed to grab Miller if he ever came near his grave. The mood is rather spooky, but why a killer would want to get the coward who never even tried to kill him is a rather big hole that keeps this one from really working. Look for familiar faces Strother Martin as Mothershed and Lee Van Cleef as Steinhart in this one.

"The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank" (February 23, 1962) finds the title character (James Best, who had the bit of Johnny Rob in "The Grave") suddenly sitting up in his coffin at his funeral. However Jeff does not seem exactly normal; in fact, he seems better. Now he likes to work hard and can win fistfights, all of which has the local folk and his fiancee Comfort Gatewood (Sherry Jackson) a might spooked. There is certainly a rustic charm to this episode, which is the second best one on the disc. I would have sworn it was an Earl Hammer, Jr. episode, but I was certainly wrong on that score (if Hammer had written it, "The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank" would have been a lot better).

So-so
I have to agree with the previous reviewer; "The Grave" had a promising premise, but was undermined by a weak ending; however, it is worth watching the typically strong performance by the great Lee Marvin. Unfortunately, however, this episode is paired with "The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank", a silly episode with James Best delivering a typically overwrought portrayal of his usual annoying cornpone clown, the sort of half-witted hayseed character which has long been his trademark. So, for optimum viewing pleasure, enjoy Lee Marvin, and fast-forward through James ("aw, shucks") Best.

Lee Marvin's first role in the Zone...yipee.
The brilliance of writer-director Montgomery Pittman enhances the first episode, which could've really soared if it hadn't bogged down in a weak finale. A twist it is but a shock it is not. "The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank" is a joke for the Zone, a poorly plotted and only intermittenly successful twist on funerals. If you enjoy Lee Marvin, by all means buy it. But if you don't, don't say I didn't warn you! Collectors will be the only ones interested. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Wanting To Love and Be Loved
I SING THE BODY ELECTRIC was Ray Bradbury's sole contribution to the "Twilight Zone." One of the more subtle episodes, this story is strong on characterization and reaches out on an emotional level rather than to any notion of scientific curiosity of the introduction of a robot grandmother, beautifully played by Josephine Hutchinson, into a family (including Veronica Cartwright). This is a very good episode and is one of my favorites. LONG DISTANCE CALL written by Charles Beaumont and William Idelson is one of the six episodes recorded directly to videotape instead of being photographed on film. The story concerns a little boy played by Billy Mumy who communicates with his dead grandmother over his toy phone. It examines our attachment to those we love and what emotional price we sometimes must pay for that love.

A pair of Grandmothers from the Twilight Zone
The two "Twilight Zone" episodes offered up on this tape certainly have something in common, namely a pair of quite unusual grandmothers. Billy Mumy makes his first appearance on the Zone in "Long Distance Call," written by William Idelson and Charles Beaumont. Billy gets a toy telephone for his birthday from Grandma Bayles (Lili Darvas), who promptly gets ill and dies. Sad for a while, Billy suddenly spends all his time on the toy telephone, claiming Grandma is on the other end. When Billy tries to kill himself because the voice on the phone told him to, his father (Philip Abbott) grabs the phone and begs his dead mother to let Billy stay in the land of the living. Josephine Hutchinson plays a kinder, gentler but android Grandmother in "I Sing the Body Electric," written by Ray Bradbury from his short story. David White plays a widower who buys Grandma to take care of his three children and the focus of the story is on Anne (Veronica Cartwright), who refuses to accept the substitute for her dead mother. Hutchinson's performance is on target from start to finish. I think these are both above average Zone episodes, especially the first one, which I consider one of the most chilling episodes. So you are certainly getting diverse opinions offered up on this one!

Not the best collection
Don't get me wrong, the Twilight Zone is fantastic, but the episodes contained on this particular volume are hard to enjoy for some people. The first episode, "Long Distance Call", stars little Billy Mumy as a young boy (appropriately named "Billy") who finds a way to communicate with his dead grandmother on a toy telephone. At first, it sounds like he's just pretending, but when Billy tries to commit suicide, it seems this may be for real, and maybe his grandma is trying to take Billy away to the great beyond. This episode is powerful, but drips in sentimentality (not something I enjoy in a TZ episode) About average; may satisfy some. But the second episode, "I Sing the Body Electric" is TERRIBLE. It's about a family who orders a mechanical "Grandmother" to their specifications, but one girl named Anne (played by Veronica Cartwright) rejects her. This episode is not worth seeing. The story is lousy, The episode is too sentimental, and the acting is poor. All in all, this volume of the Twilght Zone Collection is not as good as others, so buyer, beware. ... Read more

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Buster Keaton is okay but J. Pat O'Malley shines in the Zone
Comedy rather than terror is the rule in this pair of episodes from "The Twilight Zone," neither of which was written by series creator Rod Serling. To my surprise "Once Upon a Time" (December 15, 1961) was written by Richard Matheson and provides a rare opportunity for outright slapstick in the Zone. The episode features the great silent comedian Buster Keaton as janitor Woodrow Mulligan. Disgusted with the fast paced and high priced society of 1890, Woodrow steals a "time helmet" from the inventor who employs him, and travels to 1962. Of course, he is in for quite a bit of future shock. The 1890 sequences are down in silent fashion, with cards instead of dialogue, but the humor is trite rather than funny. Keaton is fine, but the gags are second-rate at best, which is really a surprise since the episode was directed by Norman Z. McLeod, who directed the Marx Brothers films "Horse Feathers" and "Monkey Business." This is just one of those cases were major talents come together and produce a small pop instead of a big bang. Notice that Jesse White plays the repair man, in a bit of prescient casting.

"The Fugitive" (March 9, 1962) stars J. Pat O'Malley as Old Ben who impresses the kids in the neighborhood when they play Martian by turning himself into a horrible looking alien. Old Ben has a special fondness for Jenny (Susan Gordon), who lives in the same apartment building with the sour Mrs. Gann (Nancy Kulp). Meanwhile a couple of strangers are asking questions about Old Ben. It looks like Ben will have have to leave, but not before he does something for his young friend. This is clearly the better episode of the pair on this videotape and one of the few "Twilight Zone" episodes that would qualify as a modern fairy tale. O'Malley has fun as one of the friendlier aliens we ever encounter in the Zone.

The 5th Dimension goes Loopy!
This volume includes my favorite episode, "Once Upon A Time", A crazy episode that takes place in the year 1890, in a little town of Harmony, NY. Silent Film star Buster Keaton stars as a Woodrow Mulligan, a disgruntled janitor of a scientist who invents a time helmet that accidentally transports Mulligan into the year 1962. The craziest thing about this episode is that in the scenes of Harmony in 1890, you see the episode in silent film formant with piano music, captions, and sped up filming. Then in the scenes of Harmony in 1962, the episode goes to origonal TZ format with dialogue and sound. Anyway, the episode is hilarious. A must-see for TZ viewers, and just about everyone else. ... Read more

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Military airplanes and time travel in the Twilight Zone
The obvious common denominator in these two episodes of "The Twilight Zone" are military aircraft, but we also have time travel elements with both stories. "The Last Flight" (February 5, 1960), written by Richard Matheson, was sold to "The Twilight Zone" on the strength of a simple idea: a World War I pilot lands at a modern airbase. The pilot is Flight Lt. Decker (Kenneth Haigh), who fled during a dogfight, leaving his best friend surrounded by enemy fighters, doomed to die. After flying through a strange white cloud, similar to the Matheson employed in "The Incredible Shrinking Man" one would assume, Decker lands at a modern day American air field in France (you have to pretend we had them). There Decker learns that he might have a chance at redemption, and more importantly, a reason to do so.

In Rod Serling's "King Nine Will Not Return" (September 20, 1960), Captain James Embry (Bob Cummings) wakes up besides the wreckage of his B-25 bomber, "King Nine," and frantically searches for his crew. The bomber had tanken off from Tunisia to bomb the southern tip of Italy but was hit by flak and landed in the desert. Now Embry cannot find his crew and there are strange jet planes flying overhead. After Matheson's first-rate script this one is a let down because the answer is rather obvious, especially if you have seen enough "Twilight Zone" episodes to recognize that Serling has done this type of story before. ... Read more

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Mainly on the Plains is tops
The episode "Mainly on the Plains" is one of the best in the series and most literate. Boris Karloff steals the show by playing a made scientist who while traveling with our intrepid heroes from Seville to Madrid, plays out episodes from Don Quixote. There are some East German bad guys, but who cares. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great Double Episode!! The Cool Spies Rule!!
In the First Episode-Bet Me A Dollar-Alexander Scott(Bill Cosby)races against the clock to find Alexander Scott(Robert Culp) within 24 hours to give him an antidote from anthrax poisoning caused by a knife fight that could prove fatal.In the 2nd episode-Happy Birthday Everyone-Gene Hackman guest stars as Frank Hunter(an insane explosives expert)seeking revenge after escaping from a mental institution to stalk down Tom Matthews(Jim Backus)a retired State Department Agent who turned him in.It's up to Secret Agents Alexander Scott and Kelly Robinson to save Matthews as they try to diffuse Hunter's ingenious scheme of revenge.These are superb classic 1968 episodes filmed on location in Mexico.The Cool Spies Rule!!

I Spy/Robert Culp
Robert Culp & Bill Cosby took the world by storm with their wry humour and impulsive reactions that came across so chemically balanced on screen. In my book, Robert Culp is a very much under-rated actor whose abilities exploded with his acting, writing and directing capabilites in the emmy winning I Spy series. I'd love to meet the man face to face just to express my appreciation for his remarkable talents. Hats off to a great acting team of Culp&Cosby... ... Read more

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More fun filled wacky happenings on "Gilligan's Island"
This videotape serves up another pair of episodes from the first season of "Gilligan's Island" (1964-1965), although unlike most of the other volumes in this series they are not consecutive episodes. First up in Episode #3 "Voodoo Something to Me" it seems various items are mysteriously vanishing from the camp. The Skipper (Alan Hale, Jr.) quickly becomes convinced it is because of evil spirits. What it really turns out to be is a chimpanzee. While the Castaways are searching for the real culprit, Gilligan (Bob Denver) falls into a mud hole and while he is washing his clothes the chimp steals them and puts them on. Of course, the Skipper finds out that his little buddy has been changed into an ape by the voodoo curse and is rather upset. This would have been a good episode to pair up with "Waiting for Watubi," but none of these tapes are thematically oriented.

Then in Episode #9 "The Big Gold Strike" Gilligan discovers a gold mine on the island and is set to work night and day mining the gold by Mr. Howell (Jim Backus). Meanwhile, the life raft from the "Minnow" has washed ashore providing the Castaways with an opportunity to try and reach another island. But "Gilligan's Island" is a classic American "idiot" sitcom and that means that the two plotlines of this particular episode are going to collide and insure that the situation is preserved for the next week's fun. Neither offering qualifies as a classic episode of the series, but these are certainly representative of what the show was like during that first season. ... Read more

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Worth the price of purchase alone is guest star Frankie Avalon, as "punk kid" Billy Farragut, taking on series costar Clint Eastwood as Rowdy Yates. "Come on, big boy," Billy challenges. "Let's see what you can do. You're like a bug hunk of wood that needs chopping." Billy's grandmother, Elizabeth Farragut, holds court in Farragut City at the Farragut Motel, just down the street from Farragut Food and Grain ("Kinda tiresome, sheriff?" Rowdy asks, "Never sayin' anything but Farragut?"). She compels trail boss Gil Favor (Eric Fleming) to hire her "wild, selfish, irresponsible" grandson to instill in him some discipline. Billy does not ingratiate himself with the crew ("I don't shake hands with a stinking drover, now or anytime"). He does form an unexpected friendship with the simple-hearted Mushie, but don't go thinking this is going to be like that Andy Griffith episode in which bratty Bill Bixby renounces his spoiled ways. The frontier ain't Mayberry. If you purposely start a cattle stampede, you're going to get what you deserve.Outside of some priceless double takes and whooping Frankie, Eastwood doesn't have much to do in this episode, but Rawhide collectors will still want to add this vintage episode to the herd. --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Rawhide Rocks!
Another good episode. This episode is mostly about this young punk. The young punk kid unfairly roughs up Rowdy in a bar with two other punks, and after you see that you can't wait for Rowdy to settle the score. Everyone is great as usual. The trailboss has to go into town, and it's great to see how he reluctantly does this because he's not used to or into paperwork. There is some tension in this episode as the boy pushes his luck by antagonizing the crew.
There were 217 (one report is over 250) episodes of Rawhide! They should all be available, if not on DVD, then at least on VHS. Rawhide is first class all the way.
As another reviewer stated 'Not from a pc era ... proof of the golden days of the western and Clint Eastwood' ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A searing indictment of anti-intellectualism run amuck
The episode "The Obsolete Man" is a philosophy lecture in video form, as T-Z episodes always tended to be. The problem is that if you inject some lesson into entertainment, a lot of people aren't going to entirely get the point. To this day, the consensus on this episode is mostly that it's Cold War-era "boogeyman" propaganda about totalitarian societies--its resemblance to certain scenes in the screen version of Orwell's "1984" tends to create the misapprehension that it's an offshoot. But what librarian Wordsworth has been busted for is that he deals in a banned item--books. Burgess Meredith as Wordsworth has always had a talent for playing bookish types and Fritz Weaver is almost typecast as the tyrant he faces. It's a standard cliche that totalitarian regimes don't like people to read the wrong things because it might lead to disloyalty. Nazi Germany burned books because of that very rationale. More recently, the Religious Right did the same during the 1980s here in America. In the case of both symbolic acts, there was a loud and avid audience for any such event. Nobody likes people who read too much--at least nobody that matters. Is the term "bookworm" an accolade? Hell no. "Excessive reading" is one of the classic symptoms of the nerd--he can't relate to real people because he's always reading. It's always assumed that when a kid wears coke-bottle glasses, too much reading is why. When I was a kid, if my dad had been required to pay a fine to me every time he spoke the phrase "with his nose in a goddam book", he might not have gone broke--but I would have gotten a bigger allowance from him than I actually did get on a weekly basis. When a neighboring county ran into a budget deficit this year, library services were among the first cutbacks. I guess the lesson I see in this episode is that books might indeed be considered as a "toxic substance" by totalitarian societies, but the grassroots bias against too much reading because it isn't "cool" is a problem in and of itself. A lot of people don't like reading because it bores them, but when people impose that preference on others, you don't have to live in a Fourth or Fifth Reich for something to be wrong with that picture.

Rod Serling's Classic Zone episode about the Holocaust
Burgess Meredith returns to the Zone as Romney Wordsworth, another book loving man, in "The Obsolete Man." Although this story does not have to do with World War II, it does feature a Nazi-like futuristic regime where books have been banned. The Chancellor (Fritz Weaver) judges Wordsworth to be "obsolete" and sentences him to be executed in a manner of his own choosing. The better episode here is "Death's Head Revisited," written by Rod Serling and very effectively directed by Don Medford. Oscar Beregi plays "Mr. Schmidt," who visits the ruins of Dachau because during the war he was Captain Gunther Lutze of the S.S. However, his happy reminiscences are disturbed by the "caretaker" Becker, played with quiet effectiveness by Joseph Schildkraut, who is really the ghost of one of Lutze's victims--and he is not alone. Years before "Holocaust" or "Schindler's List," Serling's "Deaths-Head Revisited" stood as a reminder we should not forget. Of all of Serling's "preachy" episodes, this is far and away the best of the lot. This is an absolutely classic television episode.

Very current even today
The Obsolete Man stand up with the best of Sterling's work on the Twilight zone. Just Look at all the jails being built and the people they put in them and you may begain to realize how current this one twilight zone show is. Goverments still decides who's obsolete. Not to be missed!

Serling isn't a writer, he's a prophet.
Two masterful episodes, both originated by Serling. In "Death's Head Revisited," a Nazi gets a dose of his own medicine. In "The Obsolete Man," Burgess Meredith gives a riveting performance as a librarian in the desolate future where books have been banned. It has everything: a moral, suspense, wit, and irony. A must. ... Read more

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When you hear the whip crack, you know you can settle down for some real cowboy fun. The Premiere Episode of Rawhide features a youthful Clint Eastwood as Rowdy Yates, a hand on the cattle drives run by trail boss Gil Favor and his crew of drovers. "Incident of the Tumbleweed Wagon" presents a classic story of miscarried justice and high tension as a load of prisoners wound their captors in an escape attempt, and make trouble for Favor and Yates as our heroes try to herd the criminals to justice--with a band of bad-guy rescuers on their trail. Including a range of characters and interactions that we don't see on television any more, the story unfolds, and we see most get what they deserve. Eastwood's star appeal is obvious even at this young age; it's clear from the beginning that he's destined for greatness. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Rawhide: one of the best television series ever made!
as for this episode it is a classic. The series is outstanding and Eric Fleming was the star of that show. I agree with some of the reviews from 'Curse of the Undead' (an Eric Fleming movie)that, had he lived (he died in an unfortunate accident shortly after the Rawhide years) he probably would have been as big a star as John Wayne or Clint Eastwood. Here is more taken from another source
....Rawhide, considered to be the best written and best directed Western on television....For seven seasons, Fleming portrayed an honest, independent, strong, intelligent, and heroic cowboy in the tradition of the American West. He embodied the mythic hero whose sense of justice and morality overrode all other considerations. Fleming's presence as Favor was so dominant that it centered the entire show and provided the base around which all the other characters revolved.
... capable of admitting mistakes, enduring the consequences, and realizing his limitations. In four episodes featuring Favor's interactions with children (Incident of the Fish Out of Water, The Boss's Daughters, Incident of the Hostages, and El Hombre Bravo), his warmth, sensitivity, and overt compassion are particularly evident, adding depth, realism, and a gentleness to the character. The series was mostly shot in Nogales, Arizona and the authenticity of the trail drive was staggering - enough to win The Western Heritage Award from the National Cowboy Hall of Fame four years in a row. The award named Rawhide the outstanding program of its genre for excellence in depicting the West.
...and remained in the top twenty programs through 1962 in America, was number one in Japan and popular throughout Europe

Rawhide was, and still is, a great series!
It's easy to overlook the Rawhide series when television only advertises current movies and comedy series (in color, easily accesible), however, if you do your detective work, and watch a Rawhide episode, you'll find the stories ring truer than todays nonsense because these guys are out on the trail running into all kinds of interesting stuff. Don't let the black and white dissuade you!
The Rawhide fellas come across a tumbleweed wagon - a prison on wheels. And who should be in the wagon... thieves, murderers and...a doll! (doll - a lady- come on! back then all the beautifull women were refered to as dolls!)Many of the men are smitten, even a very young Eastwood. But look out... this one's a wildcat! To tell any more would spoil the fun, so check it out..
A young Eastwood is the main attraction of the series, but everyone else has a lot of character, too, and they're all great.

proof of the golden days of t.v. westerns and clint eastwood
You must remember this is not from a P.C. era,but young viewers will get good insight into Westerns of the period and why Clint Eastwood is an icon. Good solid tale of the era of the trail drives up the Chissum and Goodnight trail and the bosses and drovers who's job it was to get them to market. Eric Fleming,a little over the top as trail boss Gil Favor and a rather underplayed,Rowdy Yates,that made clint Eastwood Famous. Two bits of Trivia,There was a Mexican drover later in the series name Jesus,but even though they were not politically correct they were certainly things you did not mess with,so in the credits it was spelled phoneticlly(Haysoos). Plus Paul Brenegar's,who played wishbone the cook,played for his last role in films,the fagile old stage driver who died from exhursion on the trip, in the movie Maverick with Mel Gibson and James Garner. Paul Died in real life shortly after the Films release. I think you will enjoy this Adverture of Rawhide. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

One of the great classic episodes of this memorable series
While the whole of the first season of "Lost in Space", is excellent the very early episodes that were made up out of the unaired original pilot are by far the best for excitment, special effects and intriguing storylines. No where is this more evident than in the classic episode number four "There Were Giants In The Earth" which followed on from my own personal favourite "Island In The Sky". These early scripts flowed on from each other in a continous storyline while later the episodes all became selfcontained stories within the one hour format.

"There Were Giants In The Earth", takes up the story from the previous episode and finds the Robinson family, Major West and the dastardly Dr. Smith settling in to life on the strange planet which would be their home for over a year. The plot developments in this episode are excellent and really instill a feeling of unease and tension in the viewer as we see the Robinsons set up their hydroponic garden, test out their new force field around the camp and begin to learn some of the very worrying features of their mysterious new home, so very different from Earth. These features make up the excitment of this episode. Firstly Professor Robinson discovers the weather conditions of the planet are wildly erractic and in a constant state of change going from a state of freezing temperatures through to a climate so scorching hot that any vegetation is likely to be burnt. This brilliant plot development is given full coverage in this episode and in the following excellent installment "The Hungry Sea". Rather sadly the planet tamed down considerably weather wise after that episode and this potentially exciting element of the castaways trying to survive in these unpredictable conditions was with one or two exceptions never explored again in the coming season.

To escape these conditions the party decides in order to survive to abandon the spaceship and head south to avoid the coming intense cold and it is here that the most fantastic creatures ever thought up for "Lost In Space" are introduced, the terrifying Cyclops. The visual image of this huge creature, the "Giant" of the episode title, is breathtaking and its attack on Professor Robinson and Major West at the weather station and again when the whole family are in the chariot heading south involves some of the most memorable moments of the entire series. The Cyclops is wonderful in its execution and holds up beautifully today in its scary appearance and aggressive manner. I only wish that the "Giants" of the title had returned in later storylines for the season as they are sensational. The episode concludes with the party taking refuge in a huge cave during a fierce electrical storm during their travels (in itself a special effects masterpiece) and discovering an incredibly eerie underground city that has been abandoned for centuries by some lost civilisation. These scenes as the family first explore and then get seperated from each other are superbly done and build up the tension and combined with the cobwed covered alleys of this strange underground city create a memorable viewing experience. Certainly these scenes are some of my favourites of the entire series. The resulting earthquake then leads us into the next episode of this exciting introduction to the series.

What was so great about episodes such as "There Were Giants In The Earth", is that it gave equal screen time to all members of the Robinson party and allowed some real character development to occur. This episode is sensational and shows "Lost In Space", at its very best with an exciting storyline, excellent premise, with great thought going into all developments and great acting by all cast members. The black and white photogrpahy of this season of the show before it changed over to colour also I feel gave the stories an eerie quality which is very evident in this episode dealing with the Cyclops. Enjoy a trip back to the golden age of television with one of the best installments in this classic series "Lost In Space".

Strong display of the pioneering spirit and will to live!
What stands out the most in this episode is the strong level of commitment and pioneering spirit of this brave crew to survive any obstacle. This show should remind us all that hard work will pay off in the end. Of all of the shows seen I love this one the best due to the acting of Guy Williams who displays the heart and soul of a Man determined to keep his family alive. This show also shows the first use of the force field system and the weather station. My NICV Maintenance & Calibration Manual uses this show as the building block. (...)

not bad at all
I loved this episode the plot was very "cool", and you got to love that cyclops.

PROBALY A LITTLE BETTER THAN EPISODES 2&3

The plunge!
This was a huge plunge after the last episode! but it was still better than the first two. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Firing one and two!!
This episode is what Lost In Space is all about...survival!! The endearing aspects of the show, to me, has always been the triumphant overcoming of Professor Robinson and Don to repair the SNRGS telemetry and deutronium fuel systems of the Jupiter 2! From the episode "The raft" where they attempt to derive a synthesized deutronium fuel source to leave Preplanus in the first series, we fans-true fans of the show always sat at the edge of our seats wondering ...are they going to lift off soon? Did they solve their deutronium fuel problem? This episode shows what they are made of and of course...Dr Smith and his hilarious game of cards for trading a thruster control he stole from the Astrogator repair parts, for the "precious" cosmonium of Mr. Nerim is funny! And shows the Doctor's legendary insanity!! Oh the pain....the pain. The action mounts near the end as we see the Jupiter leave before Preplanus becomes a giant cosmic dustball in a fiery blaze! The special effects of the Jupiter Lifting off showing the antigravity drive struggle to achieve the nearly impossible task of coping with the unbalanced gravitational fields is cool and worth the wait! Every Lost In Space fan MUST get this one!
Plus...Watch for my new NICV Maintenance & Calibration Manual @ March 2004 on CD-ROM ( pda format )!!

Not one of the best, but noteworthy!
As has been mentioned by the other reviewers, this one is notable solely as the first color broadcast of the 60's series. It also features an amusing performance from veteran character actor Strother Martin. Martin will forever be remembered as the warden in Paul Newman's "Cool Hand Luke" who uttered the famous line, "What we have here is a failure to communicate."

Having Martin on hand was one of the show's most inspired casting coups.

First episode in living color!
The Robinsons finally blasting off into space after a year of being stranded on a black and white planet. The beginning of this season definitely set a new look and trend for the series, even though camp loomed on the horizon. I felt the story moved right along placing the Robinsons in a ''do or die'' situation of leaving the planet upon impending doom. I always get excited when I think back to the night this episode first aired on CBS. I give this one a thumbs up.

Blast Off into Color
This is the first episode of the second season of the 1960s television show, Lost in Space, and it is also the first episode that was ever aired in color. It features the notorious Dr. Zachary Smith attempting to swindle the elixir of life from a prospector who is destroying the planet that the Robinsons are marooned on, from the inside out. As the title indicates, a "blast off into space" eventually ensues in this campy clasic which is a "must have" for any fan of the series. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The best excitement ever for Jupiter 2 crew!
This was the very first episode I saw when I was eight years old! Seeing the Jupiter flyby around the derelict and it's entrapment was super cool! Hearing the unique ISD drive engine sound was the coolest ever sound effect of its kind! This trilled me the most! Interestingly how the plot of this episode ended up in the released movie. No doubt the writer must have liked this episode too. All Lost In Space fans must get this one for the fact that it displays the crew of the Jupiter 2 do what they do best...survive!!

Waaaaaaaaaay better than the first!
It just got better with the Jupiter 2's first encounter with alien life forms! A very suspenseful episode which later evolved into an important partt of the excelent '98 movie!

Possibly the best episode
The Derelict is considered by many devotees of the show to be the best episode. You can see Dr. Smith as a cold, calculating saboteur, before he became a prissy sissy in later episodes. The Jupiter 2 is drawn into an unfamiliar spacecraft. Dr. Smith is brave about exploring it because he thinks the ship belongs to his co-conspirators. His bravado disappears when he realizes his error. It's said that the LIS movie took a lot from this episode. I would agree. This episode, and the one before it and after it are very good. Almost straight Sci-Fi, and not a talking carrot in sight. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A pair of first rate Rod Serling scripts, esp. "The Shelter"
A pair of excellent scripts by Rod Serling are featured on this particular "Twilight Zone" videotape. "Mr. Denton on Doomsday" (October 16, 1959) is the third episode of "The Twilight Zone," starring Dan Duryea as the title character, a drunken gunslinger who is forced to fight the town bully (Martin Landau). However, Henry J. Fate (Malcolm Atterbury) rides into town and just by looking at Denton momentarily restores his shooting skills. But after winning the gunfight, Denton finds he has become the target for a young gunslinger (Doug McClure) wanting to make his reputation. Denton buys a magic potion from Fate that will give him ten seconds of deadly accuracy, which Denton must use to change his life forever. This episode provides one of the better "TZ" scripts, which I do not think you will find predictable.

"The Shelter" (September 29, 1961) is one of my favorite episodes of "The Twilight Zone." Although this is one of Serling's "preachy" scripts, I think it is a case where he hits the mark perfectly. The neighborhood is gathering for a surprise party for Doc Stockton (Larry Gates), when the radio announces radar has detected what appears to be incoming missiles. Doc, his wife and young son go to the shelter he has built in his basement. But when his unprepared neighbors start begging to be let in there is neither enough room nor enough supplies, which is when things get ugly. Some people consider "The Shelter" to be melodramatic, but I always found it rather chilling. Maybe because it is a rare "TZ" episode that has neither any science fiction nor fantasy elements. The cast for this third season episode includes Jack Albertson as Jerry Harlowe, Joseph Bernard as Mary Weiss, Sandy Kenyon as Frank, and Peggy Stewart as Grace Stockton.

Shows who's really youy friends
The shelter isn't a particulary scary episode but shows what your friends may do to you in a state of crisis.A doctor has some friends over with a party when a ufo flys over and everyone is panicked and runs home.The doctor and his family retire to the bomb shelter and have enough supplies for only his family.His friends panic and knock the door down and the crisis is a false alarm.His friends apologize for being so greedy but the doctor comes out in disbelief in how these people acted, wanting to save themselves even if it meant killing the doctor in the process. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

The Invaders looks silly now
I watched a different tape - which had the Invaders but not Nothing in Dark.

The Invaders is a good acting performance and it is interesting but SSLLOOWW and a little silly looking now. Little versions of the robot from lost in space attacking this woman with little flashlights and a carving knife??? For it's time it was probably good, but not now - in my opinion.

Agnes Moorhead, Gladys Cooper and Robert Redford in the Zone
This volume of "The Twilight Zone" offers a pair of classic episodes where the performances by the actors are as memorable as the stories with their infamous Twilight Zone twists. "The Invaders" is a tour de force performance by Agnes Moorhead in an episode written by Richard Matheson. Moorhead plays a woman living alone in a farmhouse who finds that a miniature flying saucer has landed on her roof. The woman has to fight against the strange tiny invaders with their advanced technology. But then remember, this is the Twilight Zone. "Nothing in the Dark," written by George Clayton Johnson, offers Gladys Cooper as Wanda Dunn as an old woman who has barricaded herself in her basement apartment for years, fearing that Mr. Death with kill her with a touch. Wanda knows that Death can take many disguises. But despite her fears, when Harold Beldon, a young policeman is shot outside her door, she drags him inside. Of course, the fact Beldon is played by Robert Redford might have something to do with her letting her guard down. Like I said up top, both of these episodes are classics from the beloved television anthology series.

Two More Gems From the Twilight Zone
two more well written episodes from the Twilight Zone series finds host Rod Serling Presenting Agnes Moorehead being attacked in her home by small invaders (a spine thriller episode written by Richard Matheson). The second episode written by George Clayton Johnson shows a young Robert Redford playing a mystery guest who shows an old woman that there is nothing to be afraid of in the dark (even after the lights are turned on). science fiction on television never got better then this.

WE HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR
NOTHING IN THE DARK and THE INVADERS have to be 2 of the most watched episodes of "The Twilight Zone." Gladys Cooper and Robert Redford give very good performances in this story of 'Mister Death' knocking at the door by George Clayton Johnson. THE INVADERS is a classic episode in the true tradition of "The Twilight Zone." Richard Matheson wrote a memorable story and Agnes Moorehead gave one of the greatest visual acting jobs of all time. Volume 1 is excellent and a must-have!

The Nature of Fear
These two episodes are immortal examples of the very essence of what "The Twilight Zone" is all about. 'NOTHING IN THE DARK' and 'THE INVADERS' are two very classic examples. They focus one the isolation of the individual and the fears that one creates. By our own willingness through self-fortitude we face those fears. And perhaps the very nature of those fears was not what we had made them out to be. The performances by Agnes Moorehead, Gladys Cooper and Robert Redford make these episodes very tangible for the emotional response of the viewer. Very effective and highly recommended viewing. ... Read more