Customer Reviews

The Twilight Zone: Vol. 14

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Any one of these episodes could serve to demonstrate the craft as well as the concern for humanity that always permeated Rod Serling's writing. "In Praise of Pip" is a particulary powerful script and is given a deeply moving performance by Jack Klugman. This and "One for the Angels" are my all-time favorite episodes of The Twilight Zone. The latter has a very touching story and a beautifully-written script. Its protagonist, Lew Bookman (Ed Wynn) is an aging, unsuccessful sidewalk salesman whose gentle yet fun-loving nature makes him popular with the neighborhood children, and in particular with Maggie, a little girl whose life he eventually saves by sacrificing himself to "Mr. Death." I love how Wynn (a former vaudeville comedian -- you may also remember him as the laughing Uncle Albert in MARY POPPINS and as the voice of the Mad Hatter in Disney's ALICE IN WONDERLAND -- and a surprisingly effective dramatic actor) interacts with Maggie; he is like her uncle or grandfather. Some have pointed out that, because Wynn was not a "fast talker," he is unconvincing in his "final sales pitch," in which he distracts Mr. Death and saves Maggie's life. I don't entirely agree with this view. The whole point of the story is that Bookman is NOT a great salesman but is loved by the children, and that this is what matters in the end. So it seems fitting that his delivery of the pitch does not sound smooth and practiced, but desperate, as though he is frantically improvising because he knows he must save Maggie. In other words, Bookman is too soft-spoken to have ever been a good salesman, but for the sake of a child he loves he can muster the energy for an effective pitch. I find Wynn's characterization entirely believable throughout the episode. Watch all four of the epidoes on this DVD. But especially watch "In Praise of Pip" and "One for the Angels" for their stories, their scripts, and their star performances by two remarkable actors, Jack Klugman and Ed Wynn.

This DVD features four chapters of the Twilight Zone Series. None of them is really a classic, and all of them are taken from different seasons. Despite that, they really represent the basic concepts that made this TV Show an international and timeless phenomena. In "One for the Angels" (Season 1) meet Death itself about to take a young girl's life, but facing a persuasive door to door salesman. "The Man in the Bottle" (Season 2) is certainly about a genie, but an evil one. "The Arrival" bends the boundaries between reality and imagination for the astonished characters trying to figure out the misterious appearance of a commercial airplane completely empty. "In Praise of Pip" (Season 5) stars Jack Klugman ("Quincy") as a desperate father anguished by the probable death of his son (portrayed first by Billy Mummy -"Lost in Space"- and later by Bob Diamond). All four episodes were written by series creator Rod Serling.

An absolute must for fans of the Twilight Zone. These are the greatst stories ever told. A must have!!

"One for the Angels" and "In Praise of Pip" alone justify buying this DVD. The former is a charming folktale about an unremarkable street peddlar and the pitch of a lifetime which he makes to "Mr. Death". Enjoy an endearing, "Wynnsical" performance from everybody's favorite "uncle", Ed Wynn! "In Praise of Pip" stars Jack Klugman as a dissolute, boozed bookie who regrets not being a better father to his son, who is dying in Vietnam. Jack Klugman's performance is simply astounding, with a shattering climax! Horror, fear, shame, confusion, self-loathing, regret, despair, pain, fleeting joy - they all register on Klugman's remarkable face. Jack Klugman had to have been one of the greatest character actors of all time. I have only seen a few episodes of this classic TV series, but my appetite has definitely been whetted for more. All TWILIGHT ZONE fans must buy this release!

I won't waste space by describing the synopsis and content of the DVD and focus on the episodes itself. One for the Angels: 4 stars. The Man in the Bottle: 2 stars The arrival: 4 stars In Praise of Pip: 4 stars

The theme of this quartet of mostly lackluster episodes is "The Mind's Endless Dimensions". The first, "One For the Angels" is about a salesman (Ed Wynn) who outwits Death but too late realizes that a little girl will have to die in his place. The problem is that the performance by Wynn lacks any credibility in portraying the greatest pitch of all time. It would have put me to sleep, not made me eager to buy.

"The Man in the Bottle" is about a couple who own a curio shop who buy a piece of junk bottle from a woman desperate for money.
Unfortunately for them there's a genie inside whose wishes in the old cliched manner always end up having negative consequences. For example, when the husband wishes to have great power and rulership of a country he is turned into Adolf Hitler.

"The Arrival" concerns a plane landing at an airport and manuevering into docking position very normally. The problem is that when the luggage crew opens up the door there's noone on the plane, no pilots, crew, or passengers. So a veteran FAA investigator is called in to solve the mystery. It was a good premise but the resolution is oh so boring.

The best and only good episode on this DVD is "In Praise of Pip". It opens in a Vietnam War field hospital operating room where a young man named Pip has been severely wounded and is doubtful of surviving the night. Flash to the States where his father, played commandingly by Jack Klugman, is a man who collects debts for the mob. When he learns of his dying son he wants desperately to speak to him, to redeem his own life and seek forgiveness for his bad parenting. It just might come true in the Twilight Zone.