The Twilight Zone

[ShyViolet]

Oh ok.

[EricJ]

Amazing Stories was great! Mostly know the movie, but I did see a bunch of eps randomly as a kid which I really enjoyed.

There was no "movie", that was just the two special one-hour episodes--the Spielberg and the Zemeckis--repackaged together when there weren't enough episodes to syndicate.

Although Spielberg's "The Mission" was ten TIMES the sentimental A Guy Named Joe remake Spielberg always wanted to do, that "Always" can ever hope to be...He shouldn't have gotten it out of his system so early.

(And yes, the Johnny OP is one of my favorite lesser-known TV openings, and far too good for the show that followed. )

[Ben]

Like she has to ask!

Better version of the cue, without the Spanish voiceover at the end:




And…yes, there *was* a movie…

Overseas, where AS wasn't actually picked up in many countries until after the second season had aired in the states, Spielberg’s The Mission (first season's extended second episode), Zemeckis' Go To The Head If The Class (second season's extended first episode) and William Dear's absolutely hilarious Mummy Daddy (which was placed in the middle between those other two) were bundled together and released as a feature, both in cinemas and on home video (I still have the VHS). Given Spielberg's popularity at the time, I wouldn’t be surprised to learn it played in the US too (I know it at least was shown on TV in that format there).

A special insert for the title sequence, with the camera pulling out from the campfire storyteller not through a TV into a family living room but from a cinema screen to reveal a packed excited movie theatre audience getting ready to enjoy the show, was added to the intro. Three of the best episodes — The Mission even featuring live-action perspective animation two years before Roger Rabbit — make for a really fun movie version and the first way I saw these stories. When the whole series eventually made it to the UK very few other episodes reached these heights, though another four were packaged as another "movie" or two for home video. But, yeah, AS did get a movie version released to cinemas.

The opening title music for AS was recorded in the same session as the music for the Amblin logo, which used this on a few films around that time, and still pops up with fancy new CGI nowadays. No prizes for guessing who wrote this one!

[Daniel]

Found a music track that uses samples from "The Midnight Sun". Pretty good beat. Really resonates right now with the heatwaves!

[Daniel]

Continuing on, a very clever edit:

[ShyViolet]

Nice!

[Daniel]

This is too funny:

[ShyViolet]

I wonder which one disappears first…?

[Ben]

What…no Elon?

[Daniel]

63 years ago today, the series debuted on CBS with "Where is Everybody?". A clipping of the TV Guide write-up:



"We think this series may really be a hit". Could be!

[Ben]

Nah, that title will never stick…

[Daniel]

Well, the narrator sure didn't!

[Daniel]

Author Nicolette Polek reflects on the episode about her hometown "A Stop At Willoughby". Neat tradition.

[Daniel]

Currently enjoying the annual marathon on SyFy. No better way to ring in the new year!

[ShyViolet]

I hope it was good! . Did you get to see your favorites?