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Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
Starring Dan Aykroyd, Albert Brooks, Scatman Crothers, and John Lithogow. Cinematography by Allen Daviau, John Hora, and Stevan Larner. Edited by Malcolm Campbell, Tina Hirsch, Michael Kahn, and Howard E. Smith. Produced by Steven Spielberg, Jon Davison, Michael Finnell, Kathleen Kennedy, and John Landis. Written by John Landis, George Clayton Johnson, Richard Matheson, Josh Rogan, Jerome Bixby, and Rod Sterling. Directed by Steven Spielberg, John Landis, Joe Dante, and George Miller.
Here’s the plan… take four of the more memorable episodes from Rod Sterling’s classic television series “The Twilight Zone”, assign each one to a high profile director to remake, and assemble them into a feature length anthology titled Twilight Zone: The Movie. The film opens with a short prologue written and filmed by John Landis. In it two friends sit in their car, listen to CCR, and make small talk. When conversation drags, one friend asks the other if he would like to see something really scary. He would later regret his reply. This leads us into the first full segment that is the only original tale of the four. It tells the story of a blatantly racist man who is forced to experience what it was like to be a Jew in Nazi occupied Germany, a black man in the clutches of the Ku Klux Klan, and an innocent bystander in the Vietnam War. This is the segment that has made this project memorable; not for it’s poignancy but for the tragedy that occurred while filming it. While shooting the Vietnam sequences, Vic Morrow, the lead character of the story, and two young children were killed in a helicopter crash. Landis ended up facing involuntary manslaughter charges, but was eventually acquitted.
Following that is Steven Spielberg’s contribution titled “Kick the Can”, which was first aired on February 9, 1962. The story is set in an old folk’s home. One day an elderly gentleman shows up and offers the residents a chance to be young again. They quickly jump at the opportunity, but soon discover that you don’t always want what you think you want. “Kick the Can” offers a different perspective on the “Twilight Zone” format. While it still features the ironic quality the series had become famous for, it is much more sweet and sentimental that what you would usually expect from the series. It is also, unfortunately, the weakest section of the film. The film shifts gears entirely for Joe Dante’s offbeat segment titled “It’s a Good Life”, that was originally featured in the series on November 3, 1961. In it a young teacher has befriended a boy and offers him a ride home. When they reach their destination, she discovers that the boy has magical powers and has transformed the house into a cartoon prison for his family. After Spielberg’s segment, “It’s a Good Life” is a welcome change.
Last but not least is George Miller’s remake of one of the most popular episodes of “The Twilight Zone” titled “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet”, which debuted on October 11, 1963. It is the story of an airline passenger who appears to be the only one that notices a small monster tearing apart the wing of his plane. This is by far the most entertaining of the four segments and ends Twilight Zone: The Movie on a positive note. Ultimately, unless you are a hardcore fan of the series, or a Spielberg connoisseur, then this film is probably worth missing.
Budget: $10,000,000
Total US Gross: $29,500,000
Genre: Science Fiction
Runtime: 120 Minutes
US Release Date: 6/24/83
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Awards: none
Tagline: You’re Traveling Through Another Dimension. A Dimension Not Only Of Sight And Sound, But Of Mind. A Journey Into A Wondrous Land Whose Boundaries Are That Of Imagination. Next Stop, The Twilight Zone.
Quote: “Hey… you wanna see something really scary?”
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