The Twilight Zone: Vol. 15

Amazon.com

At least one of the episodes collected on volume 15 of The Twilight Zone DVD offerings is an all-time classic--if by classic we mean the kind of show that still produces a shudder of recognition years after viewing. This is "The Midnight Sun," an apocalyptic tale in which a cosmic event has hurled the earth toward the sun, sending the thermometer to 120 degrees and the population into despair. Aside from the twist ending and the attractive sweating of Lois Nettleton, what's likely to be remembered from this episode, is the haunting image of an oil painting melting with the heat. Other episodes in this collection, all scripted by series creator Rod Serling, emphasize bravura acting. In "Escape Clause," gracefully directed by Hollywood pro Mitchell Leisen, the whimsical David Wayne plays a hypochondriac whose anxious life is changed by the arrival of Death (veteran heavy Thomas Gomez). Soon the indestructible hero is courting exotic ways of destroying himself, just to alleviate his boredom: "Let's give the electric chair a little whirl," drawls the blithely curious Wayne. The claustrophobic "Nervous Man in a Four Dollar Room" takes on technical challenges typical of The Twilight Zone. It never leaves the confines of a tiny, shabby hotel room and leading man Joe Mantell plays much of the dialogue with a mirror image of himself. The point of the episode is somewhat monotonous, but Mantell's performance, as a loser facing his last chance at decency, is fully juiced. "A Kind of Stopwatch" shows what happens when a loudmouth pest (Richard Erdman, the annoying personification of the can-do man with ideas) comes into possession of a watch that can stop the whole world in mid-motion. Justice eventually is meted out, per the usual scales of The Twilight Zone. --Robert Horton

Description

Episodes: "Escape Clause" (Ep. 6, November 6, 1959) - A hypochondriac (David Wayne) exchanges his soul for immortality and indestructibility. When life soon becomes very boring, his unsuccessful attempts to find new thrills bring unexpected results. "Nervous Man in a Four Dollar Room" (Ep. 39, October 14, 1960) - Ordered to commit a murder he doesn't want to perform, a small-time hood nervously looks in the mirror and sees the man he could have been--confident, strong...and determined to get out. "The Midnight Sun" (Ep. 75, November 17, 1961) - The Earth's orbit has suddenly changed, drawing ever closer to the sun and promising eminent destruction. Or has it? Who really knows how the Earth may be doomed? "A Kind of Stopwatch" (Ep. 124, October 18, 1963) - The world's biggest bore and most avid talker gets a magical stopwatch that can stop everything except him. But when he misuses it, a wonderful conversation piece becomes a real party killer.

Customer Reviews:

Four stories of desperate people in "The Twilight Zone".......2001-05-31

Desperate people in desperate situations abound in Rod Serling's four scripts presented in Volume 15 of "The Twilight Zone" DVD series. In "Escape Clause, " David Wayne stars at hypochondriac Walter Bedecker, who strikes a deal with Mr. Cadwallader (Thomas Gomez), a.k.a. the Devil, to receive immortality and indestructibility in exchange for his soul. Of course, Bedecker soon realizes he has gotten a raw deal. "Nervous Man in a Four Dollar Room" features Joe Mantell as Jackie Rhodes, who has been ordered by a gangster to murder the owner of bar. Knowing he does not have the guts to refuse the order and that he will be caught if he commits the crime, Jackie looks in the mirror and discovers looking back at him a DIFFERENT Jackie Rhodes, who is the better man he could have been and who now wants out into the real world. Lois Nettleton turns in a wonderful performance in "The Midnight Sun" as Norma, who is trying to survive in her New York City apartment as the Earth moves closer and closer to the sun. Of course, there is an ironic twist at the end of this tale as well. Finally, there is Patrick Thomas McNulty (Richard Erdman), a man who does not know when to shut up in "A Kind of a Stopwatch," based on an unpublished story by Michael D. Rosenthal. The whims of fate, in the presence of a strange little man named Potts (Leon Belasco), give McNulty a remarkable stopwatch. Press the button and time stops for everybody in the world except him. Unfortunately, the man is not the equal of the gift. One of the better theme discs in this series, these are all above average episodes of the Zone.

The "Superb Zone" Volume 15.......2000-06-21

This volume is by far one of the best available today. The episodes "Nervous Man in a Four Dollar Room" and "A Kind of Stopwatch" are worthy episode done in the typical Zonie fashion. While "Escape Clause," starring: David Wayne (well-known for playing the Mad Hatter on the 60's television comedy: "Batman") plays a hypochondriac, who sells his soul for immortality. The episode offers a bit of twisted humor that only "The Twilight Zone" could pull-off tastefully. However; it is episode "The Midnight Sun" that steals the show! Timeless situation about two women who are faced within a hopeless situation. The Earth has changed its orbit, and is drifting closer to the sun. Knowing the inevitable is soon at hand, the two depend on each other for survival. How long can they survive? How long can they remain sane? This episode makes you think: "what if this really happened? " Also: for you fans of Lois Nettleton, the scenes of her sweating in her under-garments is very sexy; it is worth buying the dvd just for that. Out of all the volumes I want to own, I bought this one first!

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