Twilight Zone, The: Season 2 (Blu-ray)
Steve Barton
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Reviewed by Uncle Creepy
Starring Rod Serling, William Shatner, Art Carney, Russell Johnson, Dick York, Don Rickles, Burgess Meredith, Buddy Ebsen, John Astin, John Hoyt, Sydney Pollack, Agnes Moorehead, Bill Mumy, John Carradine, H.M. Wynant, Bob Cummings, Donna Douglas, Edson Stroll, Joseph Ruskin, Luther Adler, Vivi Janss, Richard Haydn, Inger Stevens, Thomas Gomez, Jonathan Harris, John Anderson, Dean Stockwell, Cliff Robertson, Oscar Beregi, Franchot Tone, Dennis Weaver, Harry Townes, Fritz Weaver, and many more
Directed by Various
Created by Rod Serling
Distributed by Image Entertainment
“There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man’s fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call … The Twilight Zone.”
There’s just no way on the world to ever talk about “The Twilight Zone” without those opening words. They are ingrained in our psyches and are about as pure a slice of Americana as you could possibly get. Some would state that “The Twilight Zone” is the greatest anthology series that has ever been on television. It’s really hard to argue against that because here we have everything that you could want … comedy, horror, science fiction, drama, programming with a conscience. Situations you’d talk about with your neighbors the very next day. That is, if they weren’t alien beings from another planet. Or are they …
Season 2 of this famed show represents some of the very best that this tent pole of TV programming had to offer, and just as they did with Season 1, Image entertainment has knocked it so far out of the park that the ball itself is likely traveling through a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man.
From the terrors of The Howling Man to the sci-fi goodness with a twist that would make M. Night Shyamalan green with envy in The Invaders, you just cannot help but be absolutely captivated by these so ahead of their time experiences. No matter how many times I’ve seen these episodes, I simply cannot take my eyes off of them. Just like the music of powerful musicians like John Lennon or The Doors, every note of these shows remain pitch-perfect and just as relevant now as they were back then when they aired in the early Sixties.
Again, Image Entertainment has restored these episodes with a lot of love and attention, and as a result the 1080p presentation of most of these episodes will leave you staggered by the amount of depth and detail that’s present on the screen. I say “most” because there were six episodes of Season 2 shot on video – The Lateness of the Hour, Static, The Whole Truth, The Night of the Meek, Twenty-Two, and Long Distance Call – that do not fare nearly as well in the quality department. Simply put, in comparison to the rest these look pretty damned crappy. Still, Image can only work with what they’ve got, and given their obvious affection for the product, we’re pretty sure they’ve done their very best.
In terms of audio, as with Season 1 you have the choice of the original mono recording or a stellar restored PCM lossless soundtrack as well as the option to dig on the isolated scores themselves. It doesn’t get much cooler than that, does it?
Now on to the extras. Holy cow. All of the supplemental material from the original DVD releases has made its way back along with a veritable boatload of Blu-ray exclusive stuff that honestly at first glance seems overwhelming, and it is! Not that that’s a bad thing; just prepare to be there for a while when you decides to jump in. Suffice it to say it’s all good, baby! Twenty-five new audio commentaries, brand new interviews with surviving actors, vintage audio interviews with the crew, no stone is left unturned; and if you’re a fan of the series, this is nothing short of nirvana. To go through it all in this review would make it epic in its length so just dig on the full “Special Features” listing below.
In terms of Blu-ray releases, it just doesn’t get better than this, folks. There are no words that can fully illustrate how great these presentations are. They’re not only a gift for fans but will no doubt enjoy longevity as a time capsule of a truly classic show for generations to come. You need this NOW, if not sooner.
Season 2 Episodes
King Nine Will Not Return, The Man in the Bottle, Nervous Man in a Four-Dollar Room, A Thing About Machines, The Howling Man, Eye of the Beholder, Nick of Time, The Lateness of the Hour, The Trouble with Templeton, A Most Unusual Camera, The Night of the Meek, Dust, Back There, The Whole Truth, The Invaders, A Penny for Your Thoughts, Twenty-Two, The Odyssey of Flight 33, Mr. Dingle, the Strong, Static, The Prime Mover, Long Distance Call, A Hundred Yards over the Rim, The Rip Van Winkle Caper, The Silence, Shadow Play, The Mind and the Matter, Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?, The Obsolete Man
Special Features All Blu-ray Exclusive!
Also includes:
5 out of 5
Special Features
5 out of 5
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