Twilight Zone, The: Season 3 (Blu-ray)
Steve Barton
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Reviewed by Uncle Creepy
Starring Rod Serling, Bill Mumy, Lois Nettleton, William Windom, Leonard Nimoy, Robert Cornthwaite, Cliff Robertson, Lee Marvin, James Best, Strother Martin, Russell Johnson, Cloris Leachman, Peter Falk, Robert Redford, Elizabeth Montgomery, Charles Bronson, Jack Albertson, James Gregory, Jack Klugman, Buster Keaton, Dean Stockwell, Barry Morse, Andy Devine, Phyllis Thaxter, Donald Pleasence, 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.”
Ah yes, dearest reader! It’s that special time of the year again when Image Entertainment has blessed us with yet another high definition box set of goodness from the classic television series “The Twilight Zone”.
Season 3 is finally here, and with it come some truly amazing episodes that run the gamut from a tip of the hat to the silent movies of yesteryear to recapturing the wonders of youth to eventually finding out that you’re officially on the menu for the Kanamits, thus giving birth to many twist endings to come.
In fact, there’s so much goodness on tap here it’s hard to even know where to begin to recommend some select episodes. Then again that’s the beauty of “The Twilight Zone”; there’s literally something for everyone. Is it possible to not get a little teary watching “Kick the Can” in which old folks find themselves young again by just letting go and having some fun? Can you possibly restrain yourself from standing and shouting to anyone who will listen that “IT’S A COOKBOOK!!!! Just you try and stop yourself. Bizarre, frightening, heartwarming, and altogether strange, Season 3 of “The Twilight Zone” delivers on all counts.
As per usual Image Entertainment has done an incredible job giving this series its proper high definition due. Unlike Season 2 none of the thirty-seven episodes included here were shot on video so the picture quality is consistently stellar throughout the entire run. The grayscale presented here is deep and delicious, and while there are a couple of moments of noise and compression artifacts, these instances hardly take away from just how impressive this whole affair looks. We do have one tiny concern though purely on the techie side that many of you won’t even notice or care about … each episode of Seasons 1 and 2 would run at a bit rate between the high teens to the mid twenties. Season 3‘s bit rate is slightly lower, coming in at around 15 Mbps.
In terms of sound, as with Seasons 1 and 2, 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 the extras. Oh, those wonderful extras. Where to begin? How about the nineteen new audio commentaries featuring Marc Scott Zicree, Gary Gerani, Scott Skelton, Jim Benson, Earl Hamner, George Clayton Johnson, John Tomerlin, William F. Nolan, Martin Grams Jr., Marv Wolfman, Neil Gaiman, Jeff Vlaming, Mark Fergus, Len Wein that are here along with multiple tracks ported from DVD. Nineteen more radio dramas. Rare Serling appearances on old TV shows I’ve never even heard of like “The Garry Moore Show”, “Tell It to Groucho”, etc. Promos, interviews, isolated scores, clips from remakes of classic shows – the parade of goodies just goes on and on and on. Bottom line? There’s nothing else you could ask for and nothing else you could want.
As with what came before it, “The Twilight Zone” Season 3 is nothing short of a must-own package. Something you can share with this generation and the next. As long as there’s a means to watch TV, “The Twilight Zone” will always be there to chill and delight you, and nowhere is it better represented than in these veritable gifts that Image Entertainment has bestowed upon us.
Season 3 Episodes
Two, The Arrival, The Shelter, The Passerby, A Game of Pool, The Mirror, The Grave, It’s a Good Life, Death’s Head Revisited, The Midnight Sun, Still Valley, The Jungle, Once Upon a Time, Five Characters in Search of an Exit, A Quality of Mercy, Nothing in the Dark, One More Pallbearer, Dead Man’s Shoes, The Hunt, Showdown with Rance McGrew, Kick the Can, A Piano in the House, The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank, To Serve Man, The Fugitive, Little Girl Lost, Person or Persons Unknown, The Little People, Four O’Clock, Hocus-Pocus and Frisby, The Trade-ins, The Gift, The Dummy, Young Man’s Fancy, I Sing the Body Electric, Cavender Is Coming, The Changing of the Guard.
Special Features
5 out of 5
Special Features
5 out of 5
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