Four Twilight Zone episodes, directed for the big screen by John Landis (racist gets what he deserves – creepily enhanced by the fact that the main actor died on the set in what is usually referred to as a “freak accident”…), Steven Spielberg (Scatman Crothers’s on a mission to bring back youth to those who want it), Joe Dante (creepy little bugger with too much fantasy) and George Miller (justified flight scare).
I only remembered about that film when trying to explain to somebody why I feel uncomfortable in the presence of person X – the reason being that X’s eyes keep rolling about just like the eyes of one of the monsters in segment 3, specifically the monster-thingy that keeps blowing out steam like the monsterised version of a train’s steam engine. Anyway: with great affection, but little memory I was looking forward to this one, and it is stunning what kind of high-flying directors came together to pay tribute to the tv show that scared som many over the decades, or left them in unease, more likely. I like the setting and design of episode 1, and it is easy to imagine that the racist does not just face death (which he experiences a couple of times while we watch), but that he is entangled in an eternal loop of dying, and bouncing between the various roles. Very nice. Episode 2 is slightly boring, and can only be explained by imagining how Spielberg was in his “miracle of 53rd street” production or whatever it was called and had a very nostalgic fit about old age. I like Scatman Crothers, though, who gave something special to “The Shining”. Then the candy-coloured cartoon craze of Joe “Werewolf” Dante (what’s he doing these days??), with panicking “Uncles” and “Parents” faced with their little Anthony’s cartoonish wishes and abilities, highly disturbing! Finally a rollercoaster action segment, but within the limits of a plane and a guy’s fears: would you go crazy if you saw a monster from the green lagoon shredding your airplane’s engines at 8000 feet? You would, and he does.
Really like a number of Twilight Zone regular episodes (or X Files, for the younger ones…): some are brilliant, some are solid, some are a bit dull, but it is always a pleasure to have them around!
thomas4cinema 