CHICAGO – In the last several years, how many times have you wanted to shout the “Mad as Hell” movie quote? Well, Invictus Theatre Co. has produced a stage adaptation of “Network” – with that quote shout worthy – at the Windy City Playhouse in Chicago through September 29th. For tickets/details, click HOWARD BEALE.
Blu-Ray Review: ‘The Twilight Zone: Season 2’ is Heaven For TV Fans
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CHICAGO – Image Entertainment released a spectacular Blu-ray release in September of “The Twilight Zone: Season 1,” an amazing set that will surely be mentioned when our year-end “Best Blu-rays of the Year” feature debuts in a few weeks. With “The Twilight Zone: Season 2” following quickly on its heels just two months later, the only concern was if they would drop the ball with the second release. Instead they have hit another home run.
![]() Blu-ray Rating: 5.0/5.0 |
Of course, the primary reason to pick up both seasons is the quality of the program itself. It helped shape science fiction of all forms, not just television. It’s one of the most influential programs of all time and most episodes have held up incredibly well. There aren’t many programs from the early ’60s for which a shot-for-shot remake could air in 2010 and still be devastatingly effective. You can say that about most episodes of “The Twilight Zone.” There’s not a single program in history that hit it out of the park with every single episode and I’ll admit that the second season of Rod Serling’s great show is not the best of the entire series run, but it’s still better than most.
What are the highlights of season two, which ran from 1960 to 1961? “The Eye of the Beholder,” “Nick of Time,” “The Night of the Meek,” “The Invaders,” “The Odyssey of Flight 33,” “Long Distance Call,” “Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?,” and “The Obsolete Man.” “Beholder” and “Invaders” are two of the most influential half-hours of TV ever. As for notable current-and-future stars of ‘60-‘61, season two included William Shatner, Art Carney, Agnes Moorehead, Buddy Ebsen, Cliff Robertson, and the great Burgess Meredith.
![The Twilight Zone: Season 2 was released on Blu-ray on November 16th, 2010 The Twilight Zone: Season 2 was released on Blu-ray on November 16th, 2010](http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/sites/default/files/TWILIGHTZONE_BD_S2.jpg)
The Twilight Zone: Season 2 was released on Blu-ray on November 16th, 2010
Photo credit: Image Entertainment
Each episode of season two of “The Twilight Zone” is presented in its standard 4:3 full frame format with an HD transfer that’s pitch-perfect for the show, allowing it to look great but not overly or incorrectly polished. Old films and shows sometimes look “wrong” in HD but “The Twilight Zone” just looks perfect yet again.
Like the first season release, the special features provided are simply mind-blowing. Not only are the previously-available special features included along with a ton of amazing archival material (often just wonderfully-inserted into watching the episodes themselves, such as when a brief spot for the new “The Andy Griffith Show” plays between episodes as you’re watching them back-to-back) but hours of exclusive blu-ray material have been included.
Highlights of the new material include a 1953 episode of the series “Suspense” called “Nightmare at Ground Zero” that was written by Serling and 15 radio dramas from Twilight Zone Radio featuring current actors reading/acting old dramas including Jim Caviezel, Jason Alexander, Ed Begley Jr., Fred Willard, Jane Seymour, Henry Rollins, and more. The dramas go for $1.95 a piece online so that’s technically a $30 special feature.
And it’s just the beginning. 25 new audio commentaries have been recorded featuring historians and experts on the show along with writer/directors, producers, and more. Combined with the old commentaries and vintage audio recollections, it’s hard to think of another show that’s been so dissected and discussed in one release.
For the second time in just a few months, Image has produced a TV Blu-ray release that’s simply overwhelming. Hopefully, these Blu-ray releases will be just as influential as the program they archive.
Special Features:
o 25 New Audio Commentaries
o Interview With Actors Joseph Ruskin And H. M. Wynant
o Suspense Episode “Nightmare At Ground Zero”
o Vintage Audio Interview With George T. Clemens And William Tuttle
o 15 Radio Dramas
o Actors Audio Commentaries
o Vintage Radio Recollections
o 22 Isolated Music Scores
o Sponsor Billboards
o Rod Serling Promos
o And Much More!
![]() | By BRIAN TALLERICO |