Search - The Twilight Zone: Vol. 14 on DVD

Four Wonderful Episodes that Demonstrate Serling's Talent

10/15/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Any one of these episodes could serve to demonstrate the craft as well as the concern for humanity that always permeated Rod Serling's writing. "In Praise of Pip" is a particulary powerful script and is given a deeply moving performance by Jack Klugman. This and "One for the Angels" are my all-time favorite episodes of The Twilight Zone. The latter has a very touching story and a beautifully-written script. Its protagonist, Lew Bookman (Ed Wynn) is an aging, unsuccessful sidewalk salesman whose gentle yet fun-loving nature makes him popular with the neighborhood children, and in particular with Maggie, a little girl whose life he eventually saves by sacrificing himself to "Mr. Death." I love how Wynn (a former vaudeville comedian -- you may also remember him as the laughing Uncle Albert in MARY POPPINS and as the voice of the Mad Hatter in Disney's ALICE IN WONDERLAND -- and a surprisingly effective dramatic actor) interacts with Maggie; he is like her uncle or grandfather. Some have pointed out that, because Wynn was not a "fast talker," he is unconvincing in his "final sales pitch," in which he distracts Mr. Death and saves Maggie's life. I don't entirely agree with this view. The whole point of the story is that Bookman is NOT a great salesman but is loved by the children, and that this is what matters in the end. So it seems fitting that his delivery of the pitch does not sound smooth and practiced, but desperate, as though he is frantically improvising because he knows he must save Maggie. In other words, Bookman is too soft-spoken to have ever been a good salesman, but for the sake of a child he loves he can muster the energy for an effective pitch. I find Wynn's characterization entirely believable throughout the episode. Watch all four of the epidoes on this DVD. But especially watch "In Praise of Pip" and "One for the Angels" for their stories, their scripts, and their star performances by two remarkable actors, Jack Klugman and Ed Wynn."

For a Regular DVD Twilight Zone Afternoon.

CinemaNET | 07/14/2000

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This DVD features four chapters of the Twilight Zone Series. None of them is really a classic, and all of them are taken from different seasons. Despite that, they really represent the basic concepts that made this TV Show an international and timeless phenomena. In "One for the Angels" (Season 1) meet Death itself about to take a young girl's life, but facing a persuasive door to door salesman. "The Man in the Bottle" (Season 2) is certainly about a genie, but an evil one. "The Arrival" bends the boundaries between reality and imagination for the astonished characters trying to figure out the misterious appearance of a commercial airplane completely empty. "In Praise of Pip" (Season 5) stars Jack Klugman ("Quincy") as a desperate father anguished by the probable death of his son (portrayed first by Billy Mummy -"Lost in Space"- and later by Bob Diamond). All four episodes were written by series creator Rod Serling."

Another Great twilight zone DVD

Terence Tan Co | Vancouver | 11/22/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I won't waste space by describing the synopsis and content of the DVD and focus on the episodes itself. One for the Angels: 4 stars. The Man in the Bottle: 2 stars The arrival: 4 stars In Praise of Pip: 4 stars"