Presented in the "definitive edition" (with new high-definition film transfers), this six-disc boxed set features all 36 episodes from The Twilight Zone's debut 1959-60 season, together with creator Rod Serling's original promos for the next week's episode. First-season highlights from this quintessential "twist-ending" sci-fi/horror/fantasy series include "Time Enough at Last," starring Burgess Meredith as the glasses-wearing bookworm who is the lone survivor of an atomic blast, and victim of one of the show's most ironic last-second "gotcha!" moments; "The After-Hours," featuring Anne Francis as a woman in a department store haunted by mannequins; and "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street," in which fear of an alien invasion sparks neighborhood rioting (incidentally, the alien observers inspired Kang and Kodos on The Simpsons). Exploring the "pit of man's fears," The Twilight Zone also served up some poignant episodes, including "Walking Distance," "A Stop at Willoughby," and "The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine," in which an aging movie star (shades of Sunset Boulevard) clings to the past. Less successful were Serling's comedic outings, such as "Mr. Bevis" and "The Mighty Casey," but the series finale, "A World of His Own," starring Keenan Wynn as a playwright whose fictional characters come to life, ended on a high note. Boasting literate writing and solid performances by veteran actors such as Gig Young, Martin Balsam, Ed Wynn, Ida Lupino, and Jack Warden, as well as newcomers such as Jack Klugman, The Twilight Zone looks sharp indeed on this set loaded with extras, including the unaired version of the pilot episode, "Where is Everybody?"; audio commentaries and recollections; and the encyclopedic 466-page book The Twilight Zone Companion (Second Edition) by Marc Scott Zicree. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. (K. Lee Benson)
The Twilight Zone: The Definitive Edition--Season 1
Image, 6 discs, 930 min., not rated, DVD: $119.99 March 7, 2005
The Twilight Zone: The Definitive Edition--Season 1
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: