“You wanna see something really scary?” Fewer phrases are more recognizable for horror movie fans than those uttered by Dan Aykroyd’s passenger character to the driver (Albert Brooks) in the opening prologue to Twilight Zone: The Movie. Released forty years ago, the film is an adaptation of Rod Serling’s iconic television show, which ran from 1959 to 1964. Set up in anthology style, it features four separate segments, all of which contain different directors. Three of the stories are remakes of original Twilight Zone episodes, with only one being a complete retelling, only loosely based on a prior episode.
The film has gone on to solidify a solid place in the annals of horror film fandom, thanks to the modern (for the time) renditions of viewer-favorite episodes of the series and for that infamous opening scene (which isn’t considered a segment of its own, but rather a prelude of what’s the come). It’s also cloaked in unfortunate tragedy due to the deaths of three cast members, two of which were children, during filming (more on that later). It’s a distinction that sadly precedes it in notoriety.
Nonetheless, Twilight Zone: The Movie runs the gamut in genre and tone among the four stories. We break down each segment, ranking them in order based on the overall creep factor, quality of storytelling, and outright memorability.
1Nightmare at 20,000 Feet
Quite possibly the most well-known story in Twilight Zone: The Movie, this is based on the iconic season five episode featuring William Shatner. This rendition, directed by George Miller and written by Richard Matheson, stars John Lithgow as anxiety-riddled plane passenger John Valentine, who is taunted by a destructive creature outside on the wing.
Lithgow’s performance, from start to finish, is still regarded with high praise for his portrayal of a man descending further and further into manic terror. Already a nervous flier, Valentine desperately attempts to remain calm as the plane navigates a thunderstorm, promptly tipping off flight attendants and passengers to his erratic behavior. Once he notices the gremlin-like creature on the wing wreaking havoc on the plane by throwing debris into the engine and ripping out wires, he plummets into an all-out panic attack as he tries in vain to convince the crew of what’s taking place.
This story stands out thanks partly to Lithgow’s acting abilities and the fun practical effects on the creature but also for the chilling “what if” scenario it presents. In true Twilight Zone fashion… imagine, if you will, seeing something so horrid and threatening with your own eyes and no one believing you. It’s a grim, sympathetically frustrating scenario that conveys the sheer dread felt as the situation unfolds.
It all ends with a fantastic full-circle nod to the opening scene with Aykroyd, which helps to cement these stories together. Regarding overall tone, this one feels the most like what comes to mind when someone mentions Twilight Zone.
2It’s a Good Life
Let’s face it: kids can be creepy. Or at least, they can be in the right sequence of events. This adage holds especially true for this tale, directed by Joe Dante. It stars Kathleen Quinlan as Helen, a wayward traveler who stops at a remote bar to ask for directions. While there, she comes to the defense of young Anthony (Jeremy Licht), who is being harassed by one of the bar’s patrons… only to accidentally run him over with her car on his bike as she’s leaving. Though he’s relatively unscathed, his bike is trashed, and guilt-ridden, she offers him a ride home.
That’s when things get… bizarre. Anthony’s family seems overly accommodating and friendly towards him and Helen, and that’s putting it mildly. As Anthony shows Helen around his house, each room consisting of a different television set, it becomes clear that not all is right with this boy.
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It’s revealed that Anthony has mind control powers, and the people living in his home aren’t really his family but unfortunate victims forced to stay there with him after he killed his real parents. If they act out or don’t do exactly what he wants, he punishes them in various sinister ways.
Though this takes an abrupt 180 in terms of style and feel at the end, the overall thematic elements are enough to send chills down the spines of any viewer. The tense interaction between Anthony and the people living with him, and their clear paranoia and fear of him, plays out expertly to put this towards the top of the list in terms of genuine fear inducement.
3Time Out
This is the most difficult segment to rank for complicated reasons. Though the concept is arguably the most brilliant of the bunch, the tragedy that occurred during filming casts a long, grievous shadow over its strengths.
Directed and written by John Landis, it stars the late Vic Morrow as Bill Connor, an overtly racist, bigoted man lamenting about being passed over for a job promotion with his friends at a bar. Right away, we’re given a taste of just how deplorable of a human Bill is as he spews racial slurs in reference to nearly every demographic, loudly proclaiming his hatred for all to hear.
In one of the most satisfying comeuppance arcs in cinema, Bill steps out of the bar and right into the footsteps of the exact people he hates most, forced to live out a barrage of attacks and tortuous moments. First, he finds himself in Nazi-occupied France and is chased by S.S. officers who believe him to be Jewish. Next, he’s an African American man in the 1950s pursued by Klansmen. Later, he surfaces in Vietnam during the war, forced to dodge bullets and grenades from American soldiers. His retribution trip ends in France, as he’s taken away by railroad freight car to a concentration camp.
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Sadly, Morrow and two child actors were killed in a helicopter crash while filming a scene for this portion of the movie. Several years of legal proceedings followed the accident, leading to controversy and disdain from fans that have marred the overall impression of Twilight Zone: The Movie. Though it ultimately led to stricter safety guidelines for movies, the tragedy of the event is one that should not be forgotten.
4Kick the Can
This is the most out of place in terms of style and feel compared to the other three tales. Directed by Steven Spielberg, the story takes place at Sunnyvale Retirement Home, where new resident Mr. Bloom (Scatman Crothers) listens to the residents lament about the days of yore when they were younger and more carefree. Later that night, he invites them to play a game of kick the can, where they are all transformed into children. They revel in their younger forms, renewed with a sense of hope as they play childhood games.
Their spirited happiness soon fades, though, as they ponder the ramifications of their new identities. They express concern over the fact that their families won’t recognize them, and they won’t be able to live at Sunnyvale anymore since they’re children. Bloom turns them back to their current, older bodies, knowing he’s shown them they can still be young at heart and in their minds.
While it’s a heartwarming idea with a satisfying ending, it’s so vastly different from the other three that it feels confusingly disjointed. It’s undoubtedly reminiscent of many of Spielberg’s fantasy-based creations, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s an obvious pick for the Twilight Zone universe.
No matter where the individual stories rank with those who’ve watched it, one thing that can’t be argued is the mark Twilight Zone: The Movie has left with its fanbase. Partly a loving tribute to one of the most influential television series of all time and somewhat a fresh take on older stories, this remains one of the most famous cinematic anthologies, even forty years after its original release.
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