The Twilight Zone: The Complete Fourth Season (1963) (DVD Review)
Directed By: Buzz Kulik, Perry Lafferty, Stuart Rosenberg
Starring: Rod Serling, Ann Jillian, Anne Francis
Rated: UR/Region: 1/1:33/Number of disc: 5
Available from IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT
EXPLORE THE FANTASTIC AND THE FRIGHTENING. This collection includes all 18 episodes from the fourth season of Rod Serling’s legendary classic television series. Travel to another dimension of sight and sound with special guest stars Bill Bixby, Burgess Meredith, Burt Reynolds, Dennis Hopper, Jack Klugman, Jack Weston, James Best, Ann Jillian, Anne Francis, James Whitmore, Martin Balsam, Robert Duvall and more! Episodes: In His Image, The Thirty Fathom Grave, Valley of the Shadow, He’s Alive, Mute, Death Ship, Jess-Belle, Miniature, Printer’s Devil, No Time Like the Past, The Parallel, I Dream of Genie, and more!
In November 1962 CBS contracted Twilight Zone (now sans the The) as a mid-season January replacement for Fair Exchange. That oddly enough was the show that originally took the place of The Twilight Zone. In order to fill the slot the show was changed from a 30 minute format to an hour format and that is why we get less episodes here. Less episodes, but longer ones regardless. That can be hit and miss in some cases as I personally love the 30 minute format, but there are still some awesome episodes here no matter what the running time is.
Rod Serling also does a lot of intros on a basic backdrop a lot of the time this season. That should only lead you to realize the awkward feeling that can follow this season around from time to time. Then again, it also makes this season stand out above the rest for better or worse for that very same reason. You still get some awesome episodes here and this is a must for any Twilight Zone purest. Episodes are…
01 In His Image – A science enthusiast creates a perfect mechanical man, one who compensates for his own shortcomings.
02 The Thirty-Fathom Grave – A man is haunted by the sounds from a submarine that sank 20 years ago.
03 Valley of the Shadow – A reporter discovers the secret of a small village but can he escape it?
04 He’s Alive – A young hatemonger is inspired by the ghost of Adolf Hitler.
05 Mute – A young couple experiment with telepathy.
06 Death Ship – An astronaut refuses to admit that he and his crew may be dead.
07 Jess-Belle – A girl strikes a deadly bargain with a witch to ensure the attention of a young man.
08 Miniature – An introverted young man falls in love with a doll in a museum.
09 Printer’s Devil – A newspaper editor who is facing bankruptcy hires a man who claims to be the Devil.
10 No Time Like the Past – A time traveler attempts to change history by warning the victims of impending disasters.
11 The Parallel – An orbiting astronaut passes into a strange parallel world.
12 I Dream of Genie – A store keeper discovers Aladdin’s lamp.
13 The New Exhibit – Famous murderers from history become the star attraction of a wax museum.
14 Of Late I Think of Cliffordville – A remorseless businessman makes a deal with the Devil in order to go back in time.
15 The Incredible World of Horace Ford – A toy manufacturer relives his boyhood.
16 On Thursday We Leave for Home – The leader of an expedition to a remote asteroid cannot bring himself to face the dissipation of his authority that returning to Earth would bring.
17 Passage on the Lady Anne – An unhappily married couple take a cruise to save their marriage.
18 The Bard – A hack TV writer conjures up William Shakespeare to act as his collaborator.
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