More Treasures of the Twilight Zone

Rating:
Summary: Both of the "Treasures" DVD's are great.....
Review: but this one is the very best of the entire collection!

Most often the Twilight Zone DVD's have a "mix" of episodes. One really great one, one or two good ones, and a clunker thrown in for good measure (even Serling himself said there were many TZ episodes that didn't quite make the grade). This one is nothing but pure gold! All three of the episodes on this disc are the most memorable of the series.

A tip to the masses - be aware that the 45 individual TZ dvd's have recently been packaged into "collections" (which are NOT by season as they should have been - but just simply repackaged previously released volumes 1-9 in collection #1, 10-18 in collection #2, etc) that is really the way to go if you are the completist and will be getting them all.

However, if you want to try just a single Twilight Zone DVD, give this one a try and you won't be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: Both of the "Treasures" DVD's are great.....
Review: but this one is the very best of the entire collection!

Most often the Twilight Zone DVD's have a "mix" of episodes. One really great one, one or two good ones, and a clunker thrown in for good measure (even Serling himself said there were many TZ episodes that didn't quite make the grade). This one is nothing but pure gold! All three of the episodes on this disc are the most memorable of the series.

A tip to the masses - be aware that the 45 individual TZ dvd's have recently been packaged into "collections" (which are NOT by season as they should have been - but just simply repackaged previously released volumes 1-9 in collection #1, 10-18 in collection #2, etc) that is really the way to go if you are the completist and will be getting them all.

However, if you want to try just a single Twilight Zone DVD, give this one a try and you won't be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: Common Theme Here ---> What's Behind That Outer Facade?
Review: This "More Treasures" volume of Rod Serling's "The Twilight Zone" is one of my favorites in the series of "TZ" discs put out by Image Entertainment. You'll find three of the best "Zone" episodes on this disc -- plus a very satisfying batch of bonus features as well.

EPISODES:

1.) "The Masks" (first seen on CBS-TV on March 20, 1964, during the fifth and final season of the series; Episode #145 of 156) --- This episode stars 66-year-old Robert Keith as the dying "Jason Foster" (this was Keith's last TV or movie role; he died in December 1966).

Throughout the entire episode length of "The Masks" there's a perceptible underlying feeling of creepiness and eeriness, enhanced greatly by the effective music score used here. A truly five-star TZ outing.

2.) "The Eye Of The Beholder" (Ep. #42; November 11, 1960; Season 2) --- This episode is also known as "The Private World Of Darkness". Donna Douglas (from "The Beverly Hillbillies" fame) appears in this episode as the "disfigured" Janet Tyler, which begs the proverbial question: just what is "normal"? A top-notch TZ installment, with yet another fine music score attached.

3.) "The Howling Man" (Ep. #41; November 4, 1960; Season 2) --- John Carradine stars in this ultra-creepy "Zone". Some unique "Batman"-like "tilted" camera angles are employed by Mr. Serling throughout this episode, a hint to the viewer (I suppose) that things just aren't quite right here. Excellent use of lighting too. Plus there's the very realistic-looking set design as well. The climax is worth the wait.

Video quality for the three episodes featured on this 1999-produced DVD is just about perfect, in my opinion. I'm doubting these shows looked this good even during their initial CBS airings. The picture quality for the bonus supplements, however, does not earn as much praise. But these extras were obviously not souped-up in any manner for DVD release, and don't look too terrible considering their age.

The Menu design for this disc is rather annoying, with animated transitions each time you want to move around the menu screens. Plus, an added nuisance on this particular disc is the inability to "pause" the scrolling text notes. Good luck if you're a slow reader.

The later (higher-numbered) volumes in Image Entertainment's TZ DVD series have a much-improved and user-friendly menu system (which feature silent menus, non-scrolling text notes, and no animated screen-to-screen transitions). Some DVD menu designer must have been listening when told how irritating the menus are on these early (1999) "Twilight Zone" discs.


BONUS MATERIAL:

>> A Rod Serling TV Interview, conducted in 1959 by famed CBS-TV newsman Mike Wallace on his series entitled "The Mike Wallace Interview". This bonus runs for 21.5 minutes and takes us inside the head of Mr. Rod Serling, as he candidly discusses with Wallace many aspects of television, circa 1959. Serling's as-yet-to-be-seen new series "The Twilight Zone", of course, is discussed -- along with other aspects of the medium of television, including network censorship.

This is a very interesting and highly-collectible bonus supplement, which can also be found on the first "Treasures Of The Twilight Zone" DVD.

During the interview, Serling, a heavy smoker, is seen puffing away on the cigarettes like mad. All of that smoking no doubt took its toll physically on the hard-working Mr. Serling, who died at the early age of 50 in 1975. He was born on Christmas Day 1924 (in Syracuse, New York).

>> An intriguing Rod Serling "Pitch". It's a 7.5-minute promotional film, made in 1959, and features Rod Serling himself attempting to "pitch" his product ("The Twilight Zone" TV series) to potential sponsors. Cool stuff.

>> "Program Bumpers (Previews)" -- Prior to each of the three episodes on the disc, Rod Serling appears with a preview of the upcoming program.

>> Text Notes on the history of "The Twilight Zone" and a brief bio on Creator/Writer Rod Serling.

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TECHNICAL DATA CONCERNING THIS DVD:

Video: 1.33:1 TV Ratio (Full Frame / Full Screen).

Audio: 2.0 Mono (Dolby Digital).

Subtitles: None.

Episode Running Times: Approx. 25:10 per program.

Enclosures/Inserts: None.

Scene Access?: Yes, all episodes plus bonus items are broken into chapters.

"Play All" Option?: Yes -- Choosing "Feature Presentation" from the Main Menu will play all episodes on the disc consecutively (followed by the Rod Serling extra features).

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Final TZ Thoughts:

It's a virtual toss-up between this "More Treasures" disc and TZ Volume #2 as to which is my all-time favorite "Zone" DVD. But one thing's for certain -- purchasing this disc is sure to please any TZ aficionado, and induce a shiver or two to boot.

Rating:
Summary: More Treasures of the Twilight Zone
Review: What Twilight Zone fan wouldn't leap upon the opportunity to own three classic Twilight Zone episodes in their original condition with DVD quality? More Treasures of the Twilight Zone surprisingly managed to surpass the first Treasures in quality and extra features. I was overjoyed to see that included before each of the three episodes (The Masks, The Howling Man, Eye of the Beholder) the original teaser for the episode given at the end of the previous week's episode were included. The only disappointment that came from this DVD is the mistake in credits and reviews for the episodes. In this section they (apparently by accident) show the credits and reviews for the three episodes in the first Treasures of the Twilight Zone and include nothing about the three that are actually on the DVD!