Author: Craig Zablo

Twilight Zone: “The Improvement of Salvadore Ross” [Season 5, Episode 16] / Z-View

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Twilight Zone: “The Improvement of Salvadore Ross” [Season 5, Episode 16]
Original Air Date: January 17, 1964

Director: Don Siegel
Writer: Jerry McNeely based on a short story by Henry Slesar

Starring: Don Gordon, Gail Kobe and Vaughn Taylor.

The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…

Salvadore Ross [Gordon] has the ability to trade characteristics with others.  Once he learns this Ross begins to amass all of the things he ever wanted.  He trades his youth for riches.  Ross then trades off some money to regain his youth.  The only thing that Ross can’t get is the affection of the woman [Kobe] he loves but he vows he will die trying…

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Twilight Zone: “The Long Morrow” [Season 5, Episode 14] / Z-View

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Twilight Zone: “The Long Morrow” [Season 5, Episode 15]
Original Air Date: January 10, 1964

Director: Robert Florey
Writer: Rod Serling

Starring: Robert Lansing, Mariette Hartley and Edward Binns.

The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…

An astronaut [Lansing] chosen for a mission to deep space because he had no family falls in love with a woman shortly before leaving on his 40 year mission into space.  Since he will be in suspended animation, he will not have aged when he returns but everyone else (including his lover) will be 40 years older.

This episode could have been written by O. Henry.

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Twilight Zone: “Ring-A-Ding Girl” [Season 5, Episode 13] / Z-View

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Twilight Zone: “Ring-A-Ding Girl” [Season 5, Episode 13]
Original Air Date: December 27, 1963

Director: Alan Crosland, Jr.
Writer: Earl Hamner, Jr.

Starring: Maggie McNamara, Mary Munday and David Macklin.

The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…

Big time movie star, Barbara Blake returns to her small home town the same day as the town’s annual picnic.  The people of her small town paid her way to Hollywood before she made it big and are excited that Barbara will be at the town picnic… but Barbara has plans of her own.

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Darwyn Cooke – R.I.P.

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When I read yesterday that Darwyn Cooke was battling an aggressive cancer, it was like an unexpected gut shot.  Truth be told, I only knew Darwyn through his art, stories and the several times I met him at comic shows… but I was such a fan and Darwyn always treated me (and other fans) with such respect and kindness, it sure seemed I knew him better than I did.

I’ve always loved Darwyn’s art and when he began adapting Richard Stark’s Parker novels, I thought it could never get better than that.  Each time I caught up with Darwyn at a show I’d have his latest hardcover for him to sign and he always included a quick headsketch with the signature.  I loved talking to Darwyn about his latest project and what was coming.

Sadly it was announced today that Darwyn passed at 1:30 this morning surrounded by friends, family and aware of all of the well-wishes that had been pouring in since the news about his illness had been announced.

My thoughts, prayers and best wishes go out to Darwyn’s family, friends and fans.  Rest in Peace, Darwyn.

Twilight Zone: “Ninety Years Without Slumbering” [Season 5, Episode 12] / Z-View

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Twilight Zone: “Ninety Years Without Slumbering” [Season 5, Episode 12]
Original Air Date: December 20, 1963

Director: Roger Kay
Writer: Richard De Roy from a story by George Clayton Johnson writing as Johnson Smith

Starring: Ed Wynn, Carolyn Kearney and James T. Callahan.

The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…

Sam Forstman [Wynn] is a 90 year old man who believes that if his 90 year old grandfather clock ever stops running, he will die.

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15 Facts About “Twister”

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Roger Cormier and Mental_Floss present 15 Facts About Twister.  Here are three of my favorites…

5. BOTH HELEN HUNT AND JAN DE BONT WALKED AWAY FROM OTHER MOVIES TO WORK ON THIS ONE.
Helen Hunt (Dr. Jo Harding) passed up working with John Travolta in John Woo’s Broken Arrow (1996). After more than six months of pre-production, de Bont left his Godzilla (1998 version) directing gig because of studio feuds over the budget and immediately agreed to direct Twister instead.

9. THE TORNADO SOUNDS ARE MADE UP OF VARIOUS ANIMAL NOISES.
According to Variety, an altered recording of a camel’s moan helped create the storm sounds. It was reported elsewhere that a lion’s growl and a tiger’s snarl were remixed as tornado audio.

14. BILL PAXTON THINKS THEY MADE THE “PEPSI LITE” VERSION OF THE MOVIE.
“I’d love to direct a sequel to that movie,” Paxton said. “I’ve always felt like there was a Jaws version of that movie. I always felt like we did the Pepsi Lite version of that movie.”

Twilight Zone: “A Short Drink From a Certain Fountain” [Season 5, Episode 11] / Z-View

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Twilight Zone: “A Short Drink From a Certain Fountain” [Season 5, Episode 11]
Original Air Date: December 13, 1963

Director: Brian Girard
Writer: Rod Serling from a story by Lou Holz

Starring: Patrick O’Neal, Ruta Lee and Walter Brooke.

The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…

Harmon Gordon [O’Neal] is an elderly man married to a gold-digger half his age.  In an effort to not lose her Gordon forces his brother to give him an experimental youth serum.  The serum works but things don’t turn out as planned.

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Twilight Zone: “The 7th is Made Up of Phantoms” [Season 5, Episode 10] / Z-View

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Twilight Zone: “The 7th is Made Up of Phantoms” [Season 5, Episode 10]
Original Air Date: December 6, 1963

Director: Alan Crosland, Jr.
Writer: Rod Serling

Starring: Ron Foster, Warren Oates, Randy Boone, and Greg Morris.

The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…

Three modern-day soldiers on National Guard training near the location of the Battle of the Little Big Horn see increasing signs of hostile Indians.

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