What OLD series/movies are you watching? *Spoilers welcome!*

Oh, almost forgot. Before I got sidetracked by Barnaby Jones' good looking daughter-in-law/secretary, I had pop in here to mention "The Outer Limits."

It's probably been brought up before in this forum, but just a week or so ago, I found it online...both the 1960s version and the 1990s version. It's kind of nice to see them, un-cut for the extra commercials they tend to squeeze in for syndication these days, so the originals are 51 minutes and the 90's version something like 44.

I always liked the original, black and white Outer Limits. I first discovered it when I was in my late teens, as it wasn't shown much in syndication around here, at least not like the Twilight Zone or Alfred Hitchcock was. I didn't really care for the 1990s version when it came out. The older ones, just by virtue of being in black and white I guess, just seemed creepier. I think the music score helped a lot. I mean, one of the episodes reads like the pilot of "Green Acres". Seriously. Eddie Albert wants to give up the city life and has a dream of buying a farm. He overdresses for the occasion, takes his wife out in their convertible that was built by the Ford Motor Company, to look at the place, and all sorts of mayhem ensues. Yet, I can still watch it to this day, and get a good horror-movie vibe from it!

However, now that even the "newer" ones are pushing 30 years old, I've found a new appreciation for them. Plus, I think Joseph Stefano, who was the producer for the original version's first season, still had a hand in the 90's version.
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I had pop in here to mention "The Outer Limits."

It's probably been brought up before in this forum, but just a week or so ago, I found it online...both the 1960s version and the 1990s version. It's kind of nice to see them, un-cut for the extra commercials they tend to squeeze in for syndication these days, so the originals are 51 minutes and the 90's version something like 44.

I think the older version is better than the new version. I think the 1960's productions suffer from the stories being a little bit too long. The 1990's versions stories just aren't very good and there are some real clunkers in some of the 1960's stories. Most of the 60's stories revolve around aliens and space travel--understandable considering the events of the era--but now seem dated.

The last 60's era episode I watched was "Demon with a Glass Hand" S2E5. It was written by sci-fi legend Harlan Ellison and starred Robert Culp. Bonus: the setting was the apartment building used in Blade Runner (1982). Again, kind of dated but the story made up for it. Excellent episode.
 
I got sidetracked by Barnaby Jones' good looking daughter-in-law/secretary,

Lee Meriwether (along with Gilligan's Island's Dawn Wells) "starred" a senior citizen slasher movie called "Silent but Deadly." Made in 2022 it's about a serial killer running wild in a retirement home. Here's a look at Lee Meriwether, 2002:

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I think "Demon With a Glass Hand" as well as "Soldier" were two episodes that got James Cameron in trouble for plagiarism when he did the original "Terminator". "Soldier" dealt with two soldiers from a bleak, distant future, getting transported back in time, with one of them being (somewhat) good, and the other being the "bad guy". The opening scene of it, showing a bleak, dark landscape with occasional laser fire cutting across the screen, even looks "Terminator-esque". The soldiers didn't come back on purpose though, like in "The Terminator." I think the basic plot of "Demon With a Glass Hand" as it dealt with a character coming back in time, from the future, to save humanity, being hunted by an evil enemy, and being aided by an unwitting female.

Poor Robert Culp seemed to get a raw deal in the three (I think it was three, at least) "Outer Limits" episodes he was in. He seemed like such a sweet, likeable guy, so it seemed awful to see what the stories put him through! But then, in an odd twist, he played the bad guy in a couple of "Columbo" episodes, so it was kind of fun seeing him play a different type of role.
 
On the subject of those old sci-fi/thriller type anthologies, does anybody remember one called "One Step Beyond?" I found it on some streaming service years ago, but honestly couldn't get past the first episode. And the only thing I really remember about that episode, is that it had a '58 DeSoto Fireflite convertible in it.

I'm kinda curious though, to give it another try, if it's out there, somewhere. I've heard the music score was done by Harry Lubin, and was pretty much recycled for the second season of "The Outer Limits." But still, the only thing I can remember of it, was that '58 DeSoto!

As for "Silent But Deadly", I never heard of it (wait, was that a pun?) But now I kinda want to see it!
 
On the subject of those old sci-fi/thriller type anthologies, does anybody remember one called "One Step Beyond?" I found it on some streaming service years ago, but honestly couldn't get past the first episode. And the only thing I really remember about that episode, is that it had a '58 DeSoto Fireflite convertible in it.

I'm kinda curious though, to give it another try, if it's out there, somewhere. I've heard the music score was done by Harry Lubin, and was pretty much recycled for the second season of "The Outer Limits." But still, the only thing I can remember of it, was that '58 DeSoto!

As for "Silent But Deadly", I never heard of it (wait, was that a pun?) But now I kinda want to see it!
One Step Beyond was good, as was The Night Gallery (also Rod Serling)
 
I just re-watched "The Sixth Sense". ....

And so much more, a real stunning work, IMO. I was surprised it not only held up for me, but I appreciated it even more. Only one slight inconsistency for me, but it's subjective, so I'm not too bothered by it.
Amazingly, nobody ruined it for me and DW. We saw it late. I was surprised.

I've seen it since and I'm always amazed at all the clues I missed. Very well done!

I'm surprised M. Night didn't have more blockbuster movies after this. He's made some interesting choices. The most recent of his I've seen is "Old", and I thought it was adequate. Not a waste, but nothing I'm going to be talking about 25 years ago like 6th Sense.
 
I'm still working my way through The Twilight Zone. The hour long episodes are more of an investment.

I watched a few Outer Limits and they are one hour too. So I'll start those after TWZ.

---

Speaking TWZ. If you are interesting in watching a more recent movie that builds on a TWZ episode, I recommend the movie Time Lapse, available now for free on Tubi.

First watch TWZ S2/E10 (A Most Unusual Camera). I don't think Time Lapse gives the writers any credit, but it clearly builds on this idea and expands on it by integrating time-travel lore introduced in Star Trek and Back To The Future. (That is, if you do something, you may erase the future.)

But, the movie plays with this idea in an interesting way that provides some twists. That's all I'll say. It is a low budget movie with irritating 20-somethings that drop a lot of F-bombs, so if the turns you off, skip it. Otherwise, it is a moderately good ride for a an indy movie (6.5 rating IMDB).
 
Just finished watching the new "Magnum PI" circa 2018-2024 which I think is excellent. So we went back to start watching the original series circa 1980-1988. New series is so much better we don't like the older series nearly as much.
 
First watch TWZ S2/E10 (A Most Unusual Camera). I don't think Time Lapse gives the writers any credit, but it clearly builds on this idea and expands on it by integrating time-travel lore introduced in Star Trek and Back To The Future. (That is, if you do something, you may erase the future.)

But, the movie plays with this idea in an interesting way that provides some twists. That's all I'll say. It is a low budget movie with irritating 20-somethings that drop a lot of F-bombs, so if the turns you off, skip it. Otherwise, it is a moderately good ride for a an indy movie (6.5 rating IMDB).

I watched Time Lapse a couple years ago and enjoyed it. Nice premise and yes, there are some twists and turns. If someone likes time travel stories they'll probably enjoy it.

There was a scene in it where the characters are looking at an array of Polaroid photos and my mind had flashbacks of post-it notes and the movie Memento.
 
I was looking at a list of the Best Picture Oscar winners a while back and although I had seen most of the post 1960 winners I realized that there was a fair number I hadn't seen from early years so my project this year was to go back and watch the early year ones I had missed. Quite a variety from excellent ("Rebecca", "All the Kings Men", "The Apartment") to meh ("The Great Ziegfeld", "You Can't Take it With You","Gentlemens Agreement") to real stinkers ("The Broadway Melody", "Cimmaron","The Greatest Show on Earth"), Also note the 1930 verison of "All Quiet on the Western Front" was very good for its time but the 2022 version was excellent.
 
I just re-watched "The Sixth Sense". I'm not much of a movie person, most bore me to death and I feel they are poorly done (missed opportunities in most cases - they *could* have been good), and I'm not investing several hours in something that's not going to grab me.
The Sixth Sense - absolutely fabulous movie. I might have to watch it again.
 
So many cold-war inspired series from my childhood. I remember being spellbound by “The Prisoner”.
 
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I enjoyed The Pretender a few years back.
 
I get a rabbit ears channel called Grit and discovered "The Tales of Wells Fargo" and a huge fan. Dale Robertson was great in that. It also gives Twilight Zone a run for its money in terms of the most "stars before they were stars" guest stars.
 
I get a rabbit ears channel called Grit and discovered "The Tales of Wells Fargo" and a huge fan. Dale Robertson was great in that. It also gives Twilight Zone a run for its money in terms of the most "stars before they were stars" guest stars.
If you like that channel, you might check to see if you get MeTv or MeTV+
 
I watched "Dark City" last night a movie about an eerie city where the inhabitants have lost their memories and everything is "reset" at midnight. One person is not affected by this reset but he's wanted for murder. His task (and the viewer's) is to figure out what is going on. YMMV on the plot reveal payoff.

This is an artsy film that I would describe as sci-fi noir. It seems the director threw a bunch of elements of noir, horror, and sci-fi into a cauldron and stirred it up. It's visually interesting, though dated. I got "Blade Runner" vibes from some of the sets. I imagine when it was released in 1998 it was hailed as a break though. In hindsight it's kind of cheesy but interesting.

Stars Rufus Sewell, Kiefer Sutherland, and Jennifer Connelly. Kiefer Sutherland's character is a bit edgy and strange. Kind of like a mad scientist with a German accent. Jennifer Connelly is in her usual beautiful glory. I give it a 7.5 out of 10. Had I seen it in 1998 I might have given it a 9 out of 10.
 
Earlier in this thread, a vintage picture of Cloris Leachman was posted.

Last night we were watching "The Office". We're binging it. We landed on S5/E13 "Stress Relief" which is the most viewed episode of the series because it came after the Super Bowl.

This episode had a movie-inside-the-TV-series that featured Jack Black, Jessica Alba and Cloris Leachman. Surprise! She and Jack shared a sloppy kiss. Hilarity ensues.
 
Earlier in this thread, a vintage picture of Cloris Leachman was posted.

Last night we were watching "The Office". We're binging it. We landed on S5/E13 "Stress Relief" which is the most viewed episode of the series because it came after the Super Bowl.

This episode had a movie-inside-the-TV-series that featured Jack Black, Jessica Alba and Cloris Leachman. Surprise! She and Jack shared a sloppy kiss. Hilarity ensues.
Sheesh...Cloris Leachman kissing Jack Black? Talk about robbing the cradle!

OTOH, Jessica Alba... I would rob that cradle!
 
One Step Beyond was good, as was The Night Gallery (also Rod Serling)
I like all things Rod Serling, including Night Gallery. I especially liked the paintings. I thought about getting some of them for the home. But I chose to remain married instead. :)

My wife, however, did get me for gifts, at different times, the books "The Twilight Zone Companion" and "Rod Serling's Night Gallery: An After Hours Tour". I enjoyed reading the "behind the scenes" info of how each series came to be, and additional information about the writers and actors for each episode.
 
Sheesh...Cloris Leachman kissing Jack Black? Talk about robbing the cradle!

OTOH, Jessica Alba... I would rob that cradle!
Sadly there was very little of Jessica Alba.

Somebody said "ew". Yep. I present you "eeewwww"
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I like all things Rod Serling, including Night Gallery. I especially liked the paintings. I thought about getting some of them for the home. But I chose to remain married instead. :)

My wife, however, did get me for gifts, at different times, the books "The Twilight Zone Companion" and "Rod Serling's Night Gallery: An After Hours Tour". I enjoyed reading the "behind the scenes" info of how each series came to be, and additional information about the writers and actors for each episode.

Love that series but hate that in syndication the pilot episode (originally a film) gets omitted.

Always enjoyable to watch the segment with Roddy McDowell...while alone in the house, after dark.
 
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