Rod Serling Movies
A master of suspense and the bizarre, Rod Serling is best remembered for his groundbreaking sci-fi television anthology series The Twilight Zone (1959-1965). Born in Syracuse, NY, the son of a wholesale meat dealer, Serling had a life-long interest in science fiction and the supernatural. During WWII, he served as a paratrooper in the U.S. Army 11th Airborne Division. While in the military, Serling was also a noted boxer. Following an honorable discharge in 1946, the result of a shrapnel wound, he attended Antioch College and majored in physical education and then literature. While there, he began writing, directing, and acting in locally produced radio plays. In 1949, he sold his first television script, "Grady Everett for the People." He came to Hollywood to write teleplays full-time in the mid-'50s. Early on, Serling was noted for his intelligent and offbeat scripts. His teleplay Patterns earned him his first of five Emmys. With the Twilight Zone, Serling served as the host and oversaw each of the two stories presented per episode. He wrote many of the stories himself, most of which were known for their ironic twists. Serling also wrote a few screenplays, including Planet of the Apes (1968). Later, he returned to television to launch other anthology series such as Rod Serling's Night Gallery. He also was noted as the distinctive narrator of the Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau documentaries. In addition to his television career, Serling often did cross-country college campus lectures and for a time was a professor at Antioch College. He died in 1975 during open-heart surgery. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Robert Wise brings his distinguished name and considerable directorial skill to this remake of a 1970 Rod Serling TV drama. Set in 1969, Abel Shaddick (Peter Falk), a crotchety deli owner, has a grudge against virtually everyone in his upstate New York town of Fairview, particularly against his slacker nephew Stanley (Andrew McCarthy) who lives behind the shop. Without telling his uncle, Stanley agrees to put up a needy city kid for the summer as part of a charity program run by rich debutante Gloria (Nastassja Kinski). Abel immediately vetoes the plan, but it is too late. The kid, young Herman Washington (Aaron Meeks), is already on his way. Though initially the two intensely dislike each other, they bond over fishing and war heroes -- Abel's son died during WWII, while Herman's brother was killed in Vietnam. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Falk, Aaron Meeks, (more)
- 2000
This made-for-TV fantasy was based on Rod Serling's "A Stop at Willoughby," a 1960 episode of Serling's classic anthology series Twilight Zone. The story begins in the year 2000, with advertising executive Charles Lattimer (Mark Harmon) escaping his hectic professional life and increasingly dissatisfying marriage to wife Kristen (Catherine Hicks) by obsessively tinkering with his elaborate model-train set. Through the aid of a magic stopwatch, Charles boards a real train and is whisked back to 1896, where he inaugurates a romance with attractive widow Laura Brown (Mary McDonnell). Traversing back and forth through the years, Charles ultimately finds that he will never truly be happy until he chooses between the "real" world and the world fashioned by his nostalgic imagination. Filmed in Alberta, For All Time made its CBS network debut on October 18, 2000. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1976
A pair of scientists must travel through the Time Tunnel to search for the cure for a deadly epidemic. They land in late 19th century Chicago the night before the big fire. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1974
Benny Hill fans of the world arise! Your hedonistic hero is back with 55 minutes of highlights from his best British TV comedy specials. Included herein are the elaborate costume spoofs "Rembrandt's Cottage" and "Herd TV," along with a visit from Captain Benny. And what would a Benny Hill show be without the pulchritudinous presence of "Hill's Angels"? Originally released in 1985, Crazy World is one of seven tapes included in Thames Video's "Benny Hill Collection." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
A close look at evidence that UFOs come from outer space is presented here by Rod Serling and Burgess Meredith. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1973
This documentary investigates the theory that extraterrestrials inhabited the Earth thousands of years ago, during the time of early humans. The program contains interviews with paranormal experts and historians, who talk about the conditions of the Earth during these ancient times and the types of interplanetary life that could have survived on the planet. The program also explores how the prehistoric human beings would have interacted with these aliens from other planets. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1972
Rod Serling, a master of speculative scriptwriting, penned the screenplay of The Man. Set a few days into the future, the story contrives to kill off the President, the vice president, and virtually everyone in line of succession in a bizarre accident. This turn of events elevates African-American senator James Earl Jones directly into the Oval Office. Based on a novel by Irving Wallace, The Man was originally intended as TV movie, but released theatrically because most sponsors were afraid of its supposed controversial content. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Earl Jones, Martin Balsam, (more)
- 1972
This episode marks the only known instance in which future Oscar-winner Jodie Foster shared screen time (after a fashion) with Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling!. The ten-year-old Foster is cast as Pip Baker, the daughter of Chief Ironside's friends Gerald and Carol Barker (Paul Carr, Anne Whitfield). Morbidly fascinated with witchcraft and the occult, little Pip is convinced that she has cast a spell upon her parents' nasty landlord, causing the man's death. Later on, however, the police arrest a mentally challenged adult named Billy (Lee Paul) for the murder. Certain that neither Pip nor Billy is the guilty party, Ironside launches his own investigation, which at one point brings him in contact with a certain Mr. Thyros (Serling!), the black-clad owner of a "Witches'" store. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
This nature study video introduces you to Burke, a 125 pound baby walrus. Enjoy the view as Cousteau's camera crew, teach "Burke" to swim, after his mother is killed. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1969
In the two-hour pilot film for the subsequent TV "occult" anthology, series creator Rod Serling hosts three macabre short stories, introducing each with a framed portrait in a nocturnal art gallery. The first story stars Roddy MacDowall as a covetous nephew who murders his uncle, suffering the consequence of being possessed by a family painting. The second story stars Joan Crawford as a blind, thoroughly despicable millionairess who purchases the eyes of down-and-out Tom Bosley in order to enjoy 12 precious hours of sight. The final tale involves a Nazi war criminal (Richard Kiley), who attempts to evade his pursuers by escaping into a painting in a museum. The middle sequence is by far the best, directed with youthful bravado by 21-year-old Steven Spielberg. An uneven package, Night Gallery was nonetheless infinitely superior to the series that followed, which suffered from too much network and studio interference and not enough Rod Serling. The Night Gallery pilot was first telecast November 8, 1969; the series ran from 1970 through 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau, Vol. 1: The Singing Whale is part of a ten-volume nature/wildlife documentary series. In this episode, Cousteau and his crew travel to the West Indies to study the habitat and behavior of humpback whales. An underwater "concert" by hundreds of singing humpbacks is a special highlight of the 60-minute program. ~ Kathleen Wildasin, All Movie Guide
- 1967
Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau, Vol. 5: Octopus-Octopus is part of a ten-volume nature/wildlife documentary series. In this episode, Cousteau and his crew sail the Pacific and Mediterranean on two ships, the Calypso and the Espadon, to study the habitat and behavior of octopuses. The 60-minute program features stunning footage of the eight-legged creature. ~ Kathleen Wildasin, All Movie Guide
- 1967
Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau, Vol. 6: The Dragons of Galapagos is part of a ten-volume nature/wildlife documentary series. In this episode, Cousteau and his crew sail to the Galapagos Islands to study the habitat and behavior of marine iguanas. The 60-minute program features descriptive and historical information about this curious creature which is an "exotic remnant" of an extinct order. ~ Kathleen Wildasin, All Movie Guide
- 1967
Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau, Vol. 2: The Unsinkable Sea Otter is part of a ten-volume nature/wildlife documentary series. In this episode, Cousteau and his crew travel from Alaska's icy waters to balmy Monterey, CA, to study the habitat and behavior of sea otters. The 60-minute program features "never-before-filmed" footage of the animals. ~ Kathleen Wildasin, All Movie Guide
- 1967
Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau, Vol. 10: Whales is part of a ten-volume nature/wildlife documentary series. In this episode, Cousteau and his crew travel to the coasts of Madagascar and Baja, CA, to study the habitat and behavior of whales. The 60-minute program features footage of finback, sperm, and killer whales. ~ Kathleen Wildasin, All Movie Guide
- 1967
Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau, Vol. 7: The Desert Whales is part of a ten-volume nature/wildlife documentary series. In this 60-minute episode, Cousteau and his crew sail from the Bering Sea to the inland lagoons of Baja, CA, to study the habitat and behavior of the California grey whale. The adventurers track and film the whale on its annual 5,000-mile migratory journey and provide commentary along the way. ~ Kathleen Wildasin, All Movie Guide
- 1966
In this made-for-TV movie, a deadly bomb is concealed aboard a passenger jet in a devious plan to blackmail the airline company. With the bomb threatening to go off any minute, the passengers and crew aboard the plane must search to find and dismantle the deadly device. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Assault on a Queen is a complex, exciting crime-caper film in which a gang of clever mercenaries try to rob the famous luxury liner, the Queen Mary. Mark Brittain (Frank Sinatra) is hired by wealthy Italian adventuress Rosa Lucchesi (Verna Lisi) and her German partner-in-crime, Eric Laufftiauer (Alf Kjellin) to refurbish a WWII German U-Boat and use it to hold the entire ship hostage while it is robbed. Scriptwriter Rod Serling does his best with an interesting, but rather implausible premise, and director Jack Donohue gets above-average performances from his cast of veteran character actors, including Richard Conte and Reginald Denny, but Frank Sinatra is not particularly believable as an action hero. The true star of the show is the terrific color photography of the magnificent ocean liner by William Daniels and a musical score by Duke Ellington. While Assault on a Queen fails to generate much suspense, fans of Frank Sinatra should enjoy this, although it fails to reach the level of fun and excitement of his excellent Ocean's 11. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Frank Sinatra, Virna Lisi, (more)
- 1964
Just before embarking upon a 40-year space journey, Cmdr. Douglas Stansfield (Robert Lansing) falls in love with the beautiful Sandra Horn (Mariette Hartley). Blasting into space, Stansfield in placed in a state of suspended animation, which will enable him to retain his youth and vitality during the long journey. Thus does he spend most of the flight in despair, knowing that when he returns, Sandra will have aged four decades. . .or will she? Also appearing in this low-key Twilight Zone installment are veteran movie heavy George Macready and TV-series perennial Edward Binns. Written by Rod Serling, "The Long Morrow" was originally telecast January 10, 1964. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Lansing, Mariette Hartley, (more)
- 1964
On the eve of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, dying millionaire Jason Foster (Robert Keith) summons his greedy relatives to his mansion. In a faint but firm voice, Foster informs his niece Emily (Virginia Gregg), nephew-in-law Wilfred (Milton Selzer), and Emily and Wilfred's despicable offspring Wilfred, Jr. (Alan Sues) and Paula (Brooke Hayward), that -- despite his hatred of them -- he intends to leave them his entire fortune. But there's a condition -- all four relatives must don grotesque masks which reflect their true natures -- and they are forbidden to remove those masks until the stroke of midnight. This memorable Twilight Zone episode was directed by Ida Lupino, who had starred in the first-season Twilight Zone entry "The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine." Written by Rod Serling, "The Masks" originally aired on March 20, 1964. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Keith, Virginia Gregg, (more)
- 1964
John McGiver stars as ex-Navy man Roswell G. Flemington, who insists upon running his business, and his home, in strict maritime fashion. This includes an abundance of loud noises -- whistles, bells, cannon shots, and military music -- because Flemington, like nature, abhors a vaccuum. His obsession with noise costs Flemington his wife (Penny Singleton) and his sanity, though not necessarily in that order. Written Rod Serling, "Sounds and Silences" was networkcast only once, on April 3, 1964; because of a legal squabble with another writer, the episode was removed from the Twilight Zone syndicated package, remaining unseen until 1984, when it was included in a two-hour Twilight Zone anniversary package. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John McGiver, Penny Singleton, (more)
