Twilight Zone: Season 1 - Episode 4: 'The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine' (1959) - TV Episode Review

[caption id="attachment_325" align="alignright" width="263"] Official Score = 3 Devils[/caption]

The concept of the power of the mind, and the will of a person to have something occur is a recurring theme through out the horror and science fiction genres since well before movies, or plays. But the truth is, is most of the time in horror and science fiction, it is usually (especially these days,) done by the bad guy to cause massive amounts of damage...

So when I recently saw, 'Twilight Zone: Season 1 - Episode 4: 'The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine'', I have to admit that this episodes take on the ancient theme was really quite fascinating!

You see, this episode, which was written by: Rod Serling (Reqiuem For A Heavyweight), Ida Lupino (High Sierra), Martin Balsam (Psycho) & Alice Frost (Stone), told the story of an unhappy woman and her intense longing for her former glory!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="537"] Barbara Trenton (Ida Lupino)... A woman who is desperately missing the popularity and excitement of her youth![/caption]

You see in the 1930s, Barbara Jean Trenton (Ida Lupino) was a super star (some one who could be said to be the, 'Jennifer Lawrence' of her day...) But in the late 1950s, Barbara Jean is over the hill, she is a, 'has been' who hasn't worked in years. She keeps herself locked away in her mansion where she watches her old films... And her only friend is, 'Danny Weiss' (Martin Balsam).

With time not having been particularly kind to her, she sits in her own little world longing for the days when she was still at the top of her game... And trying to stay away from the world that she has just grown to completely despise...

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="448"] Barbara as she is meeting up with Danny, who has some good news for her![/caption]

But the longer she stays locked away in her own little world... Who knows, with the power of will... And the Twilight Zone, she may actually be able to get that world back!

In the end, this episode may not be the most scary (as a matter of fact, it actually isn't scary), it may not be any major Science Fiction masterpiece, but the truth is, is the best part of this episode was the story (I won't say to much), but I will say this, this episode just in the end made me feel good to have watched it, and if you get a chance to see it, then you might find the same thing as well!

http://youtu.be/ZIrtUDjLZ3Y

Psycho (1960) - Movie Review

[caption id="attachment_415" align="alignright" width="350"] Official Score = 4 Devils[/caption]

In the 1950s in Wisconsin there was a serial killer by the name of, 'Ed Gein' who lived alone on a huge farm, and was more or less obsessed with his mother to the point where he started tipping over the edge when she died.

Then a few years after Gein's arrest, author Robert Bloch would go on to write a novel that was loosely based on the, 'Gein' case called, 'Psycho'.

Then in 1960, the true master of suspense, 'Alfred Hitchcock' (Rear Window) went on to make a little movie for Universal Pictures that would go on the become one of the most prolific movies in both the thriller genre and the horror genre, and that was based on Bloch's novel called, Psycho (1960)!

Written by: Joseph Stefano (Psycho 4: The Beginning) and Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock. Starring: Anthony Perkins (The Black hole), Vera Miles (The Searchers), John Gavin (Spartacus), Janet Leigh (Halloween: H20) and Martin Balsam (Cape Fear).

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="538"] One of the most famous shots in horror movie history... A shot with Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) as he looks up in to his mother's room![/caption]

Psycho tells the story of Marion Crane (Leigh) who comes across $40 thousand dollars one day when a person who is about to buy a house from the real estate company that she works for drops the cash on Marion's desk, and Marion's boss asks her to take it to the companies safety deposit box!

Now Marion has a boyfriend that she loves very much by the name of, 'Sam' who lives in Fairvale California (while Marion lives in Phoenix Arizona). Sam unfortunately due to his debts can't move in with Marion, and won't let Marion movie in with him (due to the fact that he more or less basically has a tiny room in the back of his shop!

So Marion decides to steal the $40 thousand and takes off for Fairvale to be with the man of her dreams and help pay off his debts!

After some fear of being caught by the California Highway Patrol, Marion decides to stop off at the local Bates Motel, where she meets the slightly odd but nice enough Motel Manager who lives with his mother, by the name of Norman Bates (Perkins).

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="450"] Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) asking a cold and lonely Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) if she would have dinner with him.[/caption]

Now after some slightly weird but mostly genial conversation and a dinner of sandwiches, with Norman, and discovers that she may have made a mistake in stealing that money. Marion heads off to her own room to get ready for bed, in preparation for heading back to Phoenix to face the music!

While she is in the shower, 'Mrs. Bates' decides to show her dislike for Marion by barging in to her room and murdering her in what would become one of the most famous shower murder scenes in movie history!

Well with Marion and the $40 thousand dollars missing, a Private Detective by the name of, 'Milton Arbogast' (Martin Balsam) is hired to find Marion and retrieve the money. While Marion's sister, 'Lila' (Miles) just wants to find her sister!

Now this movie truly is not only an iconic movie in the horror and thriller genres! But this movie is one of the most recognizable movies in the history of Cinema!

http://youtu.be/y9klJA1JMbM