#streedtvreviews

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StreedTV Reviews: The Fugitive #1 Fear In A Desert City (1963)

Review#5

September 4th 2022 I discovered The Fugitive on PlutoTV, the premise sounded really interesting and despite being a classic television aficionado I had never heard of this show

I feel in love with the show immediately after watching the first episode alone, it's a real shame this show is so obscure and rarely talked about and whenever it is, people are always Referring to the Harrison Ford fugitive film which I never knew existed until after I finished season 1

this episode perfectly introduces the mainstay characters like Richard Kimble & Lieutenant Gerard, David Janssen's performance as Kimble was the main reason I grew so immediately attached to the show

Kimble has an endearing sensitivity to him, he's masculine and courageous while still having a heart and sympathy for those in need and I absolutely adore that about him

Barry Morse as the fierce obsessive Lieutenant Gerard does an impeccable acting job, Gerard is less of a man and more of A force of nature as a loved one of mine put it, you can't tell right away his true intentions

all you know is that he's downright obsessed with capturing and apprehending kimble, could it be out of sadism? who knows, one of the things i noticed is that the narration is longer in the first episode

I remember that bugging me when i watched it for the first time but luckily the narration is trimmed down as the show moves along and to be transparent for a second, William Conrad's voice is very seductive and I don't care what anybody says

there's a few familiar actors present here as well, such as Dabbs Greer, Harry Townes and Barney Phillips, the antagonist of the episode Ed Welles is a startlingly realistic adversary

I've known many men precisely like him, I was raised by men like him, I was friends with men like him, I even dated a few men like him.. cold unfeeling brutes devoid of empathy that have left lasting psychological injuries...

that's what makes him so frightening, he's a very real man we all knew or could potentially meet, he's clearly insecure consumed by suspicion, leading him to be violent and destroy everything that comes his way

Vera Miles also does a fantastic acting job as Ed's vulnerable wife Monica Welles, I felt so bad for her situation and she conveys the sorrow of being in an abusive relationship perfectly

one line particular I found haunting was "his face changed" it's something you notice when someone you love deteriorates and transforms into a completely unrecognizable person.. they look the same but different in a subtle way

the music as well was incredible as ever, with a heavy usage of intense orchestral music, another thing I appreciate about The Fugitive so much is just how cinematic it is, everything from the shots, the music and the camera angles makes it feel like a feature length film

over all, this was an incredible beginning to a superlative show, I wholeheartedly consider it the Breaking Bad of the 1960s with it's immaculate writing, rich interesting characters and it's evocative themes redolent of A time when quality was valued in television

i'd like to give a special thanks to my dear friend who ordered the complete series out of the kindness of his heart so now I can have the pleasure of watching this exceptional show on my own screen, Thank You

Rating: 10/10

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30 Films I Watched In 2023 #22

this wasn't on letterboxd, so I'm posting it here.

Last Of The Summer Wine: Getting Sam Home (1983)

I discovered Last Of The Summer Wine a year ago and since then I've fallen in love with it's comical and endearing characters so when I discovered the season 7 finale was a tv movie I was ecstatic

luckily It did not disappoint, like the show this film is full of hilarious slapstick, though it's more of a dark comedy with the trio reacting to they're cohort Sam's death in a rather nonchalant fashion, our trio as well seemed a bit more cynical but not in an overbearing way

the reason why this film feels somewhat different compared to the show is that it's based of Roy Clarke's 1974 novel of the same name, now they are bound to be apparent changes but I've never read the novel so I can't list them off with precision

Sam was an endearing character himself even though we see little of him alive, judging from his disastrous relationship with Sybil it's reasonable to assume the man was miserable for a long time, much like poor little Wally Batty

I swear marriage in this show is perceived as worse than death, luckily though Sam died cuddling with the woman he truly loved with a silly grin on his face which stays for the entire movie

another aspect I loved about this film was despite it being an extended episode really, it was filmed in a very cinematic fashion so it really feels like Last Of The Summer Wine: The Movie

as for my criticisms apparently this film was intended to be a Christmas special yet the atmosphere didn't implicate Christmas in the slightest, I also felt the narration was a bit jarring and unneeded, that never happened in the show

unfortunately this film marks the last appearance of a beloved character I always enjoyed Sid, the actor John Comer passed away shortly after filming from throat cancer he was rendered unable to speak so Tony Melody dubbed his lines and props to him because his impression was pretty convincing

overall, Last Of The Summer Wine: Getting Sam Home was a fun darkly comedic tv movie perfectly encapsulating the humor and charm of the show, i'd say it's a worthy adaptation and if your a fan of last of the summer wine, this is definitely worth the watch, 9/10

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StreedTV Reviews: The Outer Limits #4 The Man With The Power (1963)

Review#4

I didn't think it possible but somehow this episode's quality was even greater than the last, this episode stars the immensely versatile and endlessly talented Donald Pleasence who plays the mild mannered meek Harold J. Finley

Harold is a man tread on by life, he feels insignificant in a world of celebrated and beloved figures, I can heavily relate to such a feeling, I have auspicious goals myself and hope to one day be remembered for my own talents

you sympathize with Harold's character and I consider him deeply tragic, his wife has no faith in him and there marriage is practically loveless and he feels like being a teacher is a demeaning profession

Harold signs up for an experimental operation which bestows an incredible and infallible power that enables him to telepathically bend objects at his will and his strong emotions to cause an electrical cloud to form and destroy anything in his path

he doesn't intend to harm anyone, in his day to day life he's a gentle man who means no harm but his thoughts are dark and the episode toys with the notion of what if our sinister machinations where made a reality? what kind of irreparable damage would this do?

the episode is also about the corruption of power and how absolute power can bring absolute chaos, back to pleasence's performance his acting is so genuinely incredible that he makes this entire so remarkable and masterful

his facial expressions convey such an unbridled rage and fury boiling beneath such a seemingly peaceful and kindred man, his icy glare is downright startling and I've never been so frightened by looking at someone's eyes

they're vacant, yet full blooming with pure unmitigated rage, I love how the music represents his strong emotions as well with the score rising when his wife Vera is shoved off the later by his electrical storm

this episode also stars Edward Platt as Dean Radcliffe who I recognized from The Twilight Zone & Gunsmoke, he does a suitable job, just thought I'd mention him because of his distinct booming voice

the episode has such a suffocating atmosphere of tension, the sets are obviously still quite picturesque as well matching the tone and atmosphere seamlessly, this episode was directed by a familiar name I recognized

László Benedek he also directed an episode of The Fugitive, Season 1 Episode 17 "Come Watch Me Die" which was a fantastic and enthralling story itself, László definitely has a profound talent for directing that i admire

the ending was heartbreaking and haunting with Harold succumbing to his everlasting power being consumed by it, he commits suicide by his own electrical force and the conclusion is semi-ambiguous

earlier an astronaut Steve Crandon was chosen to have the same operation and it's left unclear whether this hazardous operation was ever conducted or whether it will still proceed after Finley's demise..

the only thing I can criticize the episode for is the poorly aged effects which seems to be a running issue in the series but what can you expect it was indeed the 1960s, the electrical cloud effect was poorly composited and the bolder being lifted was clearly held on strings which admittedly gave me a chuckle

Over all this was a powerful gripping entry examining what ultimate power can do to a man and how it can strip him of his humanity, it's a character study about a man overcome by his subconscious hatred for his place in life, unforgettable episode, couldn't recommend it more

Rating: 10/10

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StreedTV Reviews: The Outer Limits #3 The Architects Of Fear (1963)

Review#3

what a stunning episode, the last entry was an eerie atmospheric experience but this one while still atmospheric and quite tense is a tragic story emblematic of the faulty belief that the end justify the means

these scientists firmly believe that in order to restore peace to the nation that they must fabricate a common enemy, that everyone can unite to defeat, thus freeing the world of chaos A seemingly noble cause

the concept itself is not inherently immoral but it's the execution that makes it immoral, Alan Leighton is chosen and at first he seems comfortable with his decision until he learns of his wife Yvette's pregnancy regrets starts to settle in

his death is faked and he's gripped with guilt, still thinking of her despite his morbid transformation and slowly decreasing humanity, Robert Culp's performance is absolutely incredible and I believe without his acting prowess this would've episode would've had lesser quality

I recognize him as Robert Jones from the highly esoteric and underrated TV movie A Cold Night's Death (1973) which I staunchly believe at least partially inspired John Carpenter's The Thing (1982)

Culp really sells the despair Alan is going through, imagine being transformed permanently into a completely unrecognizable creature knowing your demise is inevitable and you'll never see your loved ones again, it's quite a dreadful and existentially agonizing concept

there where other actors I recognized as well such as Leonard Stone who played Charles in Soylent Green (1973) Geraldine Brooks who I've seen appear a few times in The Fugitive (1963-1967) and Billy Green Bush who I mainly know as Jim from a childhood favorite of mine Critters (1986)

even the scientists specifically Dr. Gainer are relatively engaging, they aren't evil or manipulative, they truly believe this is the right thing to do but it's obvious that the more the surgical procedures are implemented that Dr. Gainer is feeling a considerable amount of regret and guilt

as disturbing as the subject matter for this episode is, the atmosphere radiates a profound bleakness and sorrow, much like the last episode, the score is very effective and compliments the dreary scenery well

the effects for the early 60s are inventive but poor and typically unrealistic though i will compliment the uncanny appearance of the alien, it's a bizarre combination of both frightening and somewhat silly, much like Katahdin from Prophecy (1979)

the way it moves is what particularly unnerved me, the finale to this fine episode etched my heart with pure despair, i'm being immensely transparent when I say the finale made me weep

at the end Alan in his new alien form returns to the lab and finds Yvette and props to the writers for not making her irrationally scream at the sight of an unfamiliar being, she's more shocked than anything

Alan communicates the "Mark against evil" gesture which was brilliantly foreshadowed early on and I predicted it would be used in the finale, she realizes it's him and he passes

over all, this was an emotionally impactful poignant entry that warns against the use of fear to achieve unity, in the end Alan died for nothing, all the effort put to unite the world has left no affect, nothing has changed, a truly evocative, a strong recommendation for me

Rating: 10/10

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StreedTV Reviews: The Outer Limits #2 The Hundred Days Of The Dragon (1963)

Review#2

this was definitely a vast improvement over the last episode, the concept of a serum able to transform your face into that of another sounds farcical but I admire how realistic the execution is

every detail was well thought out from the finger prints to the mouth and even the bone structure, Sidney Blackmar plays president Bill Selby, after he's murdered an east asian agent assumes his identity

I recognized Sidney Blackmar from the underwhelming mediocre Chris Robinson film Revenge Is My Destiny (1971) in that film he was somewhat dry but here his subtle facial expressions speaks higher volumes than anything else

he has this unsettling ghostly presence, there's not much screen time of him as the actual president Selby but despite playing both characters he managed to make a distinction between the two

the Real Selby seemed to be a kind and sentimental grandfatherly man but The Agent while polite and quite convincing seems distant, calculated and almost robotic in his speech and mannerisms

another thing that's so disquieting about the episode is just how well the agent acts as the president, at first glance he seems like a sedulous patriot willing to defend the American way

but we as the audience know he's a spy, which makes these seemingly mundane scenes all the more unsettling and frightening, Fun Fact: a clip of this episode was shown in Miss Doubtfire (1993)

it's good to finally know where this bizarre scene came from, Phillip Pine does a fantastic job as the vice president Ted Pearson, I believe I've seen him in other shows and films before but I can't recollect where

another thing i appreciated about the episode was the atmosphere of unease, the suspense was really gripping and I loved the use of shadows, felt very much like a noir film

watching this episode feels like being in a deathly quiet dimly lit hotel with an unrelenting sense of dread, like someone or something is lurking in the caliginous night..

the score as well has an unsettling aura to it as well, over all this was a major improvement from episode one in every way, the atmosphere was disquieting, the score was eerie, the acting was compelling and the writing was detailed and intelligent, strong recommendation here

Rating: 9/10

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StreedTV Reviews: The Outer Limits #1 The Galaxy Being (1963)

Review#1

I've heard of the outer limits for a while but until now I've neglected to actually watch it but some people compare it to the twilight zone since it's an anthology show

I really enjoyed the first episode, it perfectly sets the tone for the series, the design of the mysterious alien is so eerie and truly unfamiliar

while it appears sinister it's actually not an inherently evil creature, it's a nitrogen based being purely made out of radiation so when it encounters hostile people it instinctively tries to defend itself

Alan Maxwell is a very engaging character himself, he's a dreamer who longs to explore and discover the secrets of the universe, he's played brilliantly by Cliff Robertson who starred in two episodes of the twilight zone

my favorite scene from the entire episode is when Alan first makes contact with the alien, they're conversation is so engrossing and it genuinely feels like a realistic conversation between an alien creature and a human being

another aspect i appreciated about the episode was the atmospheric score, it really complimented the episode well, I also really liked the ambiguous ending where it's made unclear whether the alien survives or not

as for my criticisms the concept for the episode sounds intriguing but the execution is quite standard and somewhat generic, even though the effects where revolutionary for the time it still aged quite poorly but I still appreciate the alien's enigmatic appearance

I also felt the alien's speech at the end was a bit on the nose and every actor that isn't cliff robertson does a mediocre acting job

over all, this was a fantastic introduction to the series with a few issues regarding it's execution, among other things, however the entire time i was thoroughly entertained and I'm quite excited to venture further into the outer limits

Rating: 7/10