Episodes: "Where is Everybody?" (Ep. 1, October 2, 1959) - Mike Ferris finds himself in a town strangely devoid of people. But despite the emptiness, he has the odd feeling that he's being watched. The premiere episode of ... more »the series. "The Encounter" (Ep. 151, May 1, 1964) - Fenton, a WWII veteran, proudly show his captured samurai sword to Arthur Takamuri, a young Japanese/American gardener--who picks it up and instantly know he must kill his host! A rare and much sought-after non-syndicated episode! "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" (Ep. 142, February 28, 1964) - A Confederate spy is spared death when the rope meant to hang him miraculously breaks. Or does it? This French short subject, aired once on "The Twilight Zone," was the 1963 Academy Award winner for Best Short Film.« less
""An Occurance at Owl Creek Bridge" (the original English name for this French film which was presented as Episode 142 of the "Twilight Zone" on 2/28/64) is this DVD's ONLY raison d'être. The other two TZ episodes ("Where Is Everybody?" and "The Encounter") appear on DVD volumes 43 and 33, respectively, and the fillers (The '59 Serling/Wallace interview and "Inside the Twilight Zone") are shamelessly (or perhaps shamefully) duplicated on "More Treasures From the Twilight Zone." So, is this DVD worth its price just for this one feature? Probably. In the first place, it is based on an Ambrose Bierce short story. Bierce is best known for his acidly satiric aphorisms in _The Devil's Dictionary_, but, more to the point here, he was also a consummate (arguably America's best) short story writer, and this story in particular has achieved near legendary status in literary circles. In its French video version, it won best short subject in the '62 Cannes and '63 BAFTA (British Academy Awards) competitions. Somewhere along the line, Rod Serling saw it, and when William Froung (the series' producer for its final episodes) told him that the 36-episode budget had been exceeded after only 35 episodes, Serling suggested acquiring US TV rights to the French film. For a paltry $10,000, which saved the 5th season's budget, but not the series, the deal was done. Later that year, probably as a result of the exposure it received on TZ, the film completed its hat trick by winning the '64 Academy Award for best short subject. Although I'm not positive on this point, I believe it to be the least expensive and most highly honored half-hour-long film in the history of US television. The original film (with a few minutes of footage that was cut for the TZ version and sans the Serling narration) is available as a VHS cassette, but, for the few dollars extra, I recommend that you go ahead and buy this DVD -- especially if you don't already have one or more of its other features."
Problem For Collectors
Toad | Indiana | 07/17/2005
(1 out of 5 stars)
"As a collector who has all 43 Volumes of The Twilight Zone, I was taken back when I found out episodes: "An Occurance At Owl Creek Bridge", "The Masks" and "The Howling Man" were not included. These three together would have made Vol. 44, or in which ever sequence they could be placed. So now, I have episodes I already have included with the missing ones that should have been there to start with. However, I was told these predate the Volume series and everything's been done ramshackle, because not everyone is willing to pay the retail $900 for all episodes.
I'll give the content 5 stars, and if you want just a few episodes this the way to go. But, for collectors of the entire series it's sad they didn't stuff in those 3 episodes, with 2 being on "More Treasues of The Twilight Zone"."
A testimony
Ed_from_NY | New Jersey | 05/04/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Rod Serling had quite a bit to say about the quality of televsion programs of the late 1950s and the way advertising dollars and corporate influence effect the medium. He could see this and rise above it. Each of the episodes exhibit that Rod Serling was a man of true determination and integrity. He was an artistic genius who was not afraid to challenge both audiences and censors.The first episode is an early attempt of just what Rod Serling claims he set out to do in the Mike Wallace interview. That is to create mature, quality drama for television. While it does have a relatively safe, conclusive ending, unlike many of the best TZ episodes, Rod was merely testing the waters rather than jumping in with both feet. Keep in mind that this is still only a 1959 audience. The second episode is much more daring. It shows how the show progressed and the creators began to push the envelope in dealing with more socially concious topics. This definitely isn't I Love Lucy or Father Knows Best. While the third isn't a TZ original, it is an example of the awareness the show's producers had of artistic possibilities of the medium of television. Something that had become too often overlooked as Rod mentions in the Wallace interview. Rod Serling was a visionary and this DVD is a testimony to his true genius."
The DVD is clear and worth the cost.
Hugh H. Moore | Walla Walla Washington | 03/06/1999
(4 out of 5 stars)
"The interview done by Mike Wallace with Rod Sterling in 1959 is worth the value of the DVD. The stories are classic, and well done. Anyone who liked the 1960's series, will love this DVD."
What was lost has now been found in "The Twilight Zone"
Lawrance M. Bernabo | The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota | 07/05/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
""Treasures of The Twilight Zone" offers three episodes that are not seen in syndication for various reasons. "Where is Everybody?" was the pilot episode for "The Twilight Zone." Written by Rod Serling, it stars Earl Holliman as Mike Ferris, apparently a member of the U.S. Air Force since he is wearing a jumpsuit, but who is suffering from amnesia. Finding himself in a town where all the people have disappeared, Ferris still has the feeling he is being watched. An average episode, it does set the tone for future Twilight Zone twists. "The Encounter," written by Martin Goldsmith, pits a bigoted World War II veteran named Fenton (Neville Brand) against a young Japanese-American gardener named Taro (George Takei). Things come to a head when the samurai sword Fenton claims to have taken off a Japanese solider apparently inspires the two men to confess their worst sins when trapped in an attic. Ironically, Brand was the fourth-most decorated U.S. Army soldier from World War II. "The Encounter" is another episode that is not shown in syndication, presumably because of its fairly overt racism (for the time) and its somewhat offensive suggestion there was a Japanese-American traitor who was directing enemy plans at Pearl Harbor. Finally, we have "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge," which was a French film that had won first prize for short subjects at Cannes in 1962. Written and Directed by Robert Enrico, it is based on the short story by Ambrose Bierce. Since the film only had a half-dozen lines in it, dubbing an "English version" was relatively easy. A few minutes were cut and Serling's opening and closing narration (which made it clear this was a French film) were added. Robert Jacquet stars as a Confederate about to be hung for being a spy with Anne Cornaly as the wife he desperately wants to return home to see. This short film went on to win an Oscar in 1964 for Best Short Subject, Live Action Subjects. This collection of episodes is actually better than I remember from way back when, although none of them qualify as classics from the celebrated television series."