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Post by telegonus on Feb 23, 2017 5:26:10 GMT
Any fans of the 1959-61 One Step Beyond (aka Alcoa Presents) out there? The show has often been compared unfavorably to The Twilight Zone, as both are spooky half-hour anthologies hosted by TV veterans. OSB's host was John Newland, a longtime actor and sometime director, and contrast between the fair, patrician looking and sounding Newland and the dark, intense down to earth guy from the ballpark Rod Serling is striking. These shows are really quite different, too. The Twilight Zone was sort of sci-fi and fantasy with a "message", while OSB dealt with the paranormal, claimed its stories were based on true life incidents, and told its tales in a straightforward, near documentary fashion, which made it appear on the surface less imaginative than the more high concept, Noirish looking TZ, and when it worked, it paid off big time. Harry Lubin's eerie "fear" music was a huge plus. I'm a fan of both shows, and I like the fact that they resonate so differently. Few if any Zones could pass as One Step Beyonds, and vice versa. In John Kenneth Muir's book length study of OSB his interviews with Newland are fascinating; and Newland related that Rod Serling actually invited him out for lunch to discuss his plans for his new show when OSB was in its first season, and he was quite the gentleman about it, and Newland had no objections. It's difficult to know how or where to start when discussing this series. This is the best I can do for the time being...
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Post by maya55555 on Feb 24, 2017 4:55:53 GMT
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Post by geode on Feb 26, 2017 22:36:40 GMT
Any fans of the 1959-61 One Step Beyond (aka Alcoa Presents) out there? The show has often been compared unfavorably to The Twilight Zone, as both are spooky half-hour anthologies hosted by TV veterans. OSB's host was John Newland, a longtime actor and sometime director, and contrast between the fair, patrician looking and sounding Newland and the dark, intense down to earth guy from the ballpark Rod Serling is striking. These shows are really quite different, too. The Twilight Zone was sort of sci-fi and fantasy with a "message", while OSB dealt with the paranormal, claimed its stories were based on true life incidents, and told its tales in a straightforward, near documentary fashion, which made it appear on the surface less imaginative than the more high concept, Noirish looking TZ, and when it worked, it paid off big time. Harry Lubin's eerie "fear" music was a huge plus. I'm a fan of both shows, and I like the fact that they resonate so differently. Few if any Zones could pass as One Step Beyonds, and vice versa. In John Kenneth Muir's book length study of OSB his interviews with Newland are fascinating; and Newland related that Rod Serling actually invited Newland out for lunch to discuss his plans for his new show when OSB was in its first season, and he was quite the gentleman about it, and Newland had no objections. It's difficult to know how or where to start when discussing this series. This is the best I can do for the time being... I regularly watched it when it was first broadcast and so saw the episode where John Newland does ESP experiments after using peyote that I believe was never included in the syndication packages. Not only did he act as the director, he sometimes actually entered into the scene as an actor playing himself in some episodes. I think his introductions and endings are easily as important to the show as those by Rod Serling, probably even more so.
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maxwellperfect
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@maxwellperfect
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Post by maxwellperfect on Feb 27, 2017 19:42:38 GMT
I have watched a handful of episodes. At the time I did compare it unfavorably to TZ, but that probably is an unfair comparison.
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Post by telegonus on Feb 27, 2017 20:15:33 GMT
I agree, Geode, that John Newland's introductory and closing remarks were essential to OSB and a major factor as to why it works so well. TZ could probably have done without Rod Serling on screen, and did for its first season, though I think his narration is crucial to the series as well. Interestingly, The Outer Limits, yet another "fantastic" show, also featured a narrator, an unseen one, and his opening and closing remarks helped set the tone for many episodes, though there are some that I think could have done nicely without the closings, which strike me as often as not as corny, as they often repeat the same themes (love conquers all, etc.).
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Post by MCDemuth on Feb 27, 2017 20:20:35 GMT
I enjoy the show. I love that it featured "real" stories... Although, I sometimes wonder if some of the stories themselves were real. Some seem pretty far fetched. It makes one wonder if people were looking for their 15 minutes of fame, and took their "tales" to the show.
But, it's interesting that a show featuring fiction, did better, than a show that feature "real" stories.
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Post by koskiewicz on Feb 27, 2017 23:25:23 GMT
I love both TZ and OSB...but to compare them is ludicrous...apples to oranges...
The music used in OSB always game me the heebie jeebie...!!!
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kimgoo
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Post by kimgoo on Feb 27, 2017 23:28:03 GMT
I was watching them on YouTube, but haven't seen any in a while. I don't like it as much as Twilight Zone or The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, but it's pretty enjoyable.
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Post by geode on Feb 28, 2017 1:55:11 GMT
I enjoy the show. I love that it featured "real" stories... Although, I sometimes wonder if some of the stories themselves were real. Some seem pretty far fetched. It makes one wonder if people were looking for their 15 minutes of fame, and took their "tales" to the show. But, it's interesting that a show featuring fiction, did better, than a show that feature "real" stories. Some years ago I tried to track down how valid some of the stories that were used might be. Last year a friend who believes far more in the paranormal than me was saying they all were true. I said that I could find absolutely no accounts online of soldiers on both sides of WW I seeing a vision in the sky that caused them to stop fighting, but I did find versions of the one about the sinking of the Titanic. One episode was total bunk, "Where Are They?" which had a story about rocks falling from the sky in Chico, California in 1922. The people who faked it would later admit it. It also had a version of a guy who invented a gasoline pill that would turn a tank of water into a tank of gas. This also has several versions and is bunk.
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Post by telegonus on Feb 28, 2017 20:34:27 GMT
In the interview he did with John Newland for his One Step Beyond book John Kenneth Muir asked Newland about the truth of many of the stories featured on the series and he admitted that many of them were probably not true of simply based on "accounts" not verified (urban legends?). It was an entertainment show first, the authenticity of its stories a distant second.
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Post by geode on Mar 1, 2017 0:34:47 GMT
In the interview he did with John Newland for his One Step Beyond book John Kenneth Muir asked Newland about the truth of many of the stories featured on the series and he admitted that many of them were probably not true of simply based on "accounts" not verified (urban legends?). It was an entertainment show first, the authenticity of its stories a distant second. That is the way I have always taken the show, my friend is different. However, we both really like it. When it was first being broadcast I called it Alcoa Presents. I believe the interview you are talking about was the last John Newland gave, part of it is in the link below. I think I have the full interview in FILMFAX, but I am away from home so can't pull it out to see how much longer it is.
Interview with John Newland
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Post by telegonus on Mar 1, 2017 6:32:25 GMT
Yup. That was it: Newland's last interview.
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Post by geode on Mar 5, 2017 20:21:28 GMT
What episodes did people like the most? The one that remains in my mind after decades since seeing it is "The Face" from the third season about a man who has dreams of a face and then a hand with a knife. he takes this as a premonition of his death which he tries to avoid. I doubt this is the best episode, there is just something about it that has haunted me through the years.
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Post by telegonus on Mar 7, 2017 7:58:33 GMT
The Face is truly haunting, Geode, I agree. This is where OSB really differed from the Twilight Zone. It almost doesn't matter whether the story is true. What makes it work is that uncanny fetishistic quality that was sort of an OSB trademark. They,--Newland, I guess deserves most of the credit--really knew how to zoom in on One Big Thing, which could be visual or a theme and, well, sort of wring its neck. Then Harry Lubin's Fear kicks in and it's goosebumps time.
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Post by geode on Mar 10, 2017 3:33:38 GMT
The Face is truly haunting, Geode, I agree. This is where OSB really differed from the Twilight Zone. It almost doesn't matter whether the story is true. What makes it work is that uncanny fetishistic quality that was sort of an OSB trademark. They,--Newland, I guess deserves most of the credit--really knew how to zoom in on One Big Thing, which could be visual or a theme and, well, sort of wring its neck. Then Harry Lubin's Fear kicks in and it's goosebumps time. Yes, I think John Newland does deserve most of the credit, but the music is very memorable. I remember watching an episode titled "The Burning Girl" when it was first broadcast. I'll bet Stephen King did as well, as it seemed to inspire him to write a book. We are close to the same age.
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Post by geode on Mar 10, 2017 3:35:38 GMT
The Face is truly haunting, Geode, I agree. This is where OSB really differed from the Twilight Zone. It almost doesn't matter whether the story is true. What makes it work is that uncanny fetishistic quality that was sort of an OSB trademark. They,--Newland, I guess deserves most of the credit--really knew how to zoom in on One Big Thing, which could be visual or a theme and, well, sort of wring its neck. Then Harry Lubin's Fear kicks in and it's goosebumps time. Yes, I think John Newland does deserve most of the credit, but the music is very memorable. I remember watching an episode titled "The Burning Girl" when it was first broadcast. I'll bet Stephen King did as well, as it seemed to inspire him to write a book. We are close to the same age. The Burning GirlNot very good quality, but here is the full episode.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 10, 2017 4:40:18 GMT
Any fans of the 1959-61 One Step Beyond (aka Alcoa Presents) out there? The show has often been compared unfavorably to The Twilight Zone, as both are spooky half-hour anthologies hosted by TV veterans. OSB's host was John Newland, a longtime actor and sometime director, and contrast between the fair, patrician looking and sounding Newland and the dark, intense down to earth guy from the ballpark Rod Serling is striking. These shows are really quite different, too. The Twilight Zone was sort of sci-fi and fantasy with a "message", while OSB dealt with the paranormal, claimed its stories were based on true life incidents, and told its tales in a straightforward, near documentary fashion, which made it appear on the surface less imaginative than the more high concept, Noirish looking TZ, and when it worked, it paid off big time. Harry Lubin's eerie "fear" music was a huge plus. I'm a fan of both shows, and I like the fact that they resonate so differently. Few if any Zones could pass as One Step Beyonds, and vice versa. In John Kenneth Muir's book length study of OSB his interviews with Newland are fascinating; and Newland related that Rod Serling actually invited Newland out for lunch to discuss his plans for his new show when OSB was in its first season, and he was quite the gentleman about it, and Newland had no objections. It's difficult to know how or where to start when discussing this series. This is the best I can do for the time being... I like this show, but the DVDs I have seen are of variable quality. I think only the first season has been officially released. It must not have sold that well, so the other seasons were not issued.
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Post by geode on Mar 10, 2017 21:22:52 GMT
Any fans of the 1959-61 One Step Beyond (aka Alcoa Presents) out there? The show has often been compared unfavorably to The Twilight Zone, as both are spooky half-hour anthologies hosted by TV veterans. OSB's host was John Newland, a longtime actor and sometime director, and contrast between the fair, patrician looking and sounding Newland and the dark, intense down to earth guy from the ballpark Rod Serling is striking. These shows are really quite different, too. The Twilight Zone was sort of sci-fi and fantasy with a "message", while OSB dealt with the paranormal, claimed its stories were based on true life incidents, and told its tales in a straightforward, near documentary fashion, which made it appear on the surface less imaginative than the more high concept, Noirish looking TZ, and when it worked, it paid off big time. Harry Lubin's eerie "fear" music was a huge plus. I'm a fan of both shows, and I like the fact that they resonate so differently. Few if any Zones could pass as One Step Beyonds, and vice versa. In John Kenneth Muir's book length study of OSB his interviews with Newland are fascinating; and Newland related that Rod Serling actually invited Newland out for lunch to discuss his plans for his new show when OSB was in its first season, and he was quite the gentleman about it, and Newland had no objections. It's difficult to know how or where to start when discussing this series. This is the best I can do for the time being... I like this show, but the DVDs I have seen are of variable quality. I think only the first season has been officially released. It must not have sold that well, so the other seasons were not issued. I held off on the first season box set since it was over $30 and just have a public domain set.
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Post by telegonus on Mar 11, 2017 19:58:12 GMT
The Burning Girl's a good episode, Geode. I also like The Dark Part Of The House (I think I got that right); The Clown, nearly pure horror, reminiscent of a Lon Chaney silent pic; The Day The World Wept, about the Lincoln assassination apparently full of urban legends but a moving episode anyway; the weird Death Waltz; Reunion, truly creepy; the even stranger and exceedingly well acted Message From Clara, one of my favorites of the series; The Vision, about a strange light in the sky that stopped the fighting for a brief period during World War I, which, true or not, is strangely moving all the same; and the quietly eerie The Last Round, which features Charles Bronson as an American boxer in London during the Blitz, which is highly atmospheric, unsettling and well acted by all.
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Post by telegonus on Mar 17, 2017 7:46:58 GMT
I watched the Aztec ghost episode last night on YouTube. Not a good print, it was quite well done; and David J. Stewart was outstanding as Dr. Atl, and acting way out of his usual range.
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