TWILIGHT ZONE: THE MOVIE (1983) – Episode 280 – Decades of Horror 1980s

“Th-th-th-that’s all, Ethel!”  Poor Ethel. It’s bad enough being married to Fred, but now, Anthony has sent Ethel to cartoon land, only to be eaten by an animated dragon. Join your faithful Grue Crew – Crystal Cleveland, Bill Mulligan, Chad Hunt, and Jeff Mohr – as they discuss the infamous Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983).

Decades of Horror 1980s
Episode 280 – Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)

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Synopsis: Prologue: a driver has a big surprise with his passenger; Segment 1 – “Time Out”: A bigot hates Jews, Blacks, Arabs, and Asians and is transported to situations where he feels the effects of his hatred; Segment 2 – “Kick the Can”: In a nursing home, the elder inhabitants learn that their minds can keep them young; Segment 3 – “It’s a Good Life”: a traveler hits a boy on a bicycle with her car and takes the boy home. Soon she learns that the powerful boy brought her home indeed; Segment 4 – “Nightmare at 20,000 feet”: a writer is scared to fly and soon he sees a monstrous creature destroying the airplane engines during a stormy night.

• Cast & Crew
  • Music by: Jerry Goldsmith
  • Makeup Department:
    • Craig Reardon (special makeup effects artist) (segments 1-4)
    • Bob Westmoreland (makeup artist) (segment 1) (as Robert Westmoreland)
    • John M. Elliott Jr. (makeup artist) (segments 2-4) (as John Elliott)
    • Rob Bottin (special makeup effects artist / special makeup effects designer) (segment 3)
    • Margaret Prentice (special makeup effects cosmetic painter: Rob Bottin crew) (segment 3) (uncredited)
    • Michael McCracken (special makeup effects artist) (segment 4)
    • Michael Shawn McCracken (special makeup effects assistant) (segment 4) (uncredited)
  • Visual Effects by: 
    • David Allen (visual effects) (segment “4”) (as David Allan)
    • Jim Aupperle (end titles/compositing: titles)
    • Jim Danforth (visual effects/effects photography/matte artist) (segment “4”)
    • Albert Whitlock (matte consultant) (segment “4”) (uncredited)
  • Animation Department: Sally Cruikshank (cartoon supervisor) (segment “3”)
  • Prologue:
    • Writer/Director: John Landis
    • Selected Cast:
      • Dan Aykroyd as Passenger / Ambulance Driver 
      • Albert Brooks as Car Driver
  • Segment 1: “Time Out”
    • Writer/Director: John Landis
    • Selected Cast:
      • Vic Morrow as Bill Connor
      • Doug McGrath as Larry
      • Charles Hallahan as Ray
      • Rainer Peets as German Officer (credited as Remus Peets)
      • Kai Wulff as German Officer
      • Sue Dugan as Waitress No. 1
      • Debby Porter as Waitress No. 2 
      • Steven Williams as Bar Patron
      • Annette Claudier as French Monther
      • Joseph Hieu as Vietnamese
      • Al Leong as Vietnamese
      • Stephen Bishop as Charming G.I.
      • Thomas Byrd as G.I. 
      • Vincent J. Isaac as G.I.
      • William S. Taylor as G.I. (credited as William B. Taylor)
      • Domingo Ambriz as G.I.
      • Eddy Donno as K.K.K.
      • Michael Milgrom as K.K.K. 
      • John Larroquette as K.K.K.
      • Norbert Weisser as Soldier No. 1
  • Segment 2: “Kick the Can”
    • Director: Steven Spielberg
    • Writer: George Clayton Johnson, Richard Matheson, Melissa Mathison (as Josh Rogan); George Clayton Johnson (story)
    • Selected Cast:
      • Scatman Crothers as Mr. Bloom 
      • Bill Quinn as Mr. Leo Conroy
      • Martin Garner as Mr. Weinstein
      • Selma Diamond as Mrs. Weinstein
      • Helen Shaw as Mrs. Dempsey
      • Murray Matheson as Mr. Agee 
      • Peter Brocco as Mr. Mute
      • Priscilla Pointer as Miss Cox
      • Scott Nemes as Young Mr. Weinstein
      • Tanya Fenmore as Young Mrs. Weinstein
      • Evan Richards as Young Mr. Agee
      • Laura Mooney as Young Mrs. Dempsey
      • Christopher Eisenmann as Young Mr. Mute
      • Richard Swingler as Mr. Gray Panther
      • Alan Haufrec as Mr. Conroy’s Son
      • Cheryl Socher as Mr. Conroy’s Daughter-in-Law 
      • Elsa Raven as Nurse No. 2 
  • Segment 3: “It’s a Good Life”
    • Director: Joe Dante
    • Writer: Richard Matheson; Jerome Bixby (from a story by)
    • Selected Cast:
      • Kathleen Quinlan as Helen Foley
      • Jeremy Licht as Anthony
      • Kevin McCarthy as Uncle Walt
      • Patricia Barry as Mother
      • William Schallert as Father
      • Nancy Cartwright as Ethel
      • Dick Miller as Walter Paisley
      • Cherie Currie as Sara
      • Bill Mumy as Tim
      • Jeffrey Bannister as Charlie
  • Segment 4: “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet”
    • Director: George Miller
    • Writer: Richard Matheson; Richard Matheson (based on a story by)
    • Selected Cast:
      • John Lithgow as John Valentine
      • Abbe Lane as Sr. Stewardess
      • Donna Dixon as Jr. Stewardess
      • John Dennis Johnston as Co-Pilot
      • Larry Cedar as Creature
      • Charles Knapp as Sky Marshal 
      • Byron McFarland as Pilot Announcement 
      • Christina Nigra as Little Girl
      • Lana Schwab as Mother (credited as Lonna Schwab)
      • Margaret Wheeler as Old Woman 
      • Eduard Franz as Old Man 
      • Margaret Fitzgerald as Young Girl 
      • Jeffrey Weissman as Young Man 
      • Jeffrey Lampert as Mechanic No. 1 
      • Frank Toth as Mechanic No. 2 
      • Carol Serling as Passenger

It’s another double tap for the ’80s Grue-Crew. This time, it’s Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983), first covered by a completely different crew on episode 104 in March 2017. Inspired by Rod Serling’s landmark TV series, the film includes new versions of three classic tales, one new segment, and a loose wraparound. Joe Dante, George Miller, Stephen Spielberg, & John Landis handle the directing chores with a cast including Dan Aykroyd, Albert Brooks, Vic Morrow, Scatman Crothers, Kathleen Quinlan, and many, many more. The film is also shrouded in tragedy and controversy. There will most definitely be plenty to discuss.

At the time of this writing, Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) is available to stream from Kanopy, Plex, Roku, and multiple PPV sources.

Every two weeks, Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1980s podcast will cover another horror film from the 1980s. The next episode’s film, chosen by Chad, will be George A. Romero’s Day of the Dead (1985)! The third entry in Romero’s “Dead” series is a showcase for Joe Pilato’s performance as Captain Rhodes and the special effects magic of Tom Savini et al.

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