laura_seabrook | Outer Limits (Reply)

The local Library had DVD from the original Outer Limits series. It has six episodes: Soldier; Cold Hands, Warm Heart; Behold Eck!; Expanding Human; Demon with a Glass hand; and Cry of Silence.

I've been watching the last two episodes (the DVD is double sided) and am immensely disappointed. The Demon with a Glass Hand story was written by Harlan Ellison, who had a reputation of being a good SF writer, though also a bit of a primma donna (an ex of mine met him once).

It was absolutely awful! Tons of unnatural exposition and stiff acting (some of which is explained by the obvious punch line). It may be that a "good idea" was betrayed by no budget, but I doubt it.

The Cry of Silence is almost as bad. Eddie Albert and June Havoc play tourists whose car breaks down in the desert and are pursued by "deadly tumble weeds". Um, probably a very cheap homage to Hitchcock's Birds, but all I could think of while I watched was an extended episode of Green Acres! Once again, cheap sets and few actors.