Twilight Zone: The Movie (Blu-Ray/HD-DVD)

Jim Morrison · 11-08-2007, 1:39 PM

http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=65411

It's been quite a few years since i've seen this flick but i remember one of the stories scaring the crap out of me - the one where the guy says "Would you like to see something really scary?". I guess it will have dated quite a bit over the years, but i'm still looking forward revisiting this in Hi-Def. Anyone else?

thecreepingmess · 11-08-2007, 1:53 PM

I wonder if the footage of Vic Morrow getting his head cut off will be in the deleted scenes?

JimmytheSaint · 11-08-2007, 6:44 PM

Yup, really looking forward to this as well, as it was one of the few films that is even to this day, unavailable on dvd (not bootlegs)!

Romero · 11-08-2007, 8:44 PM

That Gremlin on the plane wing scared the crap out of me when I was younger

Romero

the_pauley · 12-08-2007, 12:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thecreepingmess

I wonder if the footage of Vic Morrow getting his head cut off will be in the deleted scenes?

Yes, I'm sure John Landis can't wait to have everyone see that!

JAGUAR1977 · 12-08-2007, 2:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Romero

That Gremlin on the plane wing scared the crap out of me when I was younger

Romero

I'll buy it just for that.

Terrified me when I was a kid!

For the price it would be nice to have plenty of extras.

easycure · 12-08-2007, 12:37 PM

That thing on the plane, whatever it is, gave me the fear like nothing else when I was a kid. Kinda looking forward to re-visiting this film, but I'm gonna have to check under the bed first to make sure nothing is lurking there. Always better to be safe than sorry, you know.

Gonna be uncomfortable to watch, though. No matter how well prepared I think I am. I mean, I know too much about the accident to completely separate the fantasy from the reality now. I'm sure Warner will do the respectful thing and not include that footage. I hope not anyway. But it would be interesting to see what Spielberg and Landis have to say about those tragic events on a documentary or something, but I believe the two haven't spoken for years, so the chance of that happening is slim, I guess.

Pecker · 12-08-2007, 12:49 PM

I'm sure the footage is available on line, if that's waht tickles your fancy.

Steve W

BenchyUK · 12-08-2007, 12:52 PM

Has this got ANYTHING to do with the Twilight Zone Towser of Terror ride at Disney world? Was the ride based on this movie?

easycure · 12-08-2007, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lee_c00per

Has this got ANYTHING to do with the Twilight Zone Towser of Terror ride at Disney world? Was the ride based on this movie?

The film is based on a classic TV series. The film is an anthology of four segments, each one filmed by a different director. A stunt went wrong on the John Landis segment, resulting in the deaths of actor Vic Morrow and two little girls.

Romero · 12-08-2007, 1:24 PM

Found the footage on Utube as part of documentary horrific death but doubt they felt anything

Romero

easycure · 12-08-2007, 9:50 PM

Found a piccie of the back cover art. No extras, just a trailer, by the look of things - http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=7791

Pfft. One measly trailer. Given the talent involved a documentary or a commentary would've been of great interest. I wouldn't mind, but there must be a wealth of TZ related material that they could've used. At the very least a tribute of some kind to Vic Morrow and the two kids would've been a nice gesture. Though, to be fair, I do appreciate that for a lot of fans of the original Rod Serling television series, the film, and for the people directly involved and affected by the tragedy, why they wouldn't want to be reminded of the incident.

At least the film is getting another day out in the sun after being locked away for all these years. Out in time for Halloween, too.

Romero · 13-08-2007, 12:51 AM

reading more about the tragedy Landis should have been thrown in Jail for the deaths, appartantly Morrow rang his agent and wanted out of the movie as Landis was apparantly high on cocaine throughout, but stuck with it as he was worried it would damage his career, he also had soldiers use live rounds on set and the two kids were used illegally, during the scene that caused the actors deaths he had two walkie talkies on different channels so that the pilot couldn't hear the pyro effects guys so he told the helicopter to go lower and then he told the effects guys to blow the charges and when the scene was done he shouted "thats a wrap". Spielberg ended his friendship with Landis after what he heard had gone on.

Romero

easycure · 13-08-2007, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Romero

reading more about the tragedy Landis should have been thrown in Jail for the deaths, appartantly Morrow rang his agent and wanted out of the movie as Landis was apparantly high on cocaine throughout, but stuck with it as he was worried it would damage his career, he also had soldiers use live rounds on set and the two kids were used illegally, during the scene that caused the actors deaths he had two walkie talkies on different channels so that the pilot couldn't hear the pyro effects guys so he told the helicopter to go lower and then he told the effects guys to blow the charges and when the scene was done he shouted "thats a wrap". Spielberg ended his friendship with Landis after what he heard had gone on.

Romero

Never mind that. They had reason enough to lock up Landis and throw away the key for the crimes against cinema that were Blues Brothers 2000 and Beverly Hills Cop 3.

Seriously though, the deeper you look into it, the more you realise that no one came out of that TZ incident in a good light. There have been that many accusations, counter-accusations and just general mudslinging that I'm not sure where I stand on the matter. I always think it's best to treat anything you read with a degree of skepticism, though. Just because it's in print, it doesn't necessarily make it true. The one thing I do know for fact is that Landis was cleared of culpability at the trial, and no matter what my personal feelings might be regarding the incident, they are not going to result in bringing Morrow and the kids back.

Pecker · 13-08-2007, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Romero

... the two kids were used illegally...

This may well be the case, but has little relevance.

Apparently they were being used illegaly purely because of their working hours.

The alternative would be what? Two short people/stand-ins killed?

The shoot stopping and the kids being killed the next day?

The laws are there purely to protect children working long hours. Their hours had nothing to do with the accident (it's not like they fell asleep flying the helicopter - sorry if this sounds flippant).

I bet the children on the Harry Potter films have side-stepped child working hours rules at one time or another.

Steve W

Romero · 13-08-2007, 2:24 PM

Your right lots of films probably side step the rules re childrens working hours, still doesn't excuse Landis from blatantly risking the actors lives just for the sake of realism.

Romero

Pecker · 13-08-2007, 2:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Romero

Your right lots of films probably side step the rules re childrens working hours, still doesn't excuse Landis from blatantly risking the actors lives just for the sake of realism.

Yes. I mean I don't know. I mean who's fault was it?

Him?

The SFX guys on site?

The helicopter pilot?

Don't they have a sort of 'site manager' in charge of safety?

The kids' parents were there, and saw what was being set up (and accepted brown envelopes full of cash, too). Ultimately, aren't the kids their parents' responsibility?

I'm not excusing Landis, I'm just saying there are same many variables, I'm not sure who's to blame. Landis is not, I am sure, an expert in stresses of helicopters in flight and/or blast pressures of SFX explosions.

But before any explosion is set off the person in charge of the explosives should know if its safe, and before any pilot gets in this sort of his situation its his responsibility to ensure its safe. And I'm far more convinced of their responsibility in such a situation than a film director.

Ultimately, it's a complete tragedy, whoever was to blame.

Steve W

JAGUAR1977 · 13-08-2007, 4:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Romero

Your right lots of films probably side step the rules re childrens working hours, still doesn't excuse Landis from blatantly risking the actors lives just for the sake of realism.

Romero

No matter how demanding Landis was, surely the SFX/Safety guys should have stepped in, unless this kind of thing happened on many sets back in the day, but they were lucky.

I read a little background on this story, very sad, not sure I feel like watching the films again.

The YouTube footage is from an old docuimentary and from a distant camera. Apparently there are close up shots which were shown on US news programs (with editing) at the time and during the trial. It's also on one of those 'shock' videos.

Jim Morrison · 09-10-2007, 4:06 AM

Now processing at MT!

TankTopLover · 09-10-2007, 8:14 AM

Jesus.

I never even knew/heard of this tragedy before now,i have seen this film and rate it fairly highly for being memorable.I will be getting this one for sure.Just read up on the helicopter deaths and cannot believe it!

Will it play on a uk ps3??