Long before gore and sleaze infested the sci-fi and horror genre, some of the industry's best writers, directors and actors came of age through their involvement with classic TV series. One of the most respected series was The Outer Limits. Whereas it's better known rival, The Twilight Zone tended to rely on the human elements of its stories, The Outer Limits stressed special effects - though never at the expense of providing a compelling storyline. The show premiered in 1963 and did not have the longevity or acclaim that was accorded to Twilight Zone,but over the years it has built a substantial and loyal following. One of the great joys is seeing "up and coming" stars of the future making early appearances in the series. Those of you who have been following our interviews with David McCallum in the print edition of Cinema Retro will recall that he made two appearances on the series. MGM has now re-issued first season episodes of the series, though rather surprisingly, the company has not gotten on the bandwagon with other series releases and put all episodes from that season in one set. Instead, this is a reissue of the set that was originally released in 2002 consisting of two discs with 4 episodes on each disc. On the upside, this season features David McCallum's best-remembered appearance in The Sixth Finger episode that provides one of the most iconic makeup achievements in TV history. The Outer Limits has been called "the best program of its type ever to run on network TV" by none other than Stephen King, who knows a thing or two about this genre. If nothing else, it will bring back a more innocent time when the only debate about illegal aliens concerned beings from another planet!- Lee Pfeiffer
CONTINUE READING TO VIEW CLIPS FROM THE ACTUAL EPISODES AND READ THE OFFICIAL MGM PRESS RELEASE
TO ORDER THE OUTER LIMITS SEASON 1 DISCOUNTED FROM AMAZON, CLICK HERE
NOTE: We have not reviewed the entire disc in terms of watching each of the individual episodes, as we had seen them in the previously released 2002 collection. There were some purists who complained at the time that the video transfer could have been better. Those individuals will still be critical, as MGM has apparently not remastered the set in any way. These seem to be the exact same transfers. However, for the average viewer, they will more than suffice in terms of satiating the appetite of anyone who has not seen the show in many years. Less discriminating consumers also may not mind my major bone of contention with the set: the complete lack of bonus materials. Surely, a sci-fi scholar or enthusiast could have been found to provide an overview about the series and its relevance in 1960s TV history. However, this is nit-picking. The main attraction for the set is that it features commercial free, uncut episodes of one of the medium's truly classic series. Minutes into watching the first episode, you'll be captivated by how great TV sci-fi used to be. My guess is that MGM will eventually remaster the entire series and market it as a complete collection. Until then, this collection will more than satisfy fans who are hungry for compelling stories, well told. - Lee Pfeiffer
“There is nothing wrong with your television.Do not attempt to adjust the picture.â€
The Outer Limits (The Original Series) - Season 1, Volume 1 (1963)
King - Now Available On DVD The Outer Limits originally ran from 1963 to 1965 on the U.S. broadcast network ABC, and a total of 49 episodes. It was created by Leslie Stevens and was one of the many series ostensibly influenced by The Twilight Zone, though it was ultimately influential in its own right.
Writers included creator Stevens and Joseph Stefano (screenwriter for Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho), the series' first-season producer and energetic guiding force. Harlan Ellison wrote two episodes (Soldier and the award-winning Demon with a Glass Hand) for the show's more cautious second season; Ellison later argued that both episodes were the inspiration for the Terminator film series, and indeed in the closing credits of the first movie the creators "wish to acknowledge the works of Harlan Ellison".
Like The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits had an opening and closing narration to almost every episode -- known as the "Control Voice" (vocal artist Vic Perrin) -- and distinctive music, in this case by Dominic Frontiere. The pacing of the two shows, however, was completely different. The Twilight Zone was based on a surprise ending built up to in half an hour, while The Outer Limits was an hour long and dealt with ordinary people's reactions to the situation. The basis of each episode was a monster, referred to colloquially by the producers of the show as the bear. Usually there was an actor in a rubber mask and gloves, and wearing special "alien" clothing. Occasionally it was a prop or puppet, and in one episode the monster was created by stop-motion animation.
The Outer Limits was an anthology show and episodes are unrelated; they have no direct "sequels" or consistent characters. However, subtle recurring entities, such as the notable alien creatures seen in most episodes provided a thread of continuity. So did the fictional United Space Agency (a mix of experimental scientists, psychiatrists, and G-men), whose space suits, equipment and other props, set pieces, and models were reused from Men Into Space, a program paid for by the United States Air Force.
A few of the monsters reappeared in Gene Roddenberry's 1960s Star Trek show. A feathered creature was modified to appear as a zoo animal in the background of the first pilot of Star Trek. The moving carpet beast in "The Probe" later was used as the "Horta", and operated by the same actor. The process used to make pointed ears for David McCallum in one episode was reused in Star Trek as well.
DVD BOX DETAILS
• Format: Color, DVD-Video, Full Screen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rating
• Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
• DVD Release Date: June 5, 2007
• Run Time: 821 minutes
• DVD Features:
• Available Audio Tracks: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
• Disc 1 Side A:
• Galaxy Being
• Hundred Days of the Dragon
• The Architects of Fear
• The Man with the Power
• Disc 1 Side B:
• Sixth Finger
• The Man Who Was Never Born
• O.B.I.T.
• Human Factor
• Disc 2 Side A:
• Corpus Earthling
• Nightmare
• It Crawled Out of the Woodwork
• The Borderland
• Tourist Attraction
• The Zanti Misfits
• The Mice
• Controlled Experiment
PROMOTIONAL CLIPS- CLICK ON THE ONES YOU WOULD LIKE TO VIEW!
Clip # 1: Interrogations
Clip # 2: It’s Coming
Clip # 3: No Absolutes