tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318310043864039191.post4544943480622277480..comments2024-03-20T15:28:13.030-05:00Comments on The Twilight Zone Vortex: "Shadow Play"JPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14808904189056290207noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318310043864039191.post-83944897666196200782019-03-02T07:09:18.209-06:002019-03-02T07:09:18.209-06:00Shadow Play for its' required look under the c...Shadow Play for its' required look under the crevices type of horror, nevertheless DOES provide the map by way of heightened suspense, and chillingly connected graphic presentation. Through pervasive expression, we feel our actual participation in our protagonist's nightmare, as in "Perchance To Dream" and "Twenty-Two". We're proven the validity of Grant's explanation when as to final line " They pull the switch...." And immediately we see what is essentially an innocuous steak dinner, but what is NOT innocuous is its' graphic meaning; that is what's Grant at every finish of the nightmare, a broiled inmate at the chair. This may have inspired Serling to craft the adapted teleplay for "To Serve Man". Think about it.naruto65https://www.blogger.com/profile/12170480906969053086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318310043864039191.post-11072837734240721632019-03-02T07:04:27.354-06:002019-03-02T07:04:27.354-06:00Shadow Play for its' required look under the c...Shadow Play for its' required look under the crevices type of horror, nevertheless DOES provide the map by way of heightened suspense, and chillingly connected graphic presentation. Through pervasive expression, we feel our actual participation in our protagonist's nightmare, as in "Perchance To Dream" and "Twenty-Two". We're proven the validity of Grant's explanation when as to final line " They pull the switch...." And immediately we see what is essentially an innocuous steak dinner, but what is NOT innocuous is its' graphic meaning; that is what's Grant at every finish of the nightmare, a broiled inmate at the chair. This may have inspired Serling to craft the adapted teleplay for "To Serve Man". Think about it.naruto65https://www.blogger.com/profile/12170480906969053086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318310043864039191.post-8136309208302445632018-07-05T20:24:25.497-05:002018-07-05T20:24:25.497-05:00This one can be a bit confusing because it concern...This one can be a bit confusing because it concerns a recurring nightmare in which we only view the dreaming state. In other words, we never see Adam Grant when he is awake. The gist of it is that he is experiencing a recurring nightmare in which he is convicted and executed again and again with only subtle variations such as which people play which roles in the nightmare. Since a dream can feel incredibly real to the dreamer, this recurrent nightmare is tortuous to Grant and he can't break free of it. <br /><br />Interestingly, Beaumont first attempted this tale in his 1956 short story "Traumerei" with the notable exception that the story is told entirely from the view of the District Attorney and the reader is never given the perspective of the doomed prisoner. I feel that it works better the way the episode deals with the issue of perspective. JPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14808904189056290207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318310043864039191.post-62106475716124213452018-06-26T00:12:03.476-05:002018-06-26T00:12:03.476-05:00Didnt and dont understandDidnt and dont understandAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13629311356973166026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318310043864039191.post-32260050037114501932016-09-30T14:38:36.565-05:002016-09-30T14:38:36.565-05:00This one has long been a favorite of mine and I ag...This one has long been a favorite of mine and I agree that the acting is top notch here. The episode has a genuine dream-like feeling to it that I don't think was better replicated by any other episode, with the possible exception of Beaumont's earlier "Perchance to Dream." JPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14808904189056290207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318310043864039191.post-2796473573253196542016-09-25T02:38:09.955-05:002016-09-25T02:38:09.955-05:00Late to the party here, BUT, the acting in Shadow ...Late to the party here, BUT, the acting in Shadow Play cannot be praised highly enough: Dennis Weaver is superb as the condemned man, and he nicely brings some (Theater Of The Absurd?) humor to his playing. James Best or, a few years later, Bruce Dern, could probably have done the serious stuff as well as Weaver, but not the goofball wacky stuff that Weaver slips in. <br /><br />Also first rate is the playing of Harry Townes and Wright King, who manage to nicely suggest that the characters they are playing are truly friends, and men of good will, with the latter functioning as the conscience of the former. Townes has the more difficult part, as he has to swing back and forth; and he nicely underplays in his scenes with King and Weaver. I've seldom seen Townes so rock solid, so free of ham or eccentricities of any kind.john kenrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00710666533854296630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318310043864039191.post-21544282709256008552014-09-25T19:41:48.714-05:002014-09-25T19:41:48.714-05:00I feel the A is deserved, this is an underrated ep...I feel the A is deserved, this is an underrated episode and may be John Brahm's finest directing job, very strange and disorienting in spots. It was at one point probably my overall favorite episode but that spot belongs to The Howling Man now though I still recommend Shadow Play to folks new to the show. Thanks for reading. Jordan Prejeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18153214679480741539noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318310043864039191.post-83213411704773671982014-09-25T18:48:26.378-05:002014-09-25T18:48:26.378-05:00A rare "A" from the Vortex! Nice review!...A rare "A" from the Vortex! Nice review! I recall really liking this episode and Dennis Weaver is always fun to watch.Jack Seabrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02216640325305820140noreply@blogger.com