WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.040 --> 00:00:04.480 The summertime is upon us, and if you remember last year, 2 00:00:05.080 --> 00:00:07.719 the podcast took a break for a few weeks during 3 00:00:07.759 --> 00:00:10.960 those busy summer months and I put out a few 4 00:00:11.000 --> 00:00:14.759 episodes from the After Hours Club archives over at patreon 5 00:00:14.839 --> 00:00:18.679 dot com slash Twilight tern Podcast. Now, it wasn't my 6 00:00:18.760 --> 00:00:21.559 intention to do that again this year. I really wanted 7 00:00:21.600 --> 00:00:25.239 to plow on and get some more episodes of the 8 00:00:25.280 --> 00:00:29.239 main show done, But unfortunately, I'm afraid I have to 9 00:00:29.320 --> 00:00:33.119 admit defeat. Rest assured. Everything is fine, but there are 10 00:00:33.280 --> 00:00:35.000 just a lot of things that I have to take 11 00:00:35.039 --> 00:00:38.840 care of at the moment, one of which is moving house, 12 00:00:38.920 --> 00:00:41.560 which on its own is a big deal, but there 13 00:00:41.560 --> 00:00:45.119 are several things on top of that as well. And 14 00:00:45.200 --> 00:00:47.640 with so few of the main show episodes left to do, 15 00:00:48.280 --> 00:00:50.799 I don't want to rush them out or not to 16 00:00:50.840 --> 00:00:54.719 do them justice. So I thought I'll just take June off, 17 00:00:55.359 --> 00:00:58.200 get what I need to do done, and then hopefully 18 00:00:58.240 --> 00:01:00.560 we should get back to spare of the moment in 19 00:01:00.640 --> 00:01:05.079 July at the very latest August. Now, if you remember 20 00:01:05.120 --> 00:01:07.480 over in the After Hours Club, you will still get 21 00:01:07.560 --> 00:01:10.799 new episodes looking at the Outer Limits, and you know 22 00:01:10.879 --> 00:01:13.879 the other things that go on over there. Because of 23 00:01:13.920 --> 00:01:16.519 the support that you give me in the After Hours Club, 24 00:01:16.959 --> 00:01:19.599 I'm able to get an editor to put those together 25 00:01:19.719 --> 00:01:23.079 for me, but the Twilight Zone podcast is a very 26 00:01:23.519 --> 00:01:27.879 particular thing that I need to do myself. So thank 27 00:01:27.959 --> 00:01:30.840 you for your patience and tonight for your enjoyment. I 28 00:01:30.879 --> 00:01:33.319 give to you a discussion that I had with my 29 00:01:33.439 --> 00:01:37.560 good friend al Shadesmayer about an episode of an anthology 30 00:01:37.599 --> 00:01:42.760 show called Suspense that featured an episode written by Rod 31 00:01:42.840 --> 00:01:47.560 Sailing called Nightmare at Ground Zero, and I hope you 32 00:01:47.680 --> 00:01:52.560 enjoy it. First broadcast on the eighteenth of August nineteen 33 00:01:52.680 --> 00:01:57.400 fifty three. Written by Rod Sailing and directed by Robert Mulligan, 34 00:01:58.120 --> 00:02:01.959 Nightmare at Ground Zero tells the story of George Vance 35 00:02:02.239 --> 00:02:06.719 and his long suffering wife Helen. Now, George is supplying 36 00:02:06.799 --> 00:02:10.840 mannequins for use on an atomic test site, but his 37 00:02:11.039 --> 00:02:15.879 obsession with mannikins and other inanimate figurines is at the 38 00:02:15.919 --> 00:02:21.879 expense of his relationship with Helen, and it's understandably starting 39 00:02:21.960 --> 00:02:26.879 to get to her. So tired of Helen's complaining, George 40 00:02:26.919 --> 00:02:30.159 hatches a plan that will both save one of his 41 00:02:30.280 --> 00:02:36.919 beloved mannequins from nuclear annihilation and quiet Helen's complaining for good. 42 00:02:37.759 --> 00:02:40.280 So tonight I'm going to be joined in the archives 43 00:02:40.319 --> 00:02:45.400 by my friend al Shadzmer to examine this early rod 44 00:02:45.479 --> 00:03:00.199 sailing artifact. 45 00:03:05.800 --> 00:03:14.960 Hello, dear, alright, I've got so much to do yet, 46 00:03:14.960 --> 00:03:17.919 and I haven't eaten. I waited supper as long as 47 00:03:17.960 --> 00:03:23.759 I could. It got cold, lovely dinner. I had cold roast. 48 00:03:24.360 --> 00:03:33.000 The cold potatoes were particularly George, George, Dear, Really, I've 49 00:03:33.039 --> 00:03:35.800 had a very miserable day. The Colonel had me on 50 00:03:35.840 --> 00:03:39.120 the carpet all afternoon. I didn't have all the mannequins 51 00:03:39.159 --> 00:03:41.439 quite done, and and he was quite anxiou. Isn't that 52 00:03:41.680 --> 00:03:43.800 just too bad? Did you telling me I had a 53 00:03:43.800 --> 00:03:45.560 wife in the house? A wife that gets precious little 54 00:03:45.560 --> 00:03:46.360 attention as it is. 55 00:03:46.520 --> 00:03:47.120 I promised you. 56 00:03:47.240 --> 00:03:54.280 You promise me too. Ten years ago. 57 00:03:54.319 --> 00:03:56.479 You promised me we'd have a wonderful life together. 58 00:03:57.319 --> 00:04:01.000 Wonderful life, that's a yack. The first year it was 59 00:04:01.000 --> 00:04:09.759 the puppets, Yeah, the puppet, the wonderful little Marionette, Yeah, 60 00:04:10.360 --> 00:04:17.879 the wonderful Little Marian. It kept us starving for two years, 61 00:04:17.879 --> 00:04:19.000 crazy stupid. 62 00:04:21.759 --> 00:04:25.279 It's a great pleasure tonight to welcome to the after 63 00:04:25.360 --> 00:04:28.560 hours club. A man who's been here several times before 64 00:04:28.680 --> 00:04:31.319 before it was actually known as the After Hours Club, 65 00:04:31.759 --> 00:04:34.959 and it's good to have him back all shades. I 66 00:04:35.000 --> 00:04:37.560 can't believe it's been so long. Welcome back, Al. 67 00:04:38.000 --> 00:04:40.079 Thank you Tom. It's great to be back. It's great 68 00:04:40.079 --> 00:04:42.160 to be in the official after Hours Club. 69 00:04:42.279 --> 00:04:45.040 Well, you know, I think you're a founder member with 70 00:04:45.439 --> 00:04:48.360 all the collaborations we've had over the years and things, 71 00:04:48.399 --> 00:04:51.959 and it's a thrill for me to do more, especially 72 00:04:52.000 --> 00:04:55.040 with the kind of series within a series. If you're 73 00:04:55.079 --> 00:04:58.480 like that that we're deciding to do. But face things fast. 74 00:04:58.600 --> 00:05:01.879 It's almost a year since I seen you at Sailing Fest, Mink. 75 00:05:01.920 --> 00:05:03.160 Can you believe in that's right? 76 00:05:03.680 --> 00:05:06.160 It's I can't believe it. No, it's that year went 77 00:05:06.199 --> 00:05:07.040 by very quickly. 78 00:05:07.240 --> 00:05:09.720 How was your sailing Festyle? I don't think we spoke 79 00:05:09.720 --> 00:05:10.800 about that live on it. 80 00:05:11.079 --> 00:05:14.480 No, I don't think we have. I really enjoyed it. 81 00:05:14.519 --> 00:05:16.759 I had a great time. It was great to meet 82 00:05:16.759 --> 00:05:22.120 different people, and I just I loved being able to 83 00:05:22.120 --> 00:05:25.000 be amongst people who could converse Twilight Zone and Sirling 84 00:05:26.120 --> 00:05:30.879 in the minutest detail, and and I loved just meeting 85 00:05:30.959 --> 00:05:34.160 the different authors. And you know, I got like practically 86 00:05:34.199 --> 00:05:38.480 I bought practically every book and got them autographed, and 87 00:05:38.639 --> 00:05:41.279 the features were great fun, and I was ready to 88 00:05:41.279 --> 00:05:45.040 come again this year. And I'm really sorry that things 89 00:05:45.079 --> 00:05:47.600 the way they are that it's not going to be happening. 90 00:05:47.720 --> 00:05:50.000 So but I would love to make it an annual 91 00:05:50.079 --> 00:05:51.319 thing as much as possible. 92 00:05:52.600 --> 00:05:57.360 Same here. You know, you're absolutely right. The events itself 93 00:05:57.879 --> 00:06:01.160 was one thing, and that was great, but just being 94 00:06:01.199 --> 00:06:03.480 able to sit in a pub and talk about the 95 00:06:03.519 --> 00:06:07.639 Twilight Zone was a completely new experience for me, especially 96 00:06:08.399 --> 00:06:11.439 like isolated as we are here in England to the 97 00:06:11.480 --> 00:06:13.800 Twilight Zone. So being able to just sit there and 98 00:06:13.839 --> 00:06:17.279 have those conversations, it was, it was absolutely amazing. I'll 99 00:06:17.279 --> 00:06:18.879 never forget it, never forget it. 100 00:06:19.079 --> 00:06:22.040 Yeah, yeah, and you know, and some of the features 101 00:06:22.079 --> 00:06:27.240 were just eye opening. It just I remember in particularly 102 00:06:27.279 --> 00:06:29.120 the fellow that did the thing about the Twilight Zone 103 00:06:29.160 --> 00:06:31.839 comic books, Yeah, which was you know, I mean, it 104 00:06:31.920 --> 00:06:34.480 was just it just opened up a whole other avenues 105 00:06:34.519 --> 00:06:36.920 of the whole Twilight Zone mystique. 106 00:06:37.279 --> 00:06:38.879 I hope you haven't got a box of I'm sitting 107 00:06:38.959 --> 00:06:42.879 under your desk there. I'll he didn't, because that's me 108 00:06:42.959 --> 00:06:45.199 all over, you know, you get me interested in something. 109 00:06:45.240 --> 00:06:47.439 The next minut I've gone about half a million of 110 00:06:47.480 --> 00:06:47.879 the things. 111 00:06:47.959 --> 00:06:51.399 So yeah, I've got a handful of them. But no, no, 112 00:06:51.519 --> 00:06:52.600 not a box sitting. 113 00:06:52.399 --> 00:06:57.240 Underneath Okay, okay, good, good. Now. Also, you know, I 114 00:06:57.360 --> 00:07:00.879 like to catch up on this because you are the 115 00:07:00.920 --> 00:07:04.639 presenter of presenting Alfred Hitchcock Presents. That's a lot of 116 00:07:04.680 --> 00:07:09.120 presents in that sentence. But we've spoke about it before, 117 00:07:09.160 --> 00:07:11.040 but I always like to check in and see how 118 00:07:11.040 --> 00:07:12.959 you're getting on house things with the podcast. 119 00:07:14.279 --> 00:07:20.920 Things are good. I am working from home since the 120 00:07:21.199 --> 00:07:25.079 onset of COVID in this country, and as a result, 121 00:07:25.240 --> 00:07:29.079 it's been about what would it be about five months 122 00:07:29.120 --> 00:07:32.680 since I've been able to be in the library's podcast 123 00:07:32.680 --> 00:07:37.439 studio where everything is beautifully set up for me, So 124 00:07:37.519 --> 00:07:40.639 I have to do sort of this makeshift system at home. 125 00:07:41.000 --> 00:07:45.600 Fortunately the library inform me ahead of time before they 126 00:07:45.600 --> 00:07:47.560 shut down that they were going to do so, and 127 00:07:47.600 --> 00:07:50.360 I was able to bring a lot of equipment at home. Okay, 128 00:07:52.120 --> 00:07:56.160 so I'm still able to podcast, but it's a whole 129 00:07:56.240 --> 00:08:04.079 different baby. All sorts of worries about outside noise and 130 00:08:02.560 --> 00:08:07.759 and and little sounds coming up on my computer while 131 00:08:07.800 --> 00:08:11.319 I'm busy recording and so on, But all in all, 132 00:08:11.519 --> 00:08:14.120 I've been proceeding pretty well. And as a matter of fact, 133 00:08:14.160 --> 00:08:19.040 I just released an episode today because today is Alfred 134 00:08:19.079 --> 00:08:20.959 Hitchcock's one hundred and twenty first birthday. 135 00:08:21.000 --> 00:08:24.680 Oh wow, okay, cool? Was it an episode or were 136 00:08:24.680 --> 00:08:27.279 you talking? Was it like a special? What did you do? 137 00:08:27.720 --> 00:08:30.879 It was just an episode. I started the I started 138 00:08:30.879 --> 00:08:35.879 the series. My first episode I released on Hitchcock's birthday 139 00:08:35.919 --> 00:08:40.960 in twenty eighteen, and so yeah, so it's been two years. Yeah, 140 00:08:41.240 --> 00:08:44.559 So I've just made sure each year to release one 141 00:08:44.559 --> 00:08:48.440 of my episodes on his birthday. So August thirteenth is 142 00:08:48.480 --> 00:08:51.600 when we're talking right now, and that's Hitchcock's birthday. So 143 00:08:51.759 --> 00:08:57.360 my twenty fourth episode I just released today. I've been 144 00:08:57.360 --> 00:09:00.639 doing the monthly generally speaking. I did put in one 145 00:09:00.679 --> 00:09:04.159 filler in June because I did get slowed down with 146 00:09:04.639 --> 00:09:09.480 the stay at home stuff, but otherwise I've been pretty 147 00:09:09.519 --> 00:09:11.320 consistent doing it once a month. 148 00:09:12.120 --> 00:09:13.799 The fact that you've been able to do that, I 149 00:09:13.799 --> 00:09:16.759 think is a testament to you, al because they are 150 00:09:17.240 --> 00:09:21.840 like jam packed with research and clips and things that 151 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:24.879 a real treat and they really expand on the episode 152 00:09:24.960 --> 00:09:27.559 so you know what, once a month. I think that's 153 00:09:27.600 --> 00:09:28.919 that's pretty good going. Man. 154 00:09:29.159 --> 00:09:32.320 Well, thank you, Tom. It does help that I get 155 00:09:32.360 --> 00:09:42.080 paid by the library to do it, yeah, I'll ask yeah, yeah. 156 00:09:42.159 --> 00:09:44.399 Well as far as working from home goes, man, if 157 00:09:44.480 --> 00:09:46.240 you if you ever need a room here at the 158 00:09:46.240 --> 00:09:48.799 After Hours Club to record your podcast, and you can 159 00:09:48.879 --> 00:09:51.399 have it. But I don't know, I can't vouch for 160 00:09:51.440 --> 00:09:53.480 what you might find in there, but you know you 161 00:09:53.600 --> 00:09:58.279 welcome to it. Great, Okay, Well, we're here tonight to 162 00:09:58.480 --> 00:10:04.759 discuss an episode of Suspense. Now, I know Suspense mainly 163 00:10:04.759 --> 00:10:08.600 from the radio show, and it's not like top of 164 00:10:08.639 --> 00:10:12.000 my list. I've enjoyed many episodes of it. I think 165 00:10:12.080 --> 00:10:18.840 I prefer more overtly science fiction or overtly horror radio shows, 166 00:10:19.600 --> 00:10:21.960 but I do think Suspense was a good show, and 167 00:10:22.000 --> 00:10:25.480 it's certainly a long running show. Are you familiar with 168 00:10:25.559 --> 00:10:26.679 it al the radio show? 169 00:10:27.200 --> 00:10:29.600 I am, Yes, Yeah, I've listened to a bunch of 170 00:10:29.639 --> 00:10:33.320 the episodes, And actually it fits into my whole Hitchcock 171 00:10:34.120 --> 00:10:38.720 podcasting because what you're talking about the kind of shows 172 00:10:38.720 --> 00:10:42.320 that Suspense are are essentially the kind of shows that 173 00:10:42.399 --> 00:10:46.519 Hitchcock are, and a lot of the suspense radio shows, 174 00:10:46.600 --> 00:10:49.639 and actually some of the suspense TV shows were later 175 00:10:49.720 --> 00:10:53.399 redone on the Hitchcock TV show. So, even outside of 176 00:10:53.399 --> 00:10:56.440 my interest in old time radio, I've gone back and 177 00:10:56.600 --> 00:10:59.600 listened to a number of suspense radio shows because they 178 00:10:59.600 --> 00:11:02.559 were the big for a television episode of Hitchcock that 179 00:11:02.639 --> 00:11:03.519 I was covering. 180 00:11:03.840 --> 00:11:07.879 Okay, Okay, am I right? Or am I thinking something else? 181 00:11:07.960 --> 00:11:11.440 Wasn't the fast episodes of suspense presented by Hitchcock or 182 00:11:11.480 --> 00:11:15.039 was that something else? Yes, it was the Lodger. 183 00:11:15.200 --> 00:11:20.320 It was the Lodger, and it was the pilot episode. 184 00:11:20.600 --> 00:11:23.000 I'm not entirely sure it was. Actually I don't think 185 00:11:23.039 --> 00:11:25.159 it was actually presented on Suspense. 186 00:11:25.399 --> 00:11:26.320 Okay, it was. 187 00:11:26.279 --> 00:11:28.679 Presented I think on a different show, But it was 188 00:11:28.720 --> 00:11:32.600 the pilot episode for suspense, right, So I may have 189 00:11:32.639 --> 00:11:36.559 that wrong, but it's something like that. Yes, so, yes, yeah, 190 00:11:36.600 --> 00:11:38.639 he's rating on the ground floor of suspense. 191 00:11:38.759 --> 00:11:39.120 That's right. 192 00:11:39.360 --> 00:11:39.759 That's right. 193 00:11:40.360 --> 00:11:40.559 Now. 194 00:11:40.639 --> 00:11:43.279 As far as the television show goes, I know nothing 195 00:11:43.320 --> 00:11:45.960 about it. This is the first time I've ever watched 196 00:11:46.000 --> 00:11:48.639 an episode of it. I don't even know whether much 197 00:11:48.679 --> 00:11:51.799 of it exists anymore. Have you much experience with that? 198 00:11:52.200 --> 00:11:54.639 Well, a little bit, Yeah, and there are a fair 199 00:11:54.759 --> 00:11:58.039 number of them out there, and they're mostly available online. 200 00:11:58.600 --> 00:12:02.240 There were like three different DVD sets I think came 201 00:12:02.279 --> 00:12:05.799 out about ten years ago, one of which had Nightmare 202 00:12:05.840 --> 00:12:08.919 of Ground Zero on it and they plastered Rod Serling's 203 00:12:08.960 --> 00:12:12.519 face on the cover. You know, So there are I 204 00:12:12.879 --> 00:12:15.039 don't think, and I don't think all of them are 205 00:12:15.639 --> 00:12:17.919 still in existence by any means, but they are a 206 00:12:17.960 --> 00:12:21.080 decent amount, which is not bad because I think they 207 00:12:21.080 --> 00:12:23.919 were recorded live. I think they were done live, yes, 208 00:12:23.960 --> 00:12:27.039 And it just so happens. If somebody happened to, you know, 209 00:12:27.360 --> 00:12:33.000 film the kinescope, then we have actual episodes. If not, 210 00:12:33.159 --> 00:12:34.000 they don't exist. 211 00:12:34.240 --> 00:12:36.679 What a fascinating thing. And I think we can see 212 00:12:36.799 --> 00:12:41.960 a bit of evidence of that in tonight's episolutely Yes. Now, 213 00:12:42.200 --> 00:12:45.559 last time we spoke about like Twilight Zone plays and 214 00:12:45.639 --> 00:12:48.120 things I'm not Twilight Zone plays. What am I talking about? 215 00:12:48.480 --> 00:12:54.159 Like Vincage Rudd sailing plays? And I think I struggled 216 00:12:54.159 --> 00:12:58.679 to acclimatize a little bit because they are so different. 217 00:12:58.879 --> 00:13:01.639 And I think it was you who said they are 218 00:13:01.759 --> 00:13:05.759 just like they are plays on screen, really, and I 219 00:13:05.799 --> 00:13:08.600 think you were a bit better at that than me, 220 00:13:08.679 --> 00:13:11.639 because you're a play, right anyway, you know, you have 221 00:13:11.799 --> 00:13:16.320 that kind of theater experience if you're like, well, so, 222 00:13:16.440 --> 00:13:18.600 I guess this one's no different, is it. It's just 223 00:13:18.639 --> 00:13:21.440 like a play recorded on television. 224 00:13:21.679 --> 00:13:23.799 I think that's right. I think it was done live, 225 00:13:24.159 --> 00:13:27.200 and once again, you had different sets and you had 226 00:13:27.200 --> 00:13:28.879 to make sure that the actors could get to the 227 00:13:28.879 --> 00:13:30.840 different sets, or if they had to change their clothes 228 00:13:30.960 --> 00:13:32.600 or whatever, you had to give them time to do so. 229 00:13:33.679 --> 00:13:38.759 And I think that a lot of what's interesting about 230 00:13:38.879 --> 00:13:42.120 this episode is the camera work. But I think the 231 00:13:42.159 --> 00:13:46.159 camera work is actually there because it's done live and 232 00:13:46.200 --> 00:13:51.080 you don't want to just show like a stage. Yeah, 233 00:13:51.240 --> 00:13:55.200 and so the camera work, there's a lot of close ups, 234 00:13:55.240 --> 00:13:57.480 there's a lot of moves to weird angles and so on. 235 00:13:57.559 --> 00:14:00.279 I think those are all there. I mean, part of 236 00:14:00.320 --> 00:14:02.480 it might be the creative impulse of the director, but 237 00:14:02.519 --> 00:14:04.080 I think a lot of it is there just to 238 00:14:04.720 --> 00:14:07.480 cover up the fact that you're just essentially watching a 239 00:14:07.519 --> 00:14:08.200 stage play. 240 00:14:08.519 --> 00:14:12.360 Things like the way they use the like the mesh 241 00:14:12.399 --> 00:14:17.440 fencing in front of the house. Yeah, there's a lot 242 00:14:17.480 --> 00:14:21.720 of little touches here. I found this to be less 243 00:14:21.720 --> 00:14:25.399 stagy than those other ones we watched. Probably for those reasons. 244 00:14:25.440 --> 00:14:27.799 I think there is a bit of movement going on. 245 00:14:28.240 --> 00:14:32.399 The sets are very different, like there's a house there, 246 00:14:32.840 --> 00:14:36.279 and there's the there's the test house, and you know 247 00:14:36.679 --> 00:14:39.320 that even driving along in a car and yeah, it's 248 00:14:39.360 --> 00:14:42.320 not the most convincing, but it sort of gives us 249 00:14:42.320 --> 00:14:45.759 that separation of the scenes. So I think this is 250 00:14:45.840 --> 00:14:47.679 a bit less stagy than those ones. 251 00:14:48.200 --> 00:14:50.600 Yeah, and I think actually the car works pretty well. 252 00:14:50.720 --> 00:14:51.039 Yeah. 253 00:14:51.080 --> 00:14:53.440 You know, if you're just watching and not paying much attention, 254 00:14:53.759 --> 00:14:56.279 you just say, I mean to the ins and outs 255 00:14:56.320 --> 00:14:59.600 of the creative process, you're saying, oh, well, they're in 256 00:14:59.639 --> 00:15:02.000 a car and they're driving, and it seems perfectly fine. 257 00:15:02.200 --> 00:15:03.840 If you stop and think about it, you say, well, 258 00:15:03.840 --> 00:15:06.759 wait a minute, their car isn't moving, and it's all 259 00:15:06.799 --> 00:15:10.080 being done with lights and with sound effects, and the 260 00:15:10.159 --> 00:15:12.399 main character is just moving the steering wheel back and 261 00:15:12.399 --> 00:15:15.480 forth a little bit and that's it. But it works beautifully. 262 00:15:15.639 --> 00:15:17.919 Well, we'll kind of step through the story. I will 263 00:15:17.960 --> 00:15:21.240 have given a synopsis earlier on by now, But in 264 00:15:21.320 --> 00:15:24.240 the first part of the story, when introduced to George 265 00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:28.279 Vance and his wife Helen, George faced because he's at 266 00:15:28.320 --> 00:15:32.279 this this test site, house. Now, I'll be honest with you, 267 00:15:32.360 --> 00:15:34.600 I don't know a great deal about these I think 268 00:15:34.720 --> 00:15:37.000 what I know I've probably seen in the movies. But 269 00:15:37.200 --> 00:15:41.279 they are like something that when you see them, these 270 00:15:41.399 --> 00:15:45.840 houses that were built with dummies in and like in 271 00:15:45.879 --> 00:15:48.519 this that even putting electrics in and things, just to 272 00:15:48.559 --> 00:15:51.200 see what happens when you know, you set a nuclear 273 00:15:51.240 --> 00:15:55.039 bomb off near to electric There's a kind of morbid 274 00:15:55.120 --> 00:15:58.159 fascination that comes along with these things because they are 275 00:15:58.279 --> 00:16:01.879 so kind of grit grotesque in their own way. Just 276 00:16:01.960 --> 00:16:09.320 this like fifties American household populated by domis. It's so bizarre, 277 00:16:09.399 --> 00:16:10.320 isn't it. 278 00:16:10.320 --> 00:16:14.200 It's very bizarre. And I actually didn't really know much 279 00:16:14.240 --> 00:16:17.360 about this, and I wasn't really even sure that they 280 00:16:17.440 --> 00:16:20.360 did put mannequins into these places. So I looked it 281 00:16:20.399 --> 00:16:22.399 all up and they absolutely did. 282 00:16:22.600 --> 00:16:22.960 Really. 283 00:16:23.399 --> 00:16:25.960 I found a website where they said they talked about 284 00:16:26.200 --> 00:16:31.559 One of the explosions at Yucca Flats was a mission 285 00:16:31.559 --> 00:16:36.519 that they called Operation Doorstep, and the website said it 286 00:16:36.559 --> 00:16:39.480 was used to determine if wooden frame homes, cars, and 287 00:16:39.600 --> 00:16:43.120 mannequins in place of people could survive a nuclear blast, 288 00:16:43.879 --> 00:16:48.320 and that took place on March seventeenth of nineteen fifty three. 289 00:16:49.159 --> 00:16:53.480 This episode is sometime in August in nineteen fifty three. Wow, 290 00:16:53.519 --> 00:16:58.720 so people that are watching this would probably be very 291 00:16:58.799 --> 00:17:03.759 aware of exactly what was going on and what the 292 00:17:03.759 --> 00:17:07.720 deal was with the mannequins and so on. So I think, Rod, 293 00:17:07.839 --> 00:17:09.359 you know, I think it's I think it's one of 294 00:17:09.359 --> 00:17:13.640 these moments where this happened, you know, in real life. 295 00:17:13.759 --> 00:17:17.000 And this light bulb went over Red Rod's head, you know, 296 00:17:17.079 --> 00:17:22.319 and he said, Aha, you know, mannequin's in a house 297 00:17:22.359 --> 00:17:24.160 that's going to be exploded with an atomic bomb. I 298 00:17:24.160 --> 00:17:26.759 can do something with that. And he did it rather 299 00:17:26.839 --> 00:17:30.400 quickly because it aired but like maybe five months after 300 00:17:30.440 --> 00:17:36.240 the actual explosion. So yes, and the whole business of 301 00:17:36.319 --> 00:17:38.759 Yucca Flats, I mean, that doesn't really mean anything to 302 00:17:38.880 --> 00:17:41.680 us now. I don't think there's a moment in the 303 00:17:41.759 --> 00:17:44.680 very beginning of this episode which I think is supposed 304 00:17:44.680 --> 00:17:47.480 to be this moment of shock, and it really doesn't 305 00:17:47.519 --> 00:17:50.119 penetrate now. And that's when they leave this house when 306 00:17:50.160 --> 00:17:53.000 we're not entirely sure what the house is yet, and 307 00:17:53.039 --> 00:17:56.519 the camera pans over to this sign that says Yucca 308 00:17:56.680 --> 00:18:00.920 Flats and it's like, well, fine, you know, good Yucca 309 00:18:00.960 --> 00:18:04.319 flats whatever. But if this is the kind of stuff 310 00:18:04.319 --> 00:18:06.559 that was going on just a few months before, that 311 00:18:06.759 --> 00:18:09.799 sign really means something to the people watching in nineteen 312 00:18:09.880 --> 00:18:13.359 fifty three. They immediately know what this house is and 313 00:18:13.400 --> 00:18:14.759 what's going to happen to this house. 314 00:18:15.079 --> 00:18:18.759 It's fascinating to me, and it might be something that 315 00:18:18.799 --> 00:18:21.799 I actually reads upon a bit, to be honest. And 316 00:18:22.079 --> 00:18:25.160 there's a bit later on where like George is going 317 00:18:25.200 --> 00:18:27.880 back into the base and the guy at the gate 318 00:18:28.039 --> 00:18:31.960 is like, okay, but get moving because it's thirty five miles. 319 00:18:32.039 --> 00:18:34.720 You know, It's like, how big must this thing be? 320 00:18:34.839 --> 00:18:38.400 It must be absolutely huge, and I don't know. I 321 00:18:38.400 --> 00:18:39.920 guess it must have to be if you're going to 322 00:18:39.920 --> 00:18:42.640 set off a nuclear bomb there. But yeah, the scale 323 00:18:42.720 --> 00:18:44.039 of it is immense. 324 00:18:44.200 --> 00:18:47.720 And terrifying really, So you do have this ticking clock 325 00:18:47.960 --> 00:18:52.160 throughout this episode which is very scary because of what's 326 00:18:52.160 --> 00:18:52.759 going to happen. 327 00:18:53.039 --> 00:18:55.759 George Vance he is the man who makes the mannequins, 328 00:18:55.799 --> 00:18:58.559 and he goes home and we have this scene with 329 00:18:58.640 --> 00:19:01.920 him and his wife, Helen. Some might say it's a 330 00:19:02.039 --> 00:19:06.000 kind of Twilight Zone nagging wife in a way, Yes, 331 00:19:06.640 --> 00:19:09.839 And I would probably draw more of a parallel with 332 00:19:10.559 --> 00:19:14.440 Time Enough at Last if Rodd was the one who 333 00:19:14.480 --> 00:19:16.559 originally wrote time Enough at Last, But that's in the 334 00:19:16.599 --> 00:19:21.000 original story anyway. But I guess because he did write 335 00:19:21.000 --> 00:19:24.039 the episode, and he wrote this episode, you can draw 336 00:19:24.160 --> 00:19:28.359 certain parallels. The wife is a bit of a nagging wife, 337 00:19:28.359 --> 00:19:33.400 But I'm okay with it because I think George is 338 00:19:33.480 --> 00:19:36.799 just such a flake. He is just like this, has 339 00:19:36.880 --> 00:19:43.160 this weird obsession with puppets, models, mannequins, and I don't 340 00:19:43.160 --> 00:19:44.920 blame her for being a bit out of her mind, 341 00:19:44.960 --> 00:19:48.160 to be honest, I think it's completely justified. What do 342 00:19:48.200 --> 00:19:49.279 you think of these scenes out? 343 00:19:49.400 --> 00:19:52.519 Yeah, no, I agree with that. Yes, it is justified. 344 00:19:54.359 --> 00:19:58.839 But the scenes are quite eerie. I think they're really 345 00:19:58.960 --> 00:20:03.440 nicely done. When when we first see his wife, she's 346 00:20:03.480 --> 00:20:06.640 sitting there amongst these mannequins, which he is still has 347 00:20:06.680 --> 00:20:10.200 at home, and she's not moving, so to some extent, 348 00:20:10.319 --> 00:20:14.240 she's like one of the mannequins, and that I think 349 00:20:14.359 --> 00:20:17.319 actually becomes part of the point with the way George 350 00:20:17.400 --> 00:20:22.839 views her because he loves the mannequins. There is a 351 00:20:22.880 --> 00:20:25.079 line that he has Let's see if I can find it. 352 00:20:25.079 --> 00:20:29.240 I wrote it down. He says that the mannequins are 353 00:20:29.359 --> 00:20:32.359 gentle kind and quiet, Helen, if only you. 354 00:20:32.400 --> 00:20:33.240 Were that way. 355 00:20:34.599 --> 00:20:39.519 So yeah, so he's got this obsession with these inanimate 356 00:20:40.240 --> 00:20:44.160 objects that he deals with as if they're people. So 357 00:20:44.799 --> 00:20:47.079 I think, you know, there's a number of Twilight Zone 358 00:20:47.079 --> 00:20:50.319 episodes that I think this is almost like a precursor for, 359 00:20:50.400 --> 00:20:52.599 and to some extent, you have to say that The 360 00:20:52.680 --> 00:20:55.960 After Hours is one of them. Oh yeah, because the 361 00:20:56.000 --> 00:20:58.079 mannequins do become real to. 362 00:20:58.200 --> 00:21:01.240 George definitely, definitely. I mean it's a bit of a 363 00:21:01.279 --> 00:21:05.960 weird obsession. I mean, Henry Bee must like to read. 364 00:21:06.039 --> 00:21:09.599 I can kind of get on board with that one, Whereas, Okay, 365 00:21:10.119 --> 00:21:14.319 when there's like painting mannequins and stuff, it just marks 366 00:21:14.400 --> 00:21:17.599 him out as a bit more insane, you know what 367 00:21:17.599 --> 00:21:20.720 I mean. I don't think there's much kind of light 368 00:21:20.839 --> 00:21:23.640 and shade here. The more time you spend with this guy, 369 00:21:23.720 --> 00:21:27.640 the more I just think he's just not right, you know. 370 00:21:28.839 --> 00:21:32.119 Yes, yeah, he spends his time like very carefully doing 371 00:21:32.160 --> 00:21:35.279 the eyebrows of the mannequin. You know, this is a 372 00:21:35.319 --> 00:21:38.839 mannequin that's going to be blown up in a nuclear explosion, 373 00:21:39.240 --> 00:21:41.640 and he's taking time to get the eyebrow just right. 374 00:21:42.559 --> 00:21:44.599 And it does remind me a little bit going back 375 00:21:44.640 --> 00:21:47.759 to Hitchcock of an episode I covered, which is based 376 00:21:47.799 --> 00:21:51.599 on a great Bradbury story called and So died Ryabushinska, 377 00:21:51.720 --> 00:21:55.119 which is about a ventriloquist with his dummy that he 378 00:21:55.319 --> 00:21:58.599 essentially falls in love with. So it's a very similar 379 00:21:58.680 --> 00:22:04.400 notion of being in love with something that's actually inanimate, 380 00:22:04.440 --> 00:22:06.960 but that you infuse some sort of life force into 381 00:22:08.359 --> 00:22:11.440 by your obsession with it. Yeah, and so yes, I 382 00:22:11.440 --> 00:22:14.160 mean those scenes with him and his wife, I agree. 383 00:22:14.240 --> 00:22:17.440 I mean, she seems sort of shrill, but you have 384 00:22:17.480 --> 00:22:20.519 to sympathize with her to a great extent because as 385 00:22:20.559 --> 00:22:23.440 she's talking to him, he's doing those eyebrows and those 386 00:22:23.480 --> 00:22:27.440 other things are the vaticans, and they're very nice, eerie moments. 387 00:22:27.480 --> 00:22:28.759 I think in this in this. 388 00:22:29.400 --> 00:22:32.720 Episode, Yeah, there's some great use of those mannequins. And 389 00:22:32.759 --> 00:22:38.839 I think Helen, his wife, there is probably in the 390 00:22:38.880 --> 00:22:44.279 script and in the performance a certain little aspect of her. 391 00:22:44.319 --> 00:22:48.119 Even in this scene where she doesn't just write him off. 392 00:22:48.279 --> 00:22:51.880 It's not like, right, you're just nuts, you spend all 393 00:22:51.920 --> 00:22:54.920 your time with mannequins. There is a pleading aspect to 394 00:22:54.960 --> 00:22:57.920 it as well. She is very much like, come on, 395 00:22:58.079 --> 00:23:00.599 I'm going to keep working at this until you kind 396 00:23:00.599 --> 00:23:02.960 of snap outs of it and we can have something, 397 00:23:03.000 --> 00:23:07.039 which I thought was pretty nice considering, you know, a 398 00:23:07.079 --> 00:23:09.079 lot of the times it is just a shrill wife. 399 00:23:09.079 --> 00:23:10.960 But she did have a couple of lays to it 400 00:23:11.000 --> 00:23:11.400 as well. 401 00:23:12.279 --> 00:23:17.640