I did a brief overview of this criminally underappreciated series in honor of its 30th anniversary back in 2015, and had planned
to do an episode by episode review of the series. But alas, I only made it in a
few episodes in as other creative projects beckoned. But now that the second
season is finally released on a region free DVD and the show is available
steaming on Amazon, I’ve been re-binging the series. So here are my top ten
episodes of this glorious piece of entertainment from the mid-80s. More
in-depth, full reviews of individual episodes will be posted soon.
Also of note, an eternally “in the works”
reboot of the show is underway from Apple TV. But I am keeping my expectations
low. It does not appear that Spielberg is as directly involved as he was the
original, and recapturing the Spielberg/Amblin 80s vibe can be an elusive task.
But as Stranger Things and Bumblebee proved, it can be done. So we
shall see.
“Dorothy and Ben”
Directed by Thomas Carter
Story by Steven Spielberg
Teleplay by Michael De Guzman
This perfect gem of an episode is exactly
how to best maximize the short dramatic format. Take a compelling high-concept
idea, (in this case a man awakens from a forty-year coma and finds he can
communicate with a young coma patient), and bring it to life with tight
writing, spot on direction, and superb acting. Joe Senaca gives a haunting,
deeply affecting performance as a modern day Rip Van Winkle. Director Thomas
Carter tells the story economically, keeping the focus on what the story is
about, namely Dorothy and Ben. Be warned, you may want to watch this episode
alone. It is very emotional. The music by legendary French maestro Georges
Delerue is gorgeous and adds to the overpowering bittersweet feel of this
deeply moving masterwork.
“Without Diana”
Directed by Lesli Linka Glatter
Written by Mick Garris
The number two slot on my “Amazing Stories”
all-time list goes to another tearjerker, also scored by the master of
melancholy, Georges Delerue. Ten year-old Gennie James is wonderful as the
title character with Billy Green Bush and Dianne Hull turning in strong work as
her grieving parents. The directing by Lesli Linka Glatter is pitch perfect.
She wisely gives us the emotional space to experience the catharsis we so
desperately need during this emotional meatgrinder of an episode. If an Amazing
Stories directing MVP award were given, it would go to Lesli. She directed
three outstanding episodes, “Without Diana”, “No Day at the Beach”, and “One
For The Books”. She went on to become one the most acclaimed directors in TV
history helming everything from four episodes of the original “Twin Peaks” to
twenty-three episodes of the current “Homeland”.
“The Amazing Falsworth”
Directed by Peter Hyams
Story by Steven Spielberg
Teleplay by Mick Garris
A relentless exercise in horrific
atmosphere and tension, this moody masterpiece in suspense would have made for
a great episode of “Night Gallery” or “Circle of Fear” back in the 70s. The
lead performances by Gregory Hines and Richard Masur (from “One Day at a
Time”) are Emmy worthy. And then there is the knockout direction and cinematography
(both by Peter Hyams”) and the wickedly scary score by 70s horror music icon
Billy Goldenberg. This is the best directed episode of the entire series, and
considering the Hall of Fame roster of directors for this series, that is
saying a lot.
“The Mission”
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Story by Steven Spielberg
Teleplay by Menno Meyjes
This knockout, special hour long episode,
directed by the man himself, is most often the show associated with the series,
since it was rebroadcast often in the 90s as part of the “Amazing Stories”
movie package, especially on the SciFi Channel (as it was called back then).
The production values and glorious cinematography are on par with anything you
could have seen in a movie theater at the time. Spielberg relishes being
immersed deep into two of his favorite
themes, WWII and flying, and the director makes the most of a terrific ensemble
cast, including pre-stardom Kevin Costner and Kiefer Sutherland. The music by
John Williams might just be the best score composed for a television
episode—ever.
“Mummy Daddy”
Directed by William Dear
Story by Steven Spielberg
Teleplay by Earl Pomerantz
One of the great things about “Amazing
Stories” is the diversity in the types of stories. In addition to straight horror,
fantasy, and science fiction, the show did quite a bit of comedy episodes, and
this one is the best (with “Family Dog” a close second). The premise is pure farcical
slapstick. An actor, playing a mummy in a movie, hurriedly leaves the set in full
wardrobe to make it to the birth of his child, and chaos ensues. Director
William Dear shows the same knack for balancing laugh out loud physical humor
with character, action, and heart that he displayed a year or so later in “Harry
and the Hendersons”. Catchy early Danny Elfman score (composed along with his
partner Steve Bartek).
“The Eternal Mind”
Directed by J. Michael Riva
Witten by Julie Moskowitz & Gary
Stephens
Jeffery Jones plays a terminally ill
scientist working on a project to upload his brain into a computer hard drive.
While this may seem like a tired idea in 2019, this was pretty bold, heady
stuff for 1985, especially on network television. While many of the “Amazing
Stories” episodes have a “Twilight Zone” vibe to them, this one feels like an “Outer
Limits”, and a very good one at that. Also, this is one of many episodes to be blatantly
ripped off by Hollywood blockbusters in 90s and 2000s. In this case the culprit
is the 2014 flop Johnny Depp movie “Transcendence”. It is literally the exact
same story, and done infinitely better here.
"Go To the Head of the Class"
Directed by Robert Zemeckis
Story by Mick Garris
Teleplay by Mick Garris & Tom
McLoughlin and Bob Gale
Robert Zemeckis and Christopher Lloyd hot
off of “Back to the Future” in a special hour long Halloween themed horror
episode? Indeed, and it is glorious. While I’ve mentioned “Night Gallery”, “The
Twilight Zone”, and “The Outer Limits” in reference to other episodes, this
entertaining gem (with some added gore) could very well have been on HBO’s “Tales
From the Crypt”, a series that Zemeckis executive produced and directed for.
"Life on Death Row"
Directed by Mick Garris
Story by Mick Garris
Teleplay by Rockne S. O'Bannon
A pre-Dirty Dancing Patrick Swayze exudes
star charisma in an electrifying (literally) performance as a death row inmate
with the power to heal. Stylish direction by Mick Garris and a knockout score
by “Star Trek’ veteran composer Fred Steiner. Yes, this too was ripped off by
Hollywood as “The Green Mile”, and this episode also predated Steven King’s
source material for the movie by a few years.
"The Doll"
Directed by Phil Joanou
Written by Richard Matheson
John Lithgow won an Emmy for his wonderful
performance in this joyous, romantic jewel of a story from the pen of legendary
writer Richard Matheson, a frequent Spielberg collaborator and one of Rod
Serling’s go to writer’s on the original “Twilight Zone”. The direction by the
talented (and very young at the time) Phil Joanou is beautifully understated.
"Family Dog"
Directed Brad Bird
Written by Brad Bird
Acclaimed director Brad Bird (“The
Incredibles”) helped launch his career with this thoroughly engaging animated
episode that was so good, it was spun off into a series of its own.
Runners up
Other outstanding episodes that didn’t
make my top ten but are well worth seeking out include Martin Scorsese’s creepy “Mirror, Mirror”, Paul Bartel’s “Gershwin’s
Trunk” starring Bob Balaban, Spielberg’s “Ghost Train” (the lead off episode of
the series when it premiered in fall of 1985), Clint Eastwood’s lovely “Vanessa
in the Garden” starring Harvey Keitel and Sandra Locke, the charming “Mr. Magic”
directed by Donald Petrie and starring Sid Caesar, “Without Diana” director Lesli Linka Glatter’s
“No Day at the Beach” starring Charlie Sheen, the feel good “Moving Day” directed by Robert
Stevens, Phil Joanou’s “Santa 85”, and two wonderfully offbeat Joe Dante
episodes, “Boo” starring Dante regulars,
sexy Wendy Shaal and fan fave Robert Picardo, and the goofy but oddly enjoyable
Gremlins-esque “The Griebble”
