The average anthology series draws from multiple wells of inspiration. Apart from original ideas, these shows look to preexisting fiction writing for their source material, seeking the best of the best. Not only does this method encourage variety and bring recognition to less prevailing works, it also puts the spotlight on underappreciated authors.
Be that as it may, a great story is hard to pass up, even if an adaptation already exists. And from time to time, viewers will experience déjà vu as they watch their favorite anthologies. Different series sharing versions of the same stories might be considered remaking, but as the following episodes demonstrate, no two adaptations are ever exactly alike.
The Twilight Zone (1959-1964)
Nightmare at 20,000 Feet
The Twilight Zone (2019-2020)
Nightmare at 30,000 Feet
One of the most iconic anthology stories to ever grace TV sees a breakdown in both mechanics and mind. And this renowned terror tale continues to impress viewers even after nearly six decades. Despite some behind-the-scenes hiccups toward the end, Rod Serling‘s seminal series delivered several of its greatest hits before audiences were forced to exit The Twilight Zone.
Celebrated genre author Richard Matheson imagined the fear of flying in a new and terrifying way with “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet“. The regular Twilight Zone contributor turned an ordinary airliner into a pressure cooker when a passenger (William Shatner) spots a gremlin on the plane’s wing. Of course no one believes the man who endured a nervous breakdown only six months earlier. From the wife to the plane staff to the viewers, everyone continues to question this character’s sanity up to the very end.
“Nightmare” finally defies expectations and confirms Shatner’s character was right all along. What seems like a hoary resolution is really a bold move. The Twilight Zone and other anthologies have a long history of undermining their events. On the contrary, Matheson felt no need to undo everything with a twist. George Miller‘s retelling in the 1983 movie, a superior one at that, smartly sticks to the same script.
“Nightmare at 30,000 Feet” in Jordan Peele‘s revival sees Adam Scott acting on a prophetic podcast, which according to its host (voiced by Dan Carlin), the protagonist’s flight is set to vanish with him on it. In a bid to save everyone, the PTSD-affected character then makes a series of increasingly bad decisions that only guarantee the plane’s fate. As challenging as it is to pluck a single lucid theme out of this disparate and uneven update, the episode may just be a critique of dangerous misinformation. After all, the recent Twilight Zone was more geared toward timeliness as opposed to timelessness.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955-1962)
Tales of the Unexpected (1979-1988)
Poison
Roald Dahl‘s offbeat creativity led to a number of adaptations over the course of classic television. While his most prominent and successful works are largely aimed at younger readers, his shorter writings reach a wider audience. And “Poison” is an example of how the famed writer excelled in the macabre. The 1950 short story is set in Bengal, where a Brit named Harry finds himself caught in bed with a snake. A krait, to be more specific. His friend Timber and a local doctor named Ganderbai then work quickly but carefully to remove the venomous intruder from Harry’s body without him getting bitten in the process.
The Alfred Hitchcock Presents version of “Poison”, now set in Malaya, injects drama where the original has none. The Timber seen here (Wendell Corey) is openly hostile toward Harry (James Donald), who now has a dependency on alcohol. Timber assumes the krait is a side effect of Harry’s drunken stupor, but he calls Dr. Ganderbay (Arnold Moss) to come help them anyway. Not without behaving like a jerk, of course. At one point, Timber even insinuates stealing Harry’s love interest if he were to die. The anthology’s namesake directed this episode, and his personal touch makes “Poison” one of the series’ most memorable offerings.
As for the adaptation in Tales of the Unexpected, a series initially built on Dahl’s oeuvre, Timber (Anthony Steel) acts more like his concerned literary parallel, but here he has his own subplot; he is seeing a married woman named Sandra (Judy Geeson). Harry (Andrew Ray) is once again staving off both his desire to drink and the krait resting on his warm chest.
The atmosphere of this “Poison” is differently charged, seeing as Sandra skulks around the house, searching for a way out of the situation. There is also the violent confrontation between Harry and the incredulous Ganderbai (Saeed Jaffrey) once the snake problem is dealt with. The racist remarks found in Dahl’s story are understandably omitted, though. As for the ending, there is an all-new twist that reinforces the idea of the krait representing Harry’s long battle with alcohol.
Journey to the Unknown (1968)
Somewhere In a Crowd
The Ray Bradbury Theater (1985-1992)
The Crowd
Ray Bradbury was certainly no stranger to genre fiction during his time, and as of today, his opus continues to inspire newer media and writers. The illustrious author was not afraid to question society and comment on its darkest qualities. And in his 1943 short story “The Crowd“, Bradbury searches for meaning when groups of people gather around others’ tragedies.
“The Crowd” first popped up on TV in Journey to the Unknown, however Bradbury was uncredited in the episode. Only a Michael J. Bird is acknowledged as the writer. Nevertheless, the likenesses between “Somewhere In a Crowd” and Bradbury’s story are obvious. David Hedison plays a TV host who notices the same rubberneckers whenever an accident occurs in public. Could it be a coincidence? In due time, that paranoia leads to his own undoing. There is the occasional clashing of tones here, but make no mistake. Once Hedison’s character detects the same spectators at each and every accident site, a creepy sensation sinks in and never quite leaves.
As with Roald Dahl, Bradbury was bestowed his own anthology series. “The Crowd” was an early entry in The Ray Bradbury Theater, and it follows the original text more closely. Neither the grave mood nor the sense of urgency ever abate as Nick Mancuso‘s troubled character investigates the goings-on in the city. The denser crowds make for an unnerving experience, and the wintry setting enhances the story.
Through conspiracy and collective curiosity, Bradbury probes the act of voyeurism in “The Crowd”. He scrutinizes humanity and asks what draws them to such misfortune. Do these ghostly gawkers feed on others’ misery, or is there something more supernatural under way? The ambiguity indeed makes this tale stick once the smoke clears.
Night Gallery (1969-1973)
The House
Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction (1997-2002)
Dream House
The first season of Night Gallery starts off without creator Rod Serling in the writer’s seat, but he makes a magnificent series debut with “The House“. Joanna Pettet plays Elaine, a woman set to leave a sanitarium after an extended stay. The beautiful country estate she regularly dreams about during her residency eventually turns out to be real. The realtor (Paul Richards) warns Elaine about the property being haunted, yet she goes ahead with the purchase. Little does she know, Elaine’s connection with the house goes much deeper than a mere dream.
Serling had the challenge of turning an awfully short story, “La Maison” by French author André Maurois, into a 25-minute segment. The denouement is nothing short of impressive and a testament to Serling’s talent. His protagonist is a woman caught between two worlds, and those worlds can never meet. The symbolism of this episode — Elaine literally drives around in circles, unable to reach a permanent destination in life — and director John Astin‘s dreamy imagery are reasons why “The House” is so notable.
In the last segment of the premiere episode of the multi-genre anthology Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction, a woman named Alicia (Jennifer Tighe) has found the perfect house for her and her partner, Daniel (David Andriole). Unfortunately, she only sees this illusory home in her dreams. One day after an exhaustive hunt, Alicia finally discovers the house is in fact real — and the asking price is well within her and Daniel’s price range. The catch, though? The place is haunted by a ghost.
Neither André Maurois nor Rod Serling are credited in this loose adaptation, but the similarities between their works and “Dream House” are unmistakable. What is even stranger is Beyond Belief declaring this story to be based on fact. Night Gallery zooms in on Elaine’s search for her place in the world, whereas Alicia tries to satisfy both hers and society’s expectations, even if that means scaring another woman out of her own perfect life.
Urban Gothic (2000-2001)
Fear Itself (2008)
Eater
Urban Gothic‘s “Eater” maintains both the setup and the spirit of its basis, a short story by British author Peter Crowther. Police officers detain the shape-shifting cannibal Mellor (Andrew Gillies) at their station, and as the night progresses, they each succumb to the man-eater’s mysterious ways and insatiable appetite. Crowther, also the episode’s screenwriter, preserves his unapologetically bleak ending, while at the same time, making the outcome more apparent.
After Masters of Horror came to an end, showrunner Mick Garris quickly put Fear Itself into motion. And one of the series’ more well-received entries is Stuart Gordon‘s distinct take on “Eater”. This episode takes a page out of Assault on Precinct 13 and relocates the story to a rundown American police station. The main character is a rookie and horror fan played by Elisabeth Moss, and her fascination with Mellor (Stephen R. Hart) relates to a possible death wish. And the cannibal here is a black-magic wielding Cajun, whose eyes are ultimately too big for his stomach.
The second “Eater” is evidently based on a 2007 short film by The Duffer Brothers (Stranger Things). The DNA of their grungy and gory adaptation is all over Gordon’s episode, although they ultimately diverge in their endings. Writers Richard Chizmar and Johnathon Schaech play up the slasher qualities by first having a female protagonist, and then pitting her against her unrelenting enemy after he has disposed of her peers.
These two adaptations are like night and day; Otto Bathurst prefers his Mellor be a cryptic threat who hides in both the shadows as well as his victims. Meanwhile, Gordon’s villain is much more of a present character, even as he uses cops as meat puppets. This Mellor is physically imposing, not to mention outright scary at every turn. Hart’s performance and an especially grim conclusion solidify “Eater” as one of Fear Itself‘s best.
Series of Frights is a recurring column that mainly focuses on horror in television. Specifically, it takes a closer look at five episodes or stories — each one adhering to an overall theme — from different anthology series or the occasional movie made for TV. With anthologies becoming popular again, especially on television, now is the perfect time to see what this timeless mode of storytelling has to offer.
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