Director Byron Haskin's, THE ARCHITECTS OF FEAR,
is an unusual approach to an alien landing tale.
Robert Culp, who appeared in more "Outer Limits" episodes
than any other leading actor, brings credibility and stoic strength
to the role of a man undergoing the agonizing transformation from man
to "alien".
Geraldine Brooks, in the role of Culp's wife, is persuasive as a woman
who can't bring herself to accept that her husband is really dead. When
she emotionally says, "If he were dead, I'd know it.", we
believe her.
The Teleplay, by Meyer Dolinsky, contains some of the same kind of quips
that Culp was to become so famous for, a few years later in his hit
TV series, "I Spy". While chatting with a doctor about his
upcoming transformation, scientist/hipster Culp remarks, "You know,
you could have had a great career in a Turkish bath."
Oddly enough, the central story premise of this episode, an alien landing,
faked to influence global behavior, is actually touted by some UFO enthusiasts
as an event that a mysterious, super secret international group is planning
to stage near the turn of this century. Perhaps these flying saucer
conspiracy theorists are also "Outer Limits" fans.
My favorite scene takes place after Brooks is told Culp is dead. She
exits, leaving behind a box from a maternity store: apparently she is
pregnant now. Culp comes out of hiding and picks up the box. Courtesy
of Director of Photography, Conrad Hall, we get a tight shot of the
box, as Culp's hand slides across the top of it, his open hand becoming
a fist. With no dialogue, and without even seeing Culp face, Director
Haskin delivers a scene with high emotional impact.
Dominic Frontiere's music is both sweet and sad. This episode is primarily
a tragic morality play, and the music ably underscores this theme.
The FX in this episode are a mixed bag. Culp's spaceship, a silver tube
with a pointy nose and rear fins, is disappointing. When he lands, however,
he zaps a station wagon with a ray gun, and the resulting flash of light
and burn marks on the ground, once it disappears, are pretty good. Special
Effects guy, Si Simonson, as well as Project Unlimited Inc., deserve
both the credit and the blame here.
When we finally see Culp as a big headed, saucer eyed "alien",
with oversize chicken legs,, he's not very scary or convincing. Makeup
Supervisor Fred B. Phillips seems to be the guilty party here.
THE ARCHITECTS OF FEAR will be fairly watchable for most Sci-Fi viewers.
Robert Culp / "I Spy" fans will enjoy themselves. THE ARCHITECTS
OF FEAR offers a solid blueprint for Sci-Fi entertainment. BACK
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