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Director Byron Haskin's BEHOLD ECK! is one of the
better, later "Outer Limits" episodes.
Peter Lind Hayes, as "Dr. Stone", is a pretty cool customer.
Early on, Hayes tours the ruins of his optical center. "It's interesting.
Very interesting," he murmurs, like an emotionless Vulcan.
Joan Freeman, as Stone's Associate "Elizabeth Dunn", offers
fine support. She radiates class, and a certain sense of aristocracy,
though not snobbishness.
The dialogue in the film, (Teleplay by John Mantley; Story by William
R. Cox), is flip, almost camp. When the cops ask Dr. Stone who would
have a reason to smash his optical center, Stone quips, "Probably
someone who just doesn't like spectacles."
BEHOLD ECK! appeared rather late into "The Outer Limits" run.
At a time when many episodes were either great, ("Demon with a
Glass Hand", "The Inheritors"), or misfires ("Cry
of Silence", "The Brain of Colonel Barham"), BEHOLD ECK!
scores a double, a solid "B" for you non-sports fans out there.
Eck, a twirling, burning crystalline-like alien, is done via decent
FX. The 'Creature' was designed and photographed by Project Unlimited,
Inc. The effective Optical Effects are courtesy of Butler-Glouner, Inc.
The episode's music, by Harry Lubin, is appropriately mysterioso. It's
also a nice change of pace from Dominick Frontiere's usual, by-the numbers,
spook score.
BEHOLD ECK! should be fairly watchable for most Sci-Fi fans. Those viewers
who wear glasses will especially dig this episode. BEHOLD ECK! is definitely
well worth beholding! BACK TO: EPISODE
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