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DEMON WITH A GLASS HAND, Directed by Byron Haskin,
is considered by many to be the best of the "Outer Limits"
episodes. If not the best, it is certainly in the top five.
Robert Culp is Trent, a man in contemporary Los Angeles with a robot
hand which is missing some fingers. In Trent's own words, "I was
born ten days ago. A full grown man born ten days ago." He awoke
on the street, has no memory, and people are trying to kill him. Talk
about your existential dilemma!
Culp, who was soon to be launched to great fame in the "I Spy"
television series, gives a performance of coiled energy and cat-like
grace under Haskin's expert direction. He's fascinating to watch; it's
easy to see why he became such a big star of Sixties television.
The Teleplay, by acclaimed author Harlan Ellison, is top drawer. While
seemingly not derivative of other sources, (ie: not like anything else
you've read or seen), it has a mythic, timeless quality, like the legends
of the heroes of ancient times.
The dialogue is simply terrific. When Trent is killed, then brought
back to life, he says, "I was in a dark place. Someone was calling
my name over and over." Later, when he leaves to try and find the
mirror through which aliens are arriving in our time, Trent's female
companion asks him ,"What are you going to do?" Trent replies,"Try
to beat the devil!"
When Trent yanks off an alien's medallion, as he does periodically,
we see a film negative image, and a shimmering effect, as the alien
disappears. The photographic effects, by Van Der Veer Photo Company,
are quite good for the time.
The musical score, by Harry Lubin, is appropriately tense. Piano and
drum music is used effectively to underscore and highlight the on screen
action. The overall score is strange, haunting, and memorable.
Director of Photography, Kenneth Peach, makes great use of Los Angeles'
historic Bradbury Building, located in the downtown business district,
which is the film's principle location. His combination of stark lighting,
and low angles, creates an appropriately claustrophobic mood, in which
the location acts as one of the films characters.
My favorite scene in the film is when Trent allows himself to be killed.
His female partner, Consuelo (Arline Martel) brings him back to life
following simple instructions from the robot hand. The scene has the
mood of a New Testament miracle, and contains a key story clue, for
the alert viewer.
For fans of "The Outer Limits," DEMON WITH A GLASS HAND will
be highly watchable. Robert Culp fans will revel in his tense, athletic,
and soulful performance. You'd have to be a robot not to be knocked
out by DEMON WITH A GLASS HAND. No offense, H.A.L. BACK
TO: EPISODE
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