|
KEEPER OF THE PURPLE TWILIGHT, directed by Charles
Haas, is a thought provoking tale of human/alien contact.
Earthy, virile Robert Webber ("S.O.B."), is cast effectively,
against type, as the unemotional alien who criticizes humans for being
illogical. The beefy Webber comes across, like Mr. Spock on steroids,
giving a nice spin to lines like, "I do not live to be liked or
disliked."
As far as the casting of the scientist, Warren Stevens ("The Twilight
Zone", "Star Trek"), there's a bit of a problem. Stevens
is a tight and controlled performer. As directed by Haas, his transition
from a normal human to one, lacking emotions, is not pronounced enough.
My favorite scene in the episode takes place between the alien, Ikar
(Webber), and Stevens' girlfriend, Janet, played by Gail Kobe. Because
of her broad emotional range, she plays well off the impassive Webber,
bringing great resonance to the speech where she asks Ikar to give Stevens'
back his emotions, since people can't live without them.
The alien creature effects, for Ikar when he's not taking human form,
as well as the aliens from his home planet who show up to retrieve him,
are decent. Project Unlimited, Inc., is the responsible party.
Director of Photography, Kenneth Peach, delivers resonant black and
white imagery. Shots of the big iron gates outside Stevens' research
lab are particularly moody, bringing to mind similar shots outside Charles
Foster Kane's Xanadu mansion ,in the classic, "Citizen Kane".
The music, by Harry Lubin, is appropriately otherworldly.
The Special Effects, involving Stevens' disintegrator ray in action,
as well as aliens shooting destructive zap beams from their claw-like
hands, are pretty good, considering the limitations of TV budgets and
early Sixties FX technology. Pat Dinga and Van Der Veer Photo Co. did
the work.
If you're a fan of human/alien encounters you should find KEEPER OF
THE PURPLE TWILIGHT quite watchable. To not watch this "Outer Limits"
episode would be highly illogical, Earthman! BACK
TO: EPISODE
|