Serling in the 60’s spoke a million times more eloquently than the brightest of the literature professors nowadays. Such a joy to listen to. Not only the very astute observations of the human condition that he often described but more importantly, his confident and intriguing delivery is just superb! 😳😍😍😍
I think you are minimizing the experiences those men had that fought in WWII. Rod Sterling was a veteran, traumatized of the random deaths he saw occur in Asia in WWII. For him to write about it makes sense. My father fought in the heavy stuff at Guadalcanal. When I was a teenager, asked him about his experiences and he replied there isn't a day that goes by in which I can't forgive myself for what I did to stay alive nor the Japanese solders who turned us into what we became to survive. My father lived the rest of his years withdrawn, silent in contemplation. I believe that in the end, when he was dying it was a relief for him. So what you find amusing and humorous is a nightmare for others and apparently your self absorbed, entitled life makes you ignorant of the psychological impact of war on those asked to fight, kill and die in the name of patriotism. Keep in mind more American soldiers died from suicide after the war in Iraq than those dying in the actual war.
"Two men in an attic, locked in mortal embrace. Their common bond, and their common enemy: guilt. A disease all too prevalent amongst men both in and out of The Twilight Zone."
For the time this was actually very progressive, especially since there was so little in film and TV that explored the Asian-American experience and prejudice towards Asians. However, it still perpetuates the myth that Japanese-Americans were working undercover for the Japanese military, of which there is absolutely no proof of ever happening. Still, a solid effort for the time, and a good story.
There was one incident following Pearl Harbor where Japanese Americans did attempt to aid in the escape of a Japanese pilot right after Pearl Harbor. There was a minot engagement
Progressive for the time ? .. the caliber of writing..the actors ..the music score!.. it will be almost unheard-of to do something this good these days.. incredible piece of art
I wouldn't call pissing off a whole nation of people and bringing up very strong and hurtful feelings and painful memories about what the Japanese did to people and what the Allies had to do to stop it "Progressive", I would call that Insensitive, Rude and Heartless.
I have to agree with a guy who called this episode an interesting failure. The idea that they were both haunted by guilt wasn't sustained, since Arthur was possessed by the sword, his memories were really irrelevant to his actions. It isn't surprising that Japanese-Americans protested the unhistorical stuff about a Japanese-American traitor at Pearl Harbor. There were no Japanese-American traitors at Pearl Harbor or elsewhere, except possibly Iva Toguri, and she may have been framed.
This has stayed with me since I saw the original airing all those decades ago. The most memorable line uttered, yet not included in this edit was "the sword will avenge me", uttered by "Arthur" as he translates the inscription on the blade, it created a sense of doom, but for who?
youclaudio Although Takei does not mention that dialog in particular, here is his remembrance of that episode: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-bA-9iIsAcI0.html I still maintain the line I quoted- or near to it was in the original, but over the decades snips are done to these great old shows so it may be lost forever.
youclaudio Again I cite these shows were very often mutilated when put into syndication, so the copy you are viewing may have been "pruned" too. If a copy of the original script is around, that's the place to find it. My son bought Star Trek T.O.S. set, and I know of a slew of scenes that were cut in that collection. ☺
In Star Trek, he rejected the samurai sword and went with a fencing foil instead. Trying to break the stereotype. Now I understand where that came from.
I spoke with big fans of TZ in a discussion in The Fedora Lounge a few years back, and no one knew about it. I have yet to see it myself. Maybe someone will upload it here?
Okay I'm thinking the same thing lve been watching every New Year's Marathon why am I just seeing this one now and the guy from Star Trek really how can I miss that one
I'm generally not a fan of older movies and TV shows. I find that the acting and overall stories are bland and drawn out at best. This show, however, is an exception to the extreme. It is easily one of the greatest shows ever created, not just because the acting is supurb, but in how genius the storytelling is in hiding deep rooted issues of it's time in a scifi setting that allows it to relate to anyone watching. Rod Serling was an absolute genius, far ahead of his time, at a social level, and he was taken from us too soon.
I didn't learn about that until the late '90s, after watching him (Reese) every summer morning on TV in the early '70s on the syndicated Laredo. I only remember one movie with him, one of my favorites "D.O.A." (1949) with Edmund O'Brien.
@@kidmack1121 Yes, I remember the "Laredo" show. A great role for neville and a awesome movie in general is " Stalag 17" with William Holden. Of course Brand steals every scene he's in . It's a must watch and one of the 100 greatest films ever made.
@@jaydouglas5847 I don't know why I haven't made it all the way to the end of Stalag 17 (???) And it's been a long time since I've tried. I don't even remember anyone other than Holden. I will look for it thanks. (Yep, I will watch it soon)
I’ve been watching the twilight zone since I was a teenager in the 70s and on through the years and never knew about this episode until just now. It gave me chills.
2040: A young man goes to help an old man clean out his attic: Old Man: I came across this 15 years ago. Can you read what it says? Young man: What is it? Old man: It's Donald Trump's toupee. Young man: Hm. Well, it says Made in Russia.
Do you think Mr. Fenton likes beer? Arthur- " I have come to mow the lawn." Mr. Fenton- "O.K., but first have a beer." Arthur- " The door is jammed, I can't get out." Mr. Fenton- " Oh well, better come up and have a beer." Arthur- " I'm going to kill you." Mr. Fenton- " Relax Arthur and have a beer." I love it.
i like this clip. shows how some are treated even though they were born in the usa. WHY couldn't someone with an Asian heritage be named what he's named
We all have our prejudices, and they are challenged every day. That's if one pays attention, and recognizes that one has them. Almost a decade ago, I caught myself giving a second thought to seeing a young Asian couple in the line, with everyone else, waiting for burritos. I gave it a second thought only because it was something I saw for the first time. It wasn't something that I could ever remember seeing at almost 40 years of age, and consuming many Mexican meals. So, sometimes when someone says something "ignorant" like "how come there's black guys playing for Sweden?" I just remember myself, standing in line, probably with my mouth agape, waiting with Chinese kids to enjoy our burritos.
The likely, logical, answer is that if his father was enough of a treasonous fanatic to act as a spy for Imperial Japan and guide Japanese attack planes to their targets while working in Pearl Harbor, he was probably enough of a fanatic to require his son to have an original Japanese name. That's really overstating the obvious...
George Takaki will go on to play in Star Trek. This was made in 1964 but wasn't released until later due to content. But Rod Sterling was always trying to tell a moral to the story.
Guess that's where Vladimir Putin learned his tactics of escorting his political opponents out of 7th story windows. From episodes of the Twilight Zone. Had no idea they were also shown in Russia!
My uncle showed us this to our japanese american family on like Thanksgiving one year. He said this was banned because it perpetuated the Japanese American Spy myth, everyone was like... well maybe we shouldn't watch this on Thanksgiving, but he insisted. We were all watching it silently, it felt like a very long episode, and I kept thinking, this ain't so bad, but it's pretty heavy... I kept thinking there's gotta be some progressive endcap, there's so many safe outs to the spy myt... Then George Takei grabs a samurai sword, and jumps out a plate glass window screaming BANZAI!!!! And we all just laughed our asses off, my grandma included lol Like what the hell was that? George Takei is a japanese american slasher spy now?
I can see why this was not released back then. The neighbor who lived behind me was a former Japanese Jungle Soldier, he used to call the P-38 Lighting the Twin Forked Devil and was almost killed by one and saw many of his friends strafed to death by them in the war. I also knew a kind old man who lived through WWII at work who absolutely hated the Japanese, even the mention of their race would bring a strong reaction from him. I couldn't imagine a whole nation seeing this on TV and how it would make old vets from both sides feel and react. So yeah not releasing it back then was probably a really good idea, especially after a Japanese killed a War Veteran in his own home in his own attic. Best Wishes & Blessings. Keith Noneya
@@LordGreystoke True but that doesn't mean that it still would have been a bad idea to air it back when it was supposed to be released. There were still a very large population of WWII Veterans who were alive then and have very strong feelings against the Japanese. My old friends one of which I gave an example of. Just my opinion. Best Wishes & Blessings. Keith Noneya
Wow, I forgot about that. Speaking of movies that haven't aged well, The Green Berets is straight-up racist, and sexist! I'd call for its cancellation, but it's funny as hell. John Wayne financed the thing himself, and it bombed at the time. But if it ever shows up on some late night channel where you are, do check it out, if only for a few minutes. It's shockingly awful, but you will be entertained, amused, and appalled. Whether pro or anti-war...
"'TWILIGHT ZONE'......has been brought to you by----" **1950's footage of tobacco auctioneer chanting** "THE AMERICAN TOBACCO COMPANY, on behalf of PALL MALL FAMOUS CIGARETTES!" AUCTIONEER: (ending chant) "SOLD, AMERICAN!"
George Takei, was so damn fine 😍😍😍😍😍 he's so beautiful...oh my gawwwwwwwwwwwsh...wow this scene is powerful. As soon as he picked up that sword..I don't like the racist language, the Caucasian man was using to describe Taro. So rude
It would have stirred up too many unpleasant feelings and memories to those who served in World War II, since back then it was only 20 years in the past since it ended.
Apparently people didn't watch; "Combat!" or "Twelve O'clock High" or "The Rat Patrol" or "Garrison's Gorillas" because everone of these shows were filled with hate for the enemy & used all the slang words for them.
Yea. The other guy killed an officer who surrender by dropping that sword and stuff then he took it. He lied at first and said the officer tried to kill him but he won
Takai said "oh my" when the vet told him he got the sword in a knife fight This wasn't the only "sword" takai has take with pleasure Takai hoped that he would get beamed up when he jumped
It doesn't say "This sword will avenge me". It says "Adauchi no ken" (sword of vengeance or revenge). I'm surprised it's actually Japanese. They could've put a phony "oriental" looking engraving, since most American viewers wouldn't know the difference.
Marc-Andre Blanchard if you look closely, looks like it’s just ptsd and Takei wasn’t holding a sword at all because, Fenton goes to grab it and falls on it, but looks like Takei is trying to pull him away from it by the foot.
Not sure why this episode was banned. It only depicts the sentiments towards the Japanese of that period, as they were once considered the enemy. It's called "art". Pardon the pun.
Expertly done, though by no means a pleasant story. I wouldn't let my kids watch it. Put it that way. What would be the purpose? there's no way they would understand it.
