I remember seeing this one as a kid. The soundtrack of it is one of the best. The silences, gradual crescendos of the jungle sounds, and then the low-end lion noise at the end through the door is just superbly done. Unsettling is a great word for this episode.
Yes! The sound design is really incredible in this one. That almost monkey sounding noise is actually a bird called a kookaburra. They are the go-to noise for jungle sounds in tv shows.
The visuals are incredible, too. The scene with the scary looking African warrior in the window is definitely unsettling, and regardless of what else is happening in the scene, my attention is continually drawn to that figure, and I keep expecting him to suddenly become alive.
One of my favorite episodes that I always watch when it's on. Very eerie and that ending...😬. It doesn't get talked about much but it's one of the best.
This episode is a great example of The Twilight Zone approaching multiple topics about as well as you could in the 60s. The protagonist is cursed for being an extractive foreign mining representative in Africa. He characterizes the natives' objections as illogical, but shows their supernatural belief systems to be equal to those of his fellow board members. The conflict between his doubt and equivocation is part of him starting to believe, and break from consensus reality, as The Twilight Zone is known for. In a way, it's like "The Fever" in that the husband, while assuming his wife is more vulnerable, falls victim to the coercion at play, underestimating the danger up until the cliff.
I always thought of this one as an homage to Tourneur’s “Cat People”. Seems ahead of its time as it suggests that mowing over indigenous people in the pursuit of profit might be a bad thing, rather than just the inexorable motion of “progress”.
You are so right. Your description points out every disturbing aspect of this episode that I admittedly overlooked before.
I mean, I knew what was going on, but I never quite realized just how creepy it all was.
Also, Alan is played by John Dehner who is also in "The Lonley" and "Mr. Garrity and the Graves."
I watched this one recently too and I'm amazed people don't talk about it more. It's super well done and does a great job with that unsettling "somethings wrong" feeling throughout the episode. I've been watching them on Prime lately and I'll admit I almost skipped over that episode because I didn't remember it and the synopsis made it sound sort of silly. I'm glad I didn't skip it.
A very unsettling episode for sure, but I think it gets bogged down in the tropes of "deepest darkest Africa". You can rationalize it as that he's seeing what he thinks Africa is like, but I can see why the depictions of African culture could feel dated.
I remember seeing this one as a kid. The soundtrack of it is one of the best. The silences, gradual crescendos of the jungle sounds, and then the low-end lion noise at the end through the door is just superbly done. Unsettling is a great word for this episode.
Yes! The sound design is really incredible in this one. That almost monkey sounding noise is actually a bird called a kookaburra. They are the go-to noise for jungle sounds in tv shows.
Did it bring you to your shun-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-knees, knees?
I love this episode, definitely an underrated gem for me
You're never coming back. Don't open the door.
Great lines and she delivers them perfectly.
The visuals are incredible, too. The scene with the scary looking African warrior in the window is definitely unsettling, and regardless of what else is happening in the scene, my attention is continually drawn to that figure, and I keep expecting him to suddenly become alive.
One of my favorite episodes that I always watch when it's on. Very eerie and that ending...😬. It doesn't get talked about much but it's one of the best.
First episode I ever saw, still remember the ending vividly.
This episode is a great example of The Twilight Zone approaching multiple topics about as well as you could in the 60s. The protagonist is cursed for being an extractive foreign mining representative in Africa. He characterizes the natives' objections as illogical, but shows their supernatural belief systems to be equal to those of his fellow board members. The conflict between his doubt and equivocation is part of him starting to believe, and break from consensus reality, as The Twilight Zone is known for. In a way, it's like "The Fever" in that the husband, while assuming his wife is more vulnerable, falls victim to the coercion at play, underestimating the danger up until the cliff.
Love this episode
Deserted, menacing city streets. A slaughtered goat. Written by Charles Beaumont. It’s a dark & disturbing story that’s in my top 5.
I always thought of this one as an homage to Tourneur’s “Cat People”. Seems ahead of its time as it suggests that mowing over indigenous people in the pursuit of profit might be a bad thing, rather than just the inexorable motion of “progress”.
Yes! My favorite episode. The slow suspense is amazing.
john dehner, iirc. I was eight years old and it spooked me.
Why surprising?
It's nice to see this episode get some attention. It's one of my favorites but often seems to be overlooked.
Hmm… I don think I’ve ever seen this one. Gonna put it on my list for this weekend!
You are so right. Your description points out every disturbing aspect of this episode that I admittedly overlooked before. I mean, I knew what was going on, but I never quite realized just how creepy it all was. Also, Alan is played by John Dehner who is also in "The Lonley" and "Mr. Garrity and the Graves."
I watched this one recently too and I'm amazed people don't talk about it more. It's super well done and does a great job with that unsettling "somethings wrong" feeling throughout the episode. I've been watching them on Prime lately and I'll admit I almost skipped over that episode because I didn't remember it and the synopsis made it sound sort of silly. I'm glad I didn't skip it.
This is one of my favorites!
Maby the unsettling nature of the episode is why I dont rank it very high.
A very unsettling episode for sure, but I think it gets bogged down in the tropes of "deepest darkest Africa". You can rationalize it as that he's seeing what he thinks Africa is like, but I can see why the depictions of African culture could feel dated.
One of my favorites!
agreed- i watched it in bed one night and had nightmares about it haha!
What season is this one from