Impacto

I was 11 years old when I had the fortunate (though for the sleepless week that followed I didn't think I was so lucky) when I saw the episode 'The Hungry Glass'...of course, being a kid generated its own fright quotient. Certainly 43 years later I could see the same show and laugh at it---maybe. I'll just say this, the sight of the spectres in that damnable mirror has never quite left me...much like the Banshee outside Darby O'Gill's door which I saw at about the same period in my life, causing me to wonder if mere acting can ever work up such emotional involvement again. Or as we age does life's humdrum banish true horrors to some remote chamber we've lost the key to?

"Thriller" in the 60's would air on the Local NBC affiliate, Saturday nights at 9 PM. Of all the episodes, and I think I saw them all, had to be "A Wig for Ms. DeVore". Following Marie Antoinette's execution on the gallows, her hair was removed and made into a wig. The owners, of which there were many, all fell under a horrifying curse.For those of you who might come across this episode, BEWARE of the ending. If there was ever an episode of "Thriller" that would cause one to hide their eyes, this has to be the one, hands down.

Never saw this series before I watched the DVD set, I was mostly impressed by it, though it took a awhile to find its way. It started out with crime "thrillers", which ranged from moderately interesting to instantly forgettable, though when it showcased horror, it really hummed, with presentations like 'The Hungry Glass', 'The Grim Reaper', & 'Pigeons From Hell' being the standouts.

Boris Karloff presented all 67 episodes, and was as effective a host for this, as Rod Serling was for "The Twilight Zone". Karloff was in my view the greatest horror film actor who ever lived, and appeared in several episodes, the best of which was 'The Incredible Doktor Markensen'.

Not as moralizing as "The Twilight Zone", this series was noticeably grimmer in tone, though wonderfully filmed in Black & White.

If you can get past the crime episodes, this is well worth viewing.

Karloff's classic 60's 'Thriller' was a rare, haunting gem of some of the scariest horror stories, written by the best authors of the genre. It's 'trademark' was its logo lines that would come in and out before and after the commercial breaks.

Veteran directors such as John Brahm ("Hangover Square") employed dark, baroque german expressionism to evoke a creepy, ominous mood of paranoia. Newcomer, Jerry "Alien" Goldsmith's eerie soundtracks were unsettling and morbidly effective. (Wish it was available on CD).

Karloff's intros were congenial and sinister, and helped to set the stage for the truly suspenseful and frightening tales. He also appeared in a few episodes such as 'Premature Burial', 'Last of the Sommerviles' (with Martita Hunt from "Brides of Dracula") and 'Incredible Dr. Markeson' with Dick "Bewitched" York. The zombies and dank atmosphere of 'Markesan' seemed like a pre-cursor to "Night of the Living Dead." Ending was truly terrifying.

A pre-Kirk William Shatner appeared in two outstanding episodes; 'The Hungry Glass' with Russell "professor" Johnson and 'The Grim Reaper with Natalie "Lovey" Shaffer. Both were written by Robert "Psycho" Bloch and were genuine supernatural classics.

Robert Arthur wrote 'Prisoner in the Mirror' where researcher Lloyd Bochner ends up trapped in a mirror by evil magician Henry "The Body Snatcher" Daniell. The conclusion was unexpected and quite disturbing - something Hollywood would never have the balls to do today with all its "play it safe" and PC crap.

Feminists may find it interesting to know that THRILLER was one of the first shows that had a woman director. It was Ida Lupino, who did a marvelous job on superb episodes like 'La Strega'; that featured a pre-Bond Ursula Andress and Jeanette "The Big Heat" Nolan, who convincingly played the most horrifying witch imaginable. Had a very hard-hitting surprise ending that was not easily forgotton.

Mz. Lupino also created Hitchcockian suspense in Cornell "Rear Window" Woolrich's 'Guilotine', which has a true kicker ending. Fine performance from Robert Middleton as the sensitive romantically jilted executioner.

'Trio for Terror' was another great Lupino-entry which was a trilogy of three short horror tales; among them, "The Extra Passenger" which had the chilling atmosphere of J. Tourneau's "Curse of the Demon." Clever use of subtlety, which we no longer have today.

John "One Step Beyond" Newland directed Robert E. Howard's 'Pigeons from Hell' with Brandon De Wilde, who, with his young brother, spend a memorable night in a old run-down southern mansion. A true terrifying classic and a masterpiece of atmosphere.

There were many more exceptional episodes that need to be re-discovered due to their great, timeless classic merits.

THRILLER was a genuine one-of-a-kind show, and a soaring tribute to the horror genre. There were also many memorable crime episodes that are worth your attention as well; written by top people such as John D. MacDonald ("Cape Fear"), Lionel White ("The Killing"), Fredric Brown, Philip McDonald; etc. Some of the darkest film noir with the most downbeat of endings. Also, there were occasions where episodes would do a criss-cross of the crime and horror genres to great suspenseful effect.

Make it a top priority to check out this remarkable classic series which Stephen King also had the highest praise for.

THRILLER was (and still is) the best of its kind. Needs a revival and full DVD release. Check the thread on the 'Classic TV' message board.

Amazing how many of you remember the "Hungry Glass" episode. I was only about 9 years old at the time, and still vividly remember it as the scariest TV show I ever saw. What astounds me is that, with all the cable channels and all the JUNK programmed on them, they don't seem to find a slot to rerun these Thriller classics. It's a shame.