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Does anyone here remember Roald Dahl's TV series, WAY OUT?
As I recall, it was on Friday nights, and was shot not on film, but in video. (Don't know about color; all I grew up with was b&w sets.)
It was kind of a THRILLER-like show, or TWILIGHT ZONEish rip-off, with Dahl introducing each story, then, as I recall, returning at the end to comment.
The only show I remember was about this Einstein-like genius, with a young wife, whom he bullied. He dies, and scientists preserve his brain and one of his eyes, which float in glass cases, with lots of wires attached, so that his reactions can be seen on an oscilloscope. So the wife now shows up, wearing furs, and with a cigarette holder, and claims her husband, much to the distress of the scientists, and has the glass cases installed in their home. I remember her speaking to the eye floating in its tank, and blowing cigarette smoke down on it, causing the oscilloscope to go all jittery.
The story made a point, but those floating organs gave it this creepy edge.
Then Dahl would appear, who looked pretty creepy himself, also usually sporting an accompanying cigarette. (Everyone did in those days.) He even had this sort of hollow-sounding voice, and wasn't someone that looked like he would occupy your happy dreams....
Can't believe he later got real fame for his children's books, though they all seem to have their creep side as well.
I think the show lasted only one season. From the above, you can probably understand why.
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Thanks for linking to FILMFAX, LRob. Very informative article.
I remember the show from my Twiight Zone youth. If memory serves, Dahl -- who was making a name for himself in those days with two macabre short story collections, SOMEONE LIKE YOU and KISS KISS -- would conclude every introductory monologue with the promise that the upcoming story would prove to be "way out," much as Karloff would always declare, "This is a thriller." Series was an early showcase for superbly bizarre make-ups by Dick Smith. Most memorable in this regard was the fate of the photo retoucher (played by a pre-FUGITIVE Barry Morse) whose own face got disastrously "retouched."
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Posted: |
Apr 18, 2015 - 8:51 PM
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By: |
LRobHubbard
(Member)
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Thanks for linking to FILMFAX, LRob. Very informative article.
I remember the show from my Twiight Zone youth. If memory serves, Dahl -- who was making a name for himself in those days with two macabre short story collections, SOMEONE LIKE YOU and KISS KISS -- would conclude every introductory monologue with the promise that the upcoming story would prove to be "way out," much as Karloff would always declare, "This is a thriller." Series was an early showcase for superbly bizarre make-ups by Dick Smith. Most memorable in this regard was the fate of the photo retoucher (played by a pre-FUGITIVE Barry Morse) whose own face got disastrously "retouched."
Thanks, Preston.
The episode w/Barry Morse is one of the ones where you have to go to The Museum of Television to see, along with the episode written by Larry Cohen.
Surprised that no company has looked into this - it IS obscure, but with Roald Dahl hosting and the presence of NY actors would make it a item for vintage tv fiends and Dahl fans. The Susskind estate would still have some control over the rights to this, last I checked.
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Someone who has established the channel 'Way Out' has uploaded a few more episodes that haven't been available before:
HUSH HUSH
20/20
SIDE SHOW
FALSE FACE - the Larry Cohen written episode with makeup by Dick Smith
Which leaves 4 episodes still to be seen:
BUTTON BUTTON
SOFT FOCUS
THE DOWN CAR
THE SISTERS
With all of this interest in his kids books and the release of THE BFG, I'm surprised that no one has had the urge to do a legitimate release of the entire show.
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Someone who has established the channel 'Way Out' has uploaded a few more episodes that haven't been available before:
HUSH HUSH
20/20
SIDE SHOW
FALSE FACE - the Larry Cohen written episode with makeup by Dick Smith
Which leaves 4 episodes still to be seen:
BUTTON BUTTON
SOFT FOCUS
THE DOWN CAR
THE SISTERS
With all of this interest in his kids books and the release of THE BFG, I'm surprised that no one has had the urge to do a legitimate release of the entire show.
SOFT FOCUS is the masterpiece.
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