Thursday night movies were always reserved for Thanksgiving, but last night was an exception. I was trying to remember the last time that we went to a movie theater at night in the middle of the week, as we watched a special presentation celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the Twilight Zone. I’ve gotten used to Monday and Tuesday movie matinees in retirement, but this seemed to confirm that every day is the same in retirement. There are no longer school nights, vacations, holidays, and weekends followed by Monday mornings. Yes, we can now go to a Thursday night movie if we want and it feels every bit like a Saturday night. It’s the Retirement Zone.

The Twilight Zone hosted by Rod Serling was appointment television for me growing up. I did not realize until last night that Rod was the writer and co-producer of most episodes. He took on the role as host because hiring Orson Welles, his personal choice, was too expensive. Otherwise, we might never have known who he was or that he smoked like a chimney. For some reason, I have not gone back and watched any of the episodes, even after the Tower of Terror reminders of his legacy. The show intro and associated music still come to mind in association with any bizarre occurrence. I was obviously not sophisticated enough to realize that his stories addressed key issues such as war, racism, censorship, government, politics, society, and human nature. Each concluded with an unexpected twist. They chose six of the 156 total episodes to honor this 60th occasion. Thanks to my wife, I also now understand that these Fathom Movie Events “dive deep into the artist and meaning.” They not only show the movie, but also provide background on its production. We plan to attend more of them, even though they are a bit pricey, like Orson Welles. 

Rod Serling died at the young age of 50 of a heart attack, most likely the result of smoking 3 to 4 packs of cigarettes a day. His daughter and several of his Antioch College students are featured as part of the 3-hour presentation, along with the six episodes shown in their entirety. All in all, the evening was remarkably unforgettable and brought back a lot of memories. “It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man’s fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination…The Twilight Zone.”