The Twilight Zone: Unlocking the Door to a Television Classic
by Martin Grams
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Book Summary Information
Author: Martin GramsEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2008-09-01
ISBN: 0970331096
Number of pages: 816
Publisher: OTR Publishing
Book Reviews of The Twilight Zone: Unlocking the Door to a Television Classic
Book Review: Surprisingly good
Summary: 4 Stars
This book looks pretty good. My first impression was that the author, Grams, was aiming for self-promotion more than anything else. But after reading the book, that definitely changed. Having done "Twilight Zone"
stuff (paying projects, nonpaying projects, agenting for TZ actors, and whatnot) for about 8 years now, and having watched it for 15, I kinda thought I 'knew it all' when it came to TZ. Kudos to Grams for unearthing
an enormous amount of information that I never thought existed, except perhaps deep inside the CBS vault. It's unlikely that Grams had access to this "vault", however. Although it is unstated in the book, the author undoubtedly was in touch with a person or organization (not CBS, because I know for a fact that they would never let this information out unless they were doing the book themselves) who had a great deal of Rod Serling's records, or the records of TZ's production company, Cayuga Productions. Instead, the author says only that the information in the book came mostly from items purchased from eBay and private parties, as well as consultation with actors and others who were involved in the production of the original series.
Now, this book is, in fact, for diehard - and only diehard - TZ fans. Casual TZ fans probably wouldn't find it very accessible.
There is perhaps an unspoken debate about whether this book will ultimately dethrone M. Zicree's immortal Companion. To give my own educated and humble opinion - I doubt that will happen. This book (Grams) focuses more on factoids and interesting trivia and the finer details that fans who have been watching the show forever, will immediately relish. Zicree's book is broader, but the splendid writing and the mere fact that it's been around for going on 30 years will probably always place it at the very front of the line. While Zicree's book is sometimes incomplete with its quick dismissals of fine episodes, it remains the unsupplantable standard for TZ books. And it also set the standard (and, I believe, the genre) of television 'companion' books.
What I'm not really quite sure of is why a bigger publishing house did not pick up Grams' book. It should've been, but it looks like it was independently published by Grams. Apparently no medium to large-scale publishing houses are releasing new TZ books nowadays because they feel that TZ is "far overpublished." Which of course is untrue. The (quite bad) "Rod Serling & Twilight Zone - The Official 50th Anniversary Tribute" by Doug Brode somehow slipped through the cracks and made it into bookstores. It shouldn't have happened, and exactly why it happened is anybody's good guess.
Anyhow - if Grams' book isn't going to replace Zicree's, the two books should probably sit together on the coffee tables of diehard TZ fans.
Summary of The Twilight Zone: Unlocking the Door to a Television Classic
Very few television shows withstand the test of time, and Rod Serling's??THE TWILIGHT ZONE is one of the notable exceptions. Proven to be an important part of American culture since its debut on CBS in October 1959, many Hollywood producers, screenwriters and directors have been inspired and influenced by this series. Comic books, magazine articles, numerous television revivals, a major motion picture and even modern audio productions have been produced, showcasing the continuing popularity of this television classic. This definitive history presents a portrait of the beloved Rod Serling and his television program, recounting the major changes the show underwent in format and story selection, including censorship battles, production details, and exclusive memories from cast and crew. The complete episode guide recalls all 156 episodes of the series in detail that has never before been accomplished in any publication. This book will make you want to look back at the episodes once again, whether you are a casual fan or serious enthusiast of the series. Unlock the door to a television classic by reading about the in-jokes, bloopers, and other trivia associated with the behind-the-scenes production of . . . THE TWILIGHT ZONE!Entertainers Books
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