The Twilight Zone (TV Series) Crazy as a Soup Sandwich (1989) User Reviews

Predictable demonic pact comedy

[Leofwine_draca · 5/10 · 23 March 2015]

The penultimate episode of THE NEW TWILIGHT ZONE, CRAZY AS A SOUP SANDWICH tells a story of demonic pacts and sinister twists - unfortunately as a comedy. I guess they just didn't have the guts to give this type of tale a serious spin on a low budget, but the choice of comedy is a shame as it wastes the talents of writer Harlan Ellison.

In any case, it's all quite familiar stuff, with the twist-in-the-tale familiar to anybody who's read any of the short stories that American pulp authors were churning out in the mid 20th century. The benefits include another demented performance from Anthony Franciosa (TENEBRAE) as a manic businessman, as well as some decent special effects in the form of a demonic cloud. The ending gets a bit too over the top for my liking, but this is still one of the better episodes I've seen so far.

The Twilight Zone - Crazy as a Soup Sandwich

[Scarecrow-88 · 6/10 · 17 September 2016]

Harlan Ellison was responsible for this episode's story which might explain the *syntax*. A serial gambler with a lousy rep for welching named Arky (Wayne Robson) sells 51% of his soul to a green cloud demon for enough good horse bets to pay off his debt to a kingpin (Anthony Franciosa). Well the bets pay then later results damage the value with Arky owing still to the kingpin and two days his soul to the demon! Arky hopes to gain assistance from the kingpin in order to deal with the demon. What Arky doesn't anticipate is that the kingpin is *worse* than the demon! Franciosa is great fun as the mafioso while Robson is delightfully wormy as the no-account gambler who would always be complicit in his wretched existence and owe something to someone. Ellison's words are his own and Franciosa, enduring boredom, succumbing to *ennui*, is the perfect mouthpiece. He gets to combat a demon from hell, order him through a green diamond into a dusty gray box, and turn his attention to weaselly Arky, who would be slave to him for the considerable future. Susan Wright is foxy 30s era mobster "accountant" who is the right arm to Franciosa. George Buza and BJ McQueen are Franciosa's hefty but hilariously dumb bruisers. Effects are dated, so to many the demon's appearance in cloud and humanoid form will be possibly suspect. The green lightning bolts, too, are rather silly looking. I find them all charming and less egregious but those spoiled by technological advances in effects will see them as prehistoric relics.

Kind of Fun, But Not Much Substance

[Hitchcoc · 6/10 · 6 July 2017]

I did like the demon, especially when he makes pronouncements to the poor schmuck he threatens to eat. The guy runs to a loan shark/gangster to try to get some means to pay off the threatening cloud of slime. Unfortunately, this guy is as cold blooded as the monster. It's your typical bunch where the leader is smart and everyone else is sort of off. I did enjoy the discussion on what color of lead paint to use in the office. But it isn't all that original and once again there is really no hope for the little guy. Tony Franciosa is pretty good as the gangster.

utter tomfoolery

[nebmac · 2/10 · 31 May 2021]

The 1980s-era Twilight Zone has its share of cheesy episodes, but this one is the worst. A small-time criminal gets into hot water with both the local mob boss and an equally unsavory supernatural being. It's hard to care about the rest of the plot when the acting and dialogue are so cartoonishly hammy. The most disappointing part is that the story itself is quite good and could have made for a decent episode if it had been approached with a more serious tone.

From "Soup" to "Nuts"!

[sol-kay · 6/10 · 6 April 2012]

***SPOILERS*** Petty crook and con artist Arky Lochner, Wayne Robson, has just two day left to pay mob boss Nino Lancaster, Anthony Franciosa, the $165,000.00 he lent him at a whopping monthly interest rate of 750%! What Arky in fact did was make a deal with the Devil or one of his underlings the Demon Volkerps, Garry Robbins, to catch winners at the race-track by giving up 51% of his immortal soul. As it turned out Arky did get 42 winners to bet from Volkerps but they ended up dropping dead just before they crossed the finish line or being disqualified by the stewards for having illegal drugs in their system.

Now desperate to stay healthy and alive Arky pleads with Nino not to have his legs arms and head broken for non payment and but at the same time protect him from Volkerps who out to take his soul,the other 49% of it, from him and send him straight to hell. As we soon see Nino seems to have an insight to this Volkerps guy and with the help of Arky and the person who got the demon in touch with him beauty salon owner and practitioner of the Black Arts Cassandra Fishbein, Laurie Paton, makes an arrangement, at Cassandra's beauty salon, to meet the chap.

***SPOILERS*** Unknown to Arky and everyone else Nino himself has been involved with the Black Arts for years. In fact it's the demon Volkerps' poppa Volkerps senior who tried to screw Nino some time ago and ended up paying for it. Now with Arky on the hot seat Nino makes an offer that he can't refuse to Valkerps Jr. That's for him to give Arky one million dollars or end up boxed in, in a stone box, forever with only the four walls to keep him company! Not realizing whom he's dealing with Volkerps overplays his hand and is handed the biggest surprise of his life! ***MAJOR MAJOR SPOILER*** That from non other then mortal human being Nino Lancaster that sly old rascal who in fact not only has his number but, as it turned out, is his boss as well!