Land of the Giants (TV Series) Ghost Town (1968) User Reviews

Probably inspired by a "Twilight Zone" episode

[garrard · 7/10 · 8 October 2006]

In 1964 "The Twilight Zone" aired "Stopover in a Quiet Town," a tale of a married couple (Barry Nelson and Nancy Malone) that find themselves stranded in a town devoid of people. The pair later discover that they have been abducted and placed in the play area of a giant child from another planet.

The premise is similar in "Ghost Town," the second aired episode of "Land of the Giants" first season. Like the duo in the TZ episode, the band of "little people" find themselves in a town that bears a striking similarity to an Earth town. Because they pass through a force field, they believe that by some freak occurrence a "portal" has returned them to their home planet.

Soon, however, they learn the truth: they are captives in a miniature city and pawns of a malevolent child that is intent on torturing them.

This is an extremely exciting episode and continues the adventure begun with the spectacular pilot episode. Veteran character actor Percy Helton is his usual nervous-sounding self as the grandfather that built the little town, while Amber Flowers does a pretty good Patty McCormick impersonation as his "bad-seed-like" granddaughter.

The episode incorporates much of John Williams's score for the pilot. The composition adds much to the on-screen thrills as the show's heroes try to escape from the little girl's clutches.

For a brief moment the earthlings are back to Earth!!!

[elo-equipamentos · 7/10 · 23 June 2020]

How many times we have been watching movies in this small town, I've already lost the count, including Star Trek, The Untouchables and so on, well this second aired episode actually was the thirteenth on production order number 2414, after Barry and Val were chased by a Hobo, Barry crossing a force field in a borderline of the forest, Val bringing all castaways supposing the worst, Barry could be died, arriving there no sound is heard, no Barry neither, but they face a small Town, Dan quick figure out that they entered in sort of time warp and they should back on Earth, however Cap. Steve is distrustful, a perfect replica although is empty, no people, sudden a new brand horning pick up appears, seemingly nobody drives it, Fitzhugh shouting louder for all citizens hear, even talking with a person reading a newspaper at main street, but his soft touching stumble and the guy strandelly fall down, Fitzhugh panic-stricken goes to nearby call box to asking for helping and it really happens, a giant girl pick up the box, taking it to her old Grandfather Akman, who built this city from an Earth Spacecraft that crashed on the ground killing all them, which had many photos and magazines, based in these objects he created a replica surround by force field to avoid giant animals enter in the town, despite the kindly Akman, his Granddaughter has malevolent intentions with all little people, then they have to get out of there as soon as possible, one the best episode having the prolific veteran actor Percy Helton immortalized as the good Giant Ever!!!

Resume:

First watch: 1971 / How many: 10 / Source: TV-VHS-DVD / Rating: 7.75

Mayberry in The Land of the Giants

[SashaDabinski · 1 October 2007]

I can't remember the name of the miniature town from this episode, but it should have been Mayberry, NC. I missed a lot of the episodes when LOTG was originally on so I began recording them when ALTV started airing the series. My first episode watched was this one and couldn't believe it when the miniature town turned out to be Mayberry. The courthouse and many other familiar buildings were readily seen. Fitzhugh was even banging on Andy's front door. One of the women in the cast brought a dress out of a dress shop that was Floyd's Barber Shop. This made this episode really neat to watch. I am still trying to get the episode of Star Trek "Miri" recorded because of it's location being Mayberry.

A scaled down city owned by a kind giant and his evil grandaugther....

[RealLiveClaude · 14 April 2006]

On another field trip, trying to find "radioactive" fuel to get the Spindrift off and out of the Giants'Planet, the little people discover a ghost town reduced to their scale. Thinking it is their world, they noticed that the small town is owned by a kind giant, who wants the little people to live there. Unfortunately, an evil and mischievous girl takes the little people for live toys and do everything to make their life miserable, including spoiling their meal...

Yet, another game of survival must be played when the grandfather goes for an errant and the little girl is left alone and want to avenge against the little people she hates so much, and the latter are trapped inside a invisible electric force field which protects the village...

Then again, the little people with the help of Mark and Steve Burton, saves the day again...

One Of My Top 15 Episodes Of The Series

[StuOz · 14 July 2020]

The earth people find a town that might be earth.

Despite pinching ideas from a B&W Twilight Zone episode, Ghost Town is one of my favourite episodes of this 51 episode series and the energetic teaser is one of the best moments of any Irwin Allen series. We begin with a giant hobo and earth kid Barry struck by a force field, feisty Valerie then throws a rock at the force field - all done with John William music blasting away! When they call Irwin Allen a master showman, they are talking about teasers like this - Irwin knew how to hook viewers into an hour!

Ghost Town is different to any other first season episode in that is does not feature little people climbing desks or running around a studio jungle - instead we are in a earth-like town. Also, the hour generally seems to have more gusto than many other episodes.

A much later second season episode - A Small War - does have shades of this hour as it features another trouble making giant kid (this time a boy) who has an army of toys that upset the little people. Perhaps this would have been better if they brought back the giant girl from Ghost Town?

In a nutshell - this episode is a knockout!