Shadow Play

In a Courthouse the sentence will be pronounces by the judge, as usually he asking to accused Adam Grant (Dennis Weaver) if wants speak something, he claims that all that is an error he already was condemned several times, taking to a cell he explains it to their inmates how it has been happened, also for a member of the jury that almost begging for to District Attorney Henry (Harry Towers) listen what he has to say, Henry agrees, on the jail Adam explains that trials were recurrent many times, but just changing the actors on the judgment, Henry not convinced at all over such oddity, he went back home, nonetheless in last minute he call to Governor to adjourn the death sentence, to late all starts again, bizarre tale by the Twilight Zone, it's a merry-go-round or a bad dream??

Resume:

First watch: 2020 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7.5

We all know the clichéd plot-twist in movies or TV-series where everything that happened thus far was only a dream or a hallucination in the protagonist's mind; - and we surely all have been annoyed by it already. Well, this wondrously creative Twilight Zone episode somewhat turns the tables around. Here, the protagonist (Dennis Weaver with a downright stellar performance) desperately attempts to persuade all the other characters they only exist in his dream and that their lives will be cut short because they'll simply vaporize in case he dies. And Adam Grant most likely will die, because in his recurring dream he's sentenced to death in the electric chair and has less than 12 hours to convince everyone (and notably the district attorney) to halt the execution. Rod Serling's "The Twilight Zones" never ceases to amaze me, as this is another highly original and intelligently scripted tale. The premise is incredibly innovative, and you'll find that the script (Charles Beaumont, who else) is meticulously detailed in spite of all the complexities and paradoxes that it brings alone. John Brahm, one of the most underrated directors of all times, brings the curious tale with lots of style and an uncanny atmosphere and "Shadow Play" also features some of the most passionate acting I've seen in the entire "Twilight Zone" series.

Still, I can't help thinking about what would happen to all the people in Grant's dream in case he would be rescued. He'll have to wake up anyway, won't he?

The brief "summary"of the plot in this site - in my opinion - provides a better depiction of the essence of this story than the longer, more esoteric analyses provided.

The Weaver character - trapped in a recurring nightmare, and sentenced to be executed therein - repeatedly must try to convince the other characters they are figments of his imagination, and their on existence will cease if and when his does.

Rod Serling could convey more, in his programs, covering 20-some minutes in the show's half-hour time slot, than the big-screen, 2- or 3-hour, expensive extravaganzas do today.

And the black-and-white, small screen/noir aspects provide not only a better feel for this genre, but also a nostalgia for the way entertainment was provided nearly a half-century past.

Today, with all the advances in animation, the providing of special effects, and the seamless blending with human actors and animation, etc. -- it seems to me a price is paid in terms of the stories' effect and impact. With the tens of millions of dollars spent, the producers and directors seem to be intent of emphasizing these elements, in lieu of simply a good storyline and acting, period.

Juxtaposing the vast majority of science fiction offerings and psychological dramas, the current crop pale compared with Serling's weekly offerings. This program is simply one of the better among a host of these.

"Shadow Play" is an intriguing and original episode of "The Twilight Zone", with a man sentenced to death penalty trapped in a nightmare. Has he already lived all that period or is he dreaming is the question along the episode. The idea of a man living different realities or dreams might be the seed of "12:01" storyline. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Sonho ou Realidade" ("Dream or Reality")

Dennis Weaver sits in a courtroom. The jury pronounces him guilty of first degree murder. The nightmare begins again. He goes through the same trial and execution over and over. He tries to get the judge, the prosecutor, the principles to listen to him. He plants enough doubt to confuse everything. The characters change appearance but they say the same things. It has happened so often, he can actually mouth them as they are said. Sometimes we think how eternity would be; how we would be punished in the hereafter. Imagine the torture of this loop of reality, played over and over. It's Ground Hog Day, without the happy ending.