Twilight Zone, Walking Distance
Bought that Blue Ray Collection of all the Twilight Zone
and as I slowly watch them, savoring one episode at a time,
I”m amazed as each ‘new’ one seems to be better than the last.
Just had to note the one I just watched, ‘Walking Distance’ (season 1, #5)…
It’s about Martin Sloan, 36, (Gig Young) who, while dropping off his car for
a lube at a remote service station, is told that the next town is within
‘walking distance,’ and he proceeds to take a walk back in time, to
‘Homewood.’ There he finds nothing has changed since his youth and even
sees himself 25 years his junior, riding on the merry go round. He
nearly kills his junior, chasing him around the moving carousel, amidst the
bobbing plastic horses and animals .
He goes back to see his parents, who , naturally , are dumfounded and
throwhim out of the same house in which he was raised.
He even goes back to the old malt shop where he gets his favoorite
chocolate soda, still only 10c, to his disbelief.
Before long , on his walk back to get his car, he stopped again at the malt
shop, where the price for his chocolate soda has risen to 35c. The original
owner of the shop he learns has passed and the new, young soda jerk also
barely recalls the old merry go round being torn down.
‘You can’t go back home’ they say, but Richard Slone did, if only for a short
time. It was on one hand a thrilling experience , but confusing and hurtful
to see his time has passed.
The episode of ‘Walking Distance’ ends with Slone reminding us to enjoy our
quickly fleeting youth, as it only comes once.
Very Chilling to this nostalgist. Just watching this episode of ‘Walking
Distance,’ I feel like I almost time travelled , myself, for a
little while – and enjoyed it. I’ve actually had some real life experiences
goingback to places I haven’t been since my youth that have also remained
similar, like my boyhood home, on – not Homewood- but Hillwood. There’s
nothing like the Twilight Zone series;
never was and probably never will be. Glad we have these 50 or so episodes
to enjoy… now available on Blue Ray (This was noot intended to be a
commerical but merely to share the joy I continue to get from watching
each ‘new’ episode.
Here, you can watch it yourself for just $1.99!
Somethings today ARE better… like being
able to instantaneously watch an old movie or TV program…Ha! Enjoy!
Twighlight Zone, Walking Distance
P.S. Another side benefit of watching these shows is seeing all the vintage
classic cars we love, circa 1959-1964, and other period pieces. And, then
there’s the commentary on the updated discs from some of the many actors
who would later go on to greater fame.