One Step Beyond: Season 1

One Step Beyond Season 1 Pleasantly Paranormal

By Kristin Battestella

On a whirlwind whim, I plunged into the First Season of the 1959 speculative anthology series One Step Beyond. Despite its shorter length and oft comparisons as the inferior, poor man’s Twilight Zone, this debut is a pleasant, thinking person’s spin on the unexplained.

Perhaps director and host John Newland (The Man Who Never Was, The Loretta Young Show) does introduce these twenty-two, twenty-five minute episodes in Sterling-esque fashion, but there’s none of The Twilight Zone’s depression or moody during the thirty second openings or ending tags – which claim these tales are real and based on true accounts. Although One Step Beyond begins with too many standard plots such as possession, ghosts or haunted houses, death, children trapped in mines, and even creepy dolls and Titanic tales amid the assorted paranormal phenomenon, there’s an entertaining, classy style to the irony. Some otherwise fine examinations on prophetic dreams, war stories, and executions may happen too many episodes in a row, but old-fashioned sophistication balances with the bizarre and unease. Nowadays we’ve probably seen all these plots before, but some outcomes are unexpected and even tender, innocent, or touching. Then scandalous talk of domestic unhappiness, alcoholism, and divorce or suggestive suggestions on abuse, rape, and family guilt, and surprising but now tame curses like jackass also standout along with fresh analysis on hypnosis, coincidence, synchronicity, clairvoyance, spirituality, Indian mysticism, Biblical parallels, and faith. Not everything is always explained or tidy at the end of each show, and this fact or fiction, believe it or not style might annoy modern audiences who expect complete clarification. However, it’s also pleasing to see television that leaves the viewer thinking on the how and why. 

One Step Beyond creators/writers/producers Merwin Gerard (Mrs. Columbo, Daniel Boone) and Collier Young (Ironside, The Hitch-Hiker) and writer Don Mankewicz (I Want to Live!) would seem to have fine concepts and ideas without finish, but the stories are fleshed with enough drama, suspense, and fine casting to enthrall. Though it doesn’t seem as if One Step Beyond has as many stars as other anthology shows, there are a lot of recognizable faces from other classic television programs behind the scenes and onscreen. From Charles Beaumont’s (The Twilight Zone) penning of “The Captain’s Guests,” Ross Martin (Wild Wild West) in “Echo”, and Patrick Macnee (The Avengers) in “The Night of April 14th” to Cloris Leachman (The Mary Tyler Moore Show) in “The Dark Room”, Beverly Washburn (Old Yeller) in “Premonition,” Mike Connors (Mannix) and Yvette Vickers (Attack of the 50 Foot Woman) in “The Aerialist,” and Werner Klemperer (Hogan’s Heroes) in “The Haunted U-Boat,” there are plenty of stars anchoring the superior episodes. One Step Beyond gets better as it goes on thanks to prophetic circumstances and train suspense in “Emergency Only,” to close to home WWII fears in “The Dream,” and not often seen WWI inspiration in “The Vision.” Latent lesbianism and Carrie like pyrotechnics also stand out in “The Burning Girl” with Luana Anders (The Pit and the Pendulum), Edward Platt (Get Smart), and Olive Deering (Samson and Delilah). This episode is so pre-Carrie Carrie it’s shockingly Firestarter – a “Dirty, no good devil, witch” girl not allowed to dress up and go to the party by her angry, jealous, nutty dominating aunt because she “starts fires from within her” indeed. Of course, the episode calls the scenario a case of spontaneous combustion instead of pyrokinesis, but I guess we didn’t know much about either in the fifties!    

Granted, some of these colloquialisms, dated dialogue, and bad fake accents hamper the more put on, substandard players and make for a stock company feeling on One Step Beyond. However, the sometimes goofy acting, melodramatic screams, and serious face contortions aren’t so bad as to make any episodes here in Season 1 unwatchable – although some contemporary audiences may find a few old-fashioned statements confusing or amusing: “When he has something to drink, he is gay.” On the other hand, of the time masochism is more uncomfortable. Women can’t drive and always get hysterical – but at least they are good looking! It’s understood that men are entitled to spend the night on the town with other women, but they can never believe the women telling them something is afoot. This doesn’t ruin One Step Beyond, but the mostly white casting, stereotypical Italian portrayals, and further racism are definitely noticeable today. African American or Asian characters are subservient porters or servants with hardly any lines or development –if they are seen at all – yet it’s surprising to see Nazi soldiers depicted somewhat sympathetically on early American television. Fortunately, there is a certain grace and chemistry with the smaller cast – often only two or three billed players – and the well plotted, intriguing, and speedy tales forgive any datedness. Actually, the lack of out there, science fiction tales, or pop music, and mid century references and other fad stylings keeps One Step Beyond from being irrevocably dated. Well, except for the separate beds!

The sweet classic cars, men in suits, old-fashioned nurse get ups, casual smoking and drinking, fedoras, old onscreen cameras, circus fun, and swanky furniture we do see on One Step Beyond, however, are indeed mid century cool. There’s even an early Ouija board plot appearance! Some period dressings, turn of the century settings, and WWI designs probably aren’t that accurate and reused set pieces and décor are apparent at times, of course. The large, ornately dressed sets, costumes, and American and British themes, however, suggest enough time and place for the atmosphere and mood – foreign, old world appearances, French and Spanish accents, and even nautical tales and The Blitz add further flair, too. I suspect what wide shots and special effects footage we do see is borrowed stock, but good fog and lighting seamlessly hide any reused material. It’s also refreshing to just have the one and two camera, over the shoulder, standard production letting scenes play out as intended up to the twists instead of today’s in your face CGI.  I have to say though, what is this Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond sponsorship and titling?  

Though available on several retro channels, in syndication, and thru streaming options like Netflix and Hulu Plus, public domain offerings varying in quality and incomplete compilation DVDs make viewing all three seasons of One Step Beyond difficult. Only One Step Beyond: The Official First Season is properly available, with the remaining episodes from Seasons 2 and 3 mostly elusive. Other best of compilations and volume sets do not have all the episodes, and erroneous listings and show inclusions or exclusions are confusing or downright infuriating for a completist. Fortunately, the speedy availability, short duration, and fine anthology quality of this First Season of One Step Beyond is a quick, family friendly fix for classic television fans and spooky audiences looking to get their bizarre viewing on – audiences of other anthology series should definitely take One Step Beyond.   

Stars Do 70s Horror!

Stars Do 70s Horror!

By Kristin Battestella

Often at the cusp of their fame – or sometimes at the end of it – film and television stars could frequently be found in the bowels of seventies saucy, scary, and exploitative horror movie making. Here’s a quick list of before they were famous actors and classic elder statesmen dabbling with the creepy and demonic.

Daughters of Satan – A pre-Magnum P.I. Tom Selleck stars in this 1972 art meets torment tale full off kinky nudity and rituals, sunshiny classic cars, early seventies fashions, creepy antiques, and of course, mustaches. Although the dated, stereotypical action chases and twangy music are a little over the top, the Manila locations are jungle exotic enough for the danger but also fun and unique. Sickly, mousy housewife Barra Grant (Love Hurts) is somewhat annoying to start, but likewise she gets creepier as the plot grows stranger – from dogs coming out of freaky paintings and knife wielding housekeepers to witchy apparitions and ornery widows. The fire and red symbolism matches the crosses, inquisition, whips, evil numbers, and other religious imagery as the disbelieving coven talk and ancestral connections mount. It is tough, however, to see some of the Christian desecration portrayed, and most of the plot points are quite goofy if you think too much. The poor night photography and occasionally off film speed may be amusing as well, but fortunately, there is enough suspense, boobs, sauce, occult  twists, and ironic Magnum similarities to be entertained here.

Dead of Night – This 1977 TV movie anthology from Dark Shadows director Dan Curtis makes for a very atmospheric and eerie trio. Longtime fans will hear pieces of Robert Cobert’s Dark Shadows music motifs, and the opening narration introduces the spooky in over the top but solid fashion. I actually kind of like that there is no frame story attempting to tie these offbeat tales together – even if it means a shorter 75 minute run time.  Despite his touch too heavy-handed inner monologue, Ed Begley Jr. (St. Elsewhere) anchors the first story “Second Chances” along with cool classic cars and bizarre time twists. “No Such Thing as a Vampire” adds some bloody fun thanks to Patrick Macnee (The Avengers), Elisha Cook Jr. (House on Haunted Hill), demented Victorian brooding, and all around period charm. The final tale “Bobby” is a wonderfully warped and scary mix of occult, death, and thunderstorms – with Joan Hackett (Will Penny) and Lee Montgomery (Burnt Offerings) playing out the violence, creepy, and secrets in a sweet looking mod house.  I know I’ve been fairly short but it helps to go into anthologies like this relatively cold. All scripting here is by the late Richard Matheson (The Twilight Zone), too, so fans of similar, chilling tales like Trilogy of Terror will have a good time.

How Awful About Allan – Joan Hackett strikes again alongside Anthony Perkins and the late Julie Harris (The Haunting) in this Aaron Spelling produced  and Curtis Harrington directed (What’s the Matter with Helen?) 1970 television film from writer Henry Farrell (Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?). The suspense gets right to it with a fire, screaming, survivor guilt, resentment, and hysterical blindness. The intriguing, disorienting, blurry film focus and dark camera photography match Perkins’ sightless actions and mannerisms as his eponymous victim becomes obsessed with trying to prove his new, unseen roommate wants to do him harm. Yes, the Victorian house and post-institution, possibly crazy reclusiveness will seem too obviously Psycho to some viewers, but the increasingly angry tape recordings, crazy carness, heavy music, and scary whispers provide plenty of fearful spin. Retro décor and old, wintry styles accent the seemingly sunshiny household, but the nighttime paranoia and scary inability to see intensifies the strange noises and point of view eerie. Why aren’t there more visually impaired horror protagonists? This tiny 73 minutes makes you love your glasses a little more! Though not billed as a horror movie per se and the end loses a touch, this taut thriller has all the suspense, lightning, creepy family implications, and desperation needed. 

Lady Frankenstein – I’m not normally a fan of classic film star Joseph Cotton (Citizen Kane), but his blend of grave robbing, unethical desperation, and father/daughter compassion is perfect for this 1971 Italian twist on the Shelley theme. “Man’s will be done,” Cotton says, but it is Rosalba Neri (99 Women) doing the titular monstrous mayhem, evil deeds, and uniquely saucy spins instead of just being the cliché horror victim or resurrected bride. Ethical debates about money, man, and God accentuate dialogue of radical Victorian science and a woman’s place in the medical profession. The gothic mood, snow, and firelight work wonderfully with the cool mad scientist laboratory – complete with clockworks, bubbling Rube Goldbergs, and perfectly timed thunder and lightning of course. Ugly blood, surgeries, and reanimated monsters smartly contrast the feminine wiles; the progression of the experiments and escalation of the monstrosities are well paced, too. Though the sound is poor and I would have liked more of Mickey Hargitay (Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?) as the deducing inspector on the crimes, this is a good looking, well done film. Unfortunately, there are various editions in need of a proper restoration – including an edited 85 minute print in the public domain and a longer 90 minute plus Shout Factory release splicing together several foreign versions. Perhaps this isn’t as depraved as we might expect nowadays and a little too quick toward the finale, but this macabre period delight is worth the pursuit.  

 

And for Some Lighthearted Fun!

Young Frankenstein – “It’s Fronkensteen!” This all in good, spooky fun 1974 Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder (Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory) romp has all the subtle quips, dialogue jokes, Glenn Miller winks, accent twists, bad puns, funny asides, and physical comedy gags for which one could ask in homage to the Universal greats. So what if it isn’t all that scary? Dynamite co-stars Madeline Kahn (Clue), Terri Garr (Tootsie), Peter Boyle (Everybody Loves Raymond), Marty Feldman (Yellowbeard), and Gene Hackman (The French Connection) deliver the wit to match the black and white mood, angry village mob, and stormy atmosphere. Cloris Leachman (The Last Picture Show) is the most fun I think, “Ovaltine?” The colorless photography, updated mad scientist labs, vintage equipment, gothic castle designs, and period costumes all invoke this ode to thirties horror perfectly – not bad for a $2 million budget! – and early filmmaking techniques and acting mannerisms are played for both humor and authenticity. I’m not really a Brooks fan beyond Dracula: Dead and Loving It and Robin Hood: Men in Tights, and I wonder if the fine story, well paced scenes, smooth plot progression, and fun finale here isn’t due to his not being onscreen and Wilder’s co-writing. Why aren’t more films made this way, and what would have happened if this had been a straight, full on scary tale? Some comedy audiences may be disappointed by the lack of laugh out loud, riotous moments here, but hysteria isn’t really the point either. Although being familiar with the classic Frankenstein features helps in getting all the jokes, the entire family can get behind this cute, charming, star-studded terror tribute.

 

More Dated Cult and Camp Horror

More Cultish Horror and Dated Mayhem

By Kristin Battestella

It’s October! That means it’s time for more eighties cult creepies, dated sf scares, metaphysical frights, and otherwise campy or horrific fair.

Audrey Rose – Director Robert Wise’s (The Sound of Music, West Side Story) 1977 child horror movie isn’t really that much of a horror film, but rather an abstract psychological eerie.  Then again, I suppose it says something about today’s desensitization when battling for her reincarnated soul Susan Swift (Harper Valley PTA) just comes off as very annoying kid with a serious set of scream pipes.  Fortunately, the adult leads Marsha Mason (Chapter Two, Drop Dead Fred) and Anthony Hopkins (Silence of the Lambs, must I go on?) keep the film watchable thanks to spiritual debates, reincarnation dialogues, tearful action, and upsetting misaction. With such metaphysical topics, it’s also very tough to come to a finite conclusion, but the story never feels like it is a swinging New Age groovy exploration, either. Though the beliefs may be far reaching globally, the stars keep the trauma intimate- and I must say that NYC apartment is damn cozy in its opulence!

Evil Dead II and Army of Darkness – These 1987 and 1992 sequels from writer and director Sam Raimi (Darkman) get progressively further away from the great zombie gore of the original Evil Dead to become more campy comedy.  Not that there’s anything wrong with that! Dead II still offers plenty of chainsaw wielding fun for a frat party of yore. The preposterous undead and retcon after retcon could get irritating if you really thought about it, but why should you? Star Bruce Campbell (Burn Notice) creatively dashes off one deadite after another to keep the pace bemusing and lively.  For Army of Darkness, we’re treated to the unusual combination of medieval undead and reanimated skeletons battling against corny 20^th century quips and heroics.  Yes, it sounds dumb, and new audiences will most definitely balk at the thought of Harryhausen-esqe battle skeletons.  Nevertheless, it looks 14^th century on form and every joke still nails it.

Hellraiser – BDSM gone awry! Writer and director Clive Barker’s (Lord of Illusions) interdimensional torment fest still scares me just a little bit.  The claustrophobic camerawork allows for some great jump out moments, the gore is just right, and the teen in peril plots are done quite reasonably.  Ashley Laurence handles herself versus Doug Bradley’s unnamed but intelligently sinister Pinhead, and the latent speculation on pain of the utmost coming from someone else’s idea of the pinnacle of pleasure offers several layers of perversion.  Sure, some of the cheap 1987 style shows in Clare Higgns’ (The House of Mirth) fashions, but does it hamper the kinky, sexy, murderous gravitas? Nope. Yes, the plethora of sequels might not be the best, but seriously, a 3D remake crosses the line!

The Howling- Something wolfy is apaw for Dee Wallace (E.T.) ‘pre-Stone’ in this 1981 wolf effects dream. Director Joe Dante (Gremlins) isn’t afraid to have a few winks and wit tossed in for the audience and the attention to lycan designs still looks good.  The transformations aren’t horror for horror’s sake; they earn time with both twisted delight for some and bestial torment for others.  There are a few creeps and scares to spin with the sexy and kinky as well.  Okay, there are probably a few hokey things.  However, the over the eighties topness we expect is actually quite tame amid the 1981 maturity here.  Patrick Macnee (The Avengers) is always a treat, and the women on both sides of the silver are treated as strong, intelligent, and independent whilst also being no less scared, sexy, or perpetually in peril.  Hot diggity dog! 

 

Night of the Comet – Now this has some 1984 hairstyles and essential montages of the day! Catherine Mary Stewart (Weekend at Bernie’s), Robert Beltran (Star: Trek Voyager), and Kelli Maroney (Fast Times at Ridgemont High) have a fun look at chicks takin’ it to doomsday along with some solid tunes and horror wit.  However, the plots here are a little uneven, I must say. Zombie scares, romance, and science fiction disturbia- it’s almost as if three separate films get stuck together. Why are we dealing with evil scientists? I though there were zombies about? Oh, but those New Wave Devo guys were undead? Really? There is a bit too much and yet not enough going on, but the comedy and lack of taking things too seriously keep this one watchable-Tempest high scores aside, of course.

 

Waxwork- A fine cast- including Zach Galligan (Gremlins), Deborah Foreman (Valley Girl), Michelle Johnson (Blame It on Rio), Dana Ashbrook (Doesn’t anyone else remember Girlfriend from Hell?), David Warner (Titanic), and Patrick Macnee (yes, him again)- begin wonderfully in this 1988 first of several evil melts run amok. The assorted effects from the werewolf and vampire bads look great, and the vignettes per wax display have just the perfect amount of creepy, bloody, scary, and sexy.  Unfortunately, a lot of the good falls apart for the final act.  Though the gore in the museum free for all finale is very creative, the lame explanation about a voodoo apocalypse and the 18 baddest of the bad limps to the finish, leaving you scratching your head if you think too long about it.  Thankfully, there’s plenty of humor to keep it all fun.

And one for the Novelty Alone

Village of the Damned – John Carpenter’s (Halloween) 1995 remake has a very sweet cast, indeed: Christopher Reeve (in his last film before his riding accident), Mark Hamill, Linda Kozlowski, Michael Pare, Kirstie Alley, and Meredith Salenger.  I mean, that’s Superman, Luke Skywalker, Crocodile Dundee’s Woman, Eddie without the Cruisers, Saavik, and Natty Gan!  Unfortunately, all the talent is for naught as creepy kids who should have had a good beat down dominate the barely there adults.  Obviously, she has done drama well, but Kirstie Alley is totally unbelievable as a government scientist here, becoming almost as laughable as her best comedy. Poor Christopher Reeve is stuck as the man alone struggling needlessly against these dang alien kids and none of it really makes that much sense.  I suppose this might not be that bad and is still watchable and entertaining for the stars. But it could have been so much better- and we expect a lot more from Carpenter.