TV on Tape: Tales of Tomorrow Movie Review

These tales of yesterday were an early and fairly successful sf anthology series that aired on ABC from 1951 to 1956.

Its first episodes, based on Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, starred Thomas Mitchell with Leslie Nielsen in a supporting role. Other entries were based on magazine stories and original teleplays.

Surviving episodes of this creaky but historical series were issued on tape for the brief presence of James Dean in the first sample, “The Evil Within,” a feeble Jekyll-Hyde takeoff with Rod Steiger's method acting out of place in the science lab.

The second tale, “The Spider's Web,” about castaways on an island of giant radioactive (and conveniently offscreen) bugs, was scripted by Frank de Felitta, later a bestselling horror author (he adapted the screenplay for Audrey Rose from his own novel). Watch and you'll appreciate Rod Serling's innovative Twi-light Zone, and snigger at archaic ads for the all-important sponsor Kreisler ("the name that makes news in watch bands!").

1951–56/B VHS DVT