Episode Spotlight: "Nightmare" (12/02/1963)

“Nightmare”

Season 1, Episode 10

Originally aired 12/02/1963

Unified Earth is at war with the distant planet Ebon, a war which was prompted by an unprovoked attack by the Ebonites. Two attack ships have been sent to Ebon so far, neither of which were ever heard from again. Our story concerns the third ship, which is captured immediately upon entering Ebonite space.

The “unfortunate group” (as the Ebonite Interrogator calls them) is comprised of Colonel Luke Stone, Major Jong, Captain Terrance Brookman, Lieutenant Esra Krug, Lieutenant James Willowmore, and Private Arthur Dix. The Interrogator demands information about the fourth attack ship, which is en route to Ebon, and the men are subjected to a variety of sense deprivation (the loss of speech for one, eyesight for another) and induced hallucinations designed to soften them up.

Krug dies during his interrogation; meanwhile, the bones in Jong’s left arm are pulverized during a torture session, after which the men are advised that the interrogations are no longer necessary; they are now free to roam the camp without supervision. They conclude that Jong must have betrayed them, and should therefore die. Brookman pulls the short straw but is unable to kill his own kind. Further discussion reveals that it was actually Dix who talked (under the influence of a hallucination of his mother). He flees and is promptly apprehended by the Ebonite guards. 

The Interrogator, troubled by these events, brings Col. Stone before a pair of top-ranking Earth military officials (General Benton and an unnamed Chief of Staff) and reveals that the entire war is a sham: Ebon’s attack on earth was accidental.To make reparations, the Ebonites agreed to maintain the facade as a form of war games to test the resilience of Earth soldiers. Given Krug's death and Dix's mental breakdown, the Interrogator can no longer facilitate the psychological abuse the human soldiers are enduring. Stone is similarly outraged and refuses to cooperate.

Back at the compound, the men suspect that the drinking water is laced with a hallucinogenic drug. They decide to murder the next Ebonite they see and, when the Interrogator shows up to confess the truth to them, they pounce on him. The Chief of Staff arrives and draws his gun, demanding that they release the Interrogator. Brookman disarms him and, believing him to be an Ebonite in disguise or an outright hallucination, shoots him dead.

RANDOMONIUM

“Nightmare” is the first Outer Limits episode written in its entirety by series producer Joseph Stefano (the first to air, anyway; his “A Feasibility Study” was produced first but not aired till much later in the season). Stefano would ultimately write or co-write a total of ten episodes (as well as perform uncredited polish on a few more), and his offerings are by far among the series’ most memorable. His scripts possess a psychological depth and a bent toward Gothic horror that manage to enhance the science fiction trappings of the show instead of conflicting with them, a fascinating collision of genres that would reach its zenith in his script for “The Forms of Things Unknown” (we’ll get to it in May; patience, Grasshopper). His script for “Nightmare” is excellent, and dizzyingly so: every line is perfect, every character beautifully drawn; the themes of allegiance and betrayal emerge universal despite the distant alien setting. It may not be my absolute favorite episode of the series, but it IS my favorite script.

In the director’s chair is John Erman, the series’ resident casting consultant (he previously directed two episodes of Stoney Burke for Daystar Productions: “Joby” and “Image of Glory”). He also directed the Star Trek episode “The Empath” in 1968, which also features a stark, minimalist alien setting that’s more theater stage than film set (not to mention a heroes-captured-and-tortured plot not that dissimilar to “Nightmare”).

John Nickolaus is the Director of Photography this week. Normally I’d complain about missing Conrad Hall’s indelible visual style, but the wide open impressionistic Ebon setting, with its blank background and seemingly endless sky, doesn’t really afford a lot of opportunity for deep noiry shadows... or so you'd think. Nickolaus’s work here is fine, and I'm happy to report that shadows abound here. I personally would've employed more canted angels and other camera tricks to further convey the mental anguish the men suffer; however, there are a few nice stylish shots, particularly the overhead view of Brookman being led away by the Ebonite guard and, later, the same view as Dix runs amok. Speaking of Dix, the extreme close shot of his face during his earlier freak-out (the scene used as the episode’s teaser) is highly effective (and was chosen to grace the VHS cover; see below).

I had aspirations of being an actor when I was young. I auditioned for a 7th grade play on a whim and, despite having zero experience, managed to land the part. For the rest of middle school and all through high school, I fancied myself a master thespian-in-training. I was involved in every single production, and took it rather seriously (not douchebag levels of seriousness, mind you, but I was probably more committed than your everyday average teenager). I was even supposed to direct a play my senior year (Bye Bye Birdie), but our Conrad Birdie dropped out unexpectedly, requiring me to step in and save the day (I’m not sure I actually pulled it off, but it was a helluva lot of fun regardless). What really drove me, in retrospect, wasn’t the thrill of performing, or the gratification of applause, or even the prospect of getting a date with Cathy Hockman (which I did, eventually, thank you very much)… it was the paradoxical living quality of theater despite its intrinsic artifice. Everything that comprises a stage production (sets, lighting, props, costumes, etc.) combines to create a manufactured suggestion of reality, and yet somehow a heightened (almost surreally so) form of reality emerges. Perhaps it’s because of theater’s immediacy:  it happens right before the audience’s eyes, a precarious tightrope walk with vast potential for flubbed lines and missed cues, which makes it seem more real-to-life than a polished, edited film. I responded on a visceral level to the heightened reality of the stage, and subsequently found myself drawn to films the leaned in that direction. “Nightmare” was one such film, and to this day I wish like hell I could put together a stage version.

The episode represents the series’ first depiction of an alien planet (the first to air, anyway; “A Feasibility Study” would've held that distinction too had it not been held back), and it’s a jarring sight indeed. Our first view of Ebon's surface is essentially a blank space, stretching forever, with dark shiny flooring. Are we indoors? Or is this the actual surface of the planet? We aren't told. The men will witness the apparent destruction of the next attack ship from Earth directly overhead, which would seem to imply that the POW camp is in fact outside; however, the loudspeaker hanging over the compound is suspended on wires that must lead upward to something. Some maybe there's a glass ceiling...? That’s the obtuse, reality-based part of my brain trying to make sense of these bizarre surroundings. When I relax that particular lobe, I begin to understand that I’m not seeing a literal depiction of anything; this is all suggestive, fragmentary; an intentionally simplified construct that allows the audience to focus their full attention on the story and the dialogue. Y’now, just like a stage play.

The barren landscape, sharply bisected and peppered with jagged rock formations, reminds me of the opening sequence from the first season of The Twilight Zone. Hey, I'll jump on any connection between my two favorite shows, no matter how tenuous.

I love the choice to introduce each character by having them recite their names and ranks, facing the camera. They're complying with the Interrogator's demand that they identify themselves, but at the same time they're identifying themselves to the audience, like a list of characters in a playbill (a-ha! Another theater connection!).

We could talk all day about the human characters and the fascinating archetypes they represent (Dix is the all-American shithead racist, Jung is the wise yet impish Eastern cipher, Stone is the fatherly--- or motherly--- team captain, etc.) but that’s been done elsewhere by better writers than me. Let's instead touch on the amazing design of the Ebonites. They're freaky as hell, with their clawed hands (with webbed fingers!), not to mention those awesome bat wings (we never see them fly, but I like to think that they can). John Anderson turns in some excellent work as the Ebonite Interrogator: steely and menacing (but measuredly so) and, later, deeply sympathetic once the truth is revealed and he drops the hard-ass act (one wonders if all the Ebonites are actually friendly chaps). Anderson manages to cut through the elaborate makeup (not to mention the extensive distortion of his voice) to present a fully three-dimensional character. It's easy to focus on the acting chops of those playing the humans (Particularly Martin Sheen and James Shigeta) but, for my money, Anderson's performance is the real standout.

Now, just where exactly in time are we? Krug turned in his Jewish grandfather to the Nazis as a child… let’s say it was 1942, and he was 10 years old. Here he appears to be in his late twenties or so, we’ll say 28, which would place “Nightmare” around 1970. Man, you've gotta admire Stefano’s optimism, imagining a Unified Earth coming together (and mastering deep space travel) only seven years down the road.

The Ebonite wands are engineered to manipulate the human senses and inflict assorted pains and sufferings, but what's that other object the Interrogator holds, and what does it do? I used to think it was a wireless microphone of sorts that broadcasts his voice over the speaker that hangs above the POW compound, but he actually holds it throughout the episode, even when he's speaking face to face with Stone and the military bigwigs in act four. I'm now inclined to think it's a universal language decoder of sorts (which makes sense, since it's highly unlikely that English would be the native language on Ebon. 

Both the Interrogator's language decoder and the loudspeaker are adorned with a spiral design, and the aforementioned wands emit a spiral-shaped energy field. The glowing coil inside the Ebonite defibrillator (or whatever the hell it is) is yet another spiral. This recurring design creates an impressive visual continuity across everything on Ebon that isn't nailed down. I suppose we could look deeper and infer that the spiral could represent the descent into anguish and madness that the men face at the hands of their captors.

AURAL PLEASURE

“Nightmare” features---- no, showcases--- an original music score by Dominic Frontiere. It’s unlike anything ever composed for television (then or now).I try not to do much quoting from other works, but in this case David J. Schow sums it up perfectly in his essential Outer Limits Companion: “20 November 1963: A red-letter day in the history of bizarre music, as twelve musicians lay down the score to ‘Nightmare.’ Into this virtual Chamber Orchestra from Hell, Frontiere incorporated the Onaphets, making an already-eccentric score brilliant.” It’s marvelously weird, thoroughly disorienting and at times almost manically gleeful in its own daffiness, but it never crosses the line into comedy or Esquivel-style cartoonishness.

Frontiere’s score has been made available twice: on the 1993 TOL soundtrack from GNP/Crescendo Records (which is out of print) and, more recently, on the expanded (and essential) three-disc release from La La Land Records (which is not only still in print, but available at the low low price of only $19.99 plus shipping). If you don’t already own it… well, you oughta be ashamed.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

An excellent script can be sabotaged by a sub-par cast; thankfully that’s not the case here. The performances are absolutely spot-on, and most of the cast should be quite familiar to Twilight Zone and Stoney Burke fans.

Stone is played by Ed Nelson, who also appeared in the "Five by Eight by Eight" episode of Stoney Burke. Twilight Zone fans will remember him in "Valley of the Shadow."

Jong is brought to life by James Shigeta, who will return in season two's "The Inheritors, Part 1." He's enjoyed a long and varied career in Hollywood, but he's most recognizable to modern audiences as Joseph Yoshinobu Takagi in 1988's Die Hard. 

John Anderson (the Ebonite Interrogator) appeared twice on Stoney Burke ("To Catch the Kaiser" and "Spin a Golden Web"). He crossed over into The Twilight Zone four times: "A Passage for Trumpet," “The Odyssey of Flight 33,” “Of Late I Think of Cliffordville,” and “The Old Man in the Cave” (which just turned fifty a few weeks ago).

Martin Sheen is quite fun as Dix. This section of the blog is generally reserved for actors who either appear in other Outer Limits episodes or other similar productions (The Twilight Zone, etc); however, Sheen’s impressive credits contain no other genre work to speak of (unless you count 1979’s Apocalypse Now as horror, which I can kinda see). Regardless, I’m including him here because, well, he’s Martin. Fucking. Sheen. 'Nuff said.

Willowmore is portrayed by Bill Gunn, who also appeared twice on Stoney Burke (“Kincaid” and “The Mob Riders”). Willowmore is probably the character who suffers the most throughout the episode, and Gunn expertly conveys his anguished terror.

David Frankham plays Brookman; we'll see him again in "Don't Open Till Doomsday" next month. Ben Wright (Gen. Benton) will become a very familiar face over the course of the series. He'll appear in "Moonstone" and "A Feasibility Study" later this season, and "Wolf 359" next season. He passed through The Twilight Zone three times ("Judgment Night," "Deaths-Head Revisited," and "Dead Man's Shoes"), and he popped up in the "Point of Entry" episode of Stoney Burke. Frankham and Wright share a previous credit: both provided voiceover work in Disney's 101 Dalmatians in 1961. Frankham voiced the cat, Sgt. Tibbs, while Wright was the human Roger.

Willard Sage plays he unnamed Chief of Staff. We'll see him in two weeks in “Tourist Attraction,” and in “Production and Decay of Strange Particles” in April. And hey, he played Thann, one of the Ebonite-like aliens in the above-discussed Star Trek episode "The Empath."

Finally, Paul Stader plays the Ebonite Guard, and he'll also appear in "Tourist Attraction" in two weeks... as one of the guys in the Ichthyosaurus Mercurius suits. For my own twisted and nonsensical purposes, I'm gonna pretend he's wearing the Ebonite costume inside the Ichthy costume. C'mon, you know that'd be awesome.

HOME VIDEO RELEASES

Wanna add "Nightmare" to your home video library? You have several options.

First up, the episode enjoyed three distinct releases on the awesome dinosaur format that is VHS (we tend to disregard it in this Digital Age, but we owe it mad props for making home video a reality). These are: the standard retail VHS, the mail-order-exclusive Columbia House tape (which also included the season two classic "Demon With a Glass Hand," written by Harlan Ellison), and the UK retail VHS (which also included the season two classic "Soldier," also written by Harlan Ellison).

DVD's precursor, the LaserDisc format, spawned four Outer Limits volumes, the second of which included "Nightmare" in 1992.

It’s shown up on DVD three different times: the season one boxed set in 2002, the volume 1 set in 2007 (which comprised the first half of season 1), and the complete series boxed set in 2008 (to commemorate the show’s 45th anniversary). And here we are, celebrating 50 years, which would be the perfect time for a blu-ray release.... or so you'd think. Nay, I say, nay. MGM seems to have no interest and treating the series with the respect it deserves. 

The entire series can be viewed for free on Hulu; however, they're the same standard-definition versions you'll find on the DVDs. They appear to have added a short trailer for the series recently....

TRADING CARD CORNER

Topps' 1964 Monsters from Outer Limits trading card set featured six "Nightmare"-themed cards (the only other episode to grace that many cards is "The Man Who Was Never Born"). The accompanying story is actually pretty accurate to the episode, except that the action is moved to Mars and the human soldier (there's only one) ends up dead.

MERCHANDISE SPOTLIGHT

Sideshow Collectibles released a total of eight deluxe action figures based on TOL characters several years back (2002-2004), and when I started celebrating the show’s 50th anniversary in these very pages in September, I didn't have any of them. Funny how quickly things change when one’s OCD Monkey* takes over… Over the past two months I've amassed five of them (I’m still missing the Zanti Prisoner and the Helosian/Andro two-pack, but those holes will be filled eventually, goddammit, mark my words). This means that I have, in my possession, their amazing Ebonite Interrogator.

I’ll post a more thorough critique at some future point (when I actually remove him from the package), but I can give you a thumbnail review now: it’s an awesome rendering, just beautiful. Look at that head sculpt. And those accessories are dead on!

The Ebonite Interrogator was one of the first releases in the line, so it enjoyed a larger production run and is therefore pretty easy to track down in the wild. In other words, he can be had cheap (mine was thirty bucks, which I think is more or less what he originally went for back in '02). There are lots of ‘em on eBay, if you want your own.

The Ebonite Interrogator, like most Outer Limits aliens, got the model kit treatment courtesy of Dimensional Designs. Sculpted by Chris Choin (product # DD/OL/EI-02), it can be yours for $49.95 plus shipping, but you'll have to assemble it and paint it yourself. Since I suck at all things craft-related (see my homemade Crystalline Parasite for gruesome proof), I'll just stick with my Sideshow figure.

Lunar Models also had a go at the Ebonite Interrogator. I couldn't find a decent picture, but it doesn't look as impressive as the Dimensional Designs effort.

The Ebonite Interrogator was featured in a couple of TOL puzzles from Milton Bradley in 1964, and, look! He’s fucking flying. So I guess that settles the age-old argument about whether those bat wings are the real deal or just a wardrobe choice.

And finally, he showed up on the highly collectible 1964 board game, also from Milton Bradley. He wasn't depicted on the box, but you'll find him on the board itself, in the lower right hand corner (under the TOL logo).

THE WRAP-UP

“Nightmare” is absolute top-tier Outer Limits. Top five for sure, maybe even top three. It’s just perfect. I defy you to name one thing wrong with it. You can’t, can you? Well, Peter Enfantino, half of the dastardly duo behind We Are Controlling Transmission (the 2011 TOL blog that made me seriously doubt myself when I was launching this blog), can. He clearly hates "Nightmare" (he gave it one measly Zanti out of a possible five! Read his comments here). Now, I don't doubt that Enfantino loves the series (almost) as much as I do, but it positively mystifies me that two hardcore fans could have such dramatically different views. But all things considered, he did give "The Brain of Colonel Barham" (a truly shitty episode from season two) one-and-a-half Zantis... so yeah, I think he just won my argument for me. To quote Martin Sheen's notorious son Charlie: "I'm not bi-polar, I'm bi-winning. I win here and I win there!" 

This week's entry was brought to you in part by Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey™, which has been manipulating human senses since 2006. Nine out of ten Ebonites choose Fireball, and you should too. Drink responsibly.

* I wrote about my “OCD Monkey” a few years ago in my Twilight Zone blog, when I was feverishly and desperately trying to collect back issues of Twilight Zone Magazine. In this case, it’s more like a Crystalline Parasite, seizing control of my motor functions and forcing me (quite against my will) to bid on eBay auctions. See honey? It's not my fault!