"The Twilight Zone" The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street (1960)

Director:

Ron Winston

Writer:

Rod Serling (writer)

TV Series:

"The Twilight Zone" (1959)

Original Air Date:

4 March 1960 (Season 1, Episode 22)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Plot:

On a peaceful suburban street, strange occurrences and mysterious people stoke the residents' paranoia to a disastrous intensity. |

Plot Keywords:

Paranoia | Narrator | Spaceship | Fear | Hammer

Cast

Rod Serling	...	Narrator (voice)
Claude Akins	...	Steve Brand
Barry Atwater	...	Les Goodman
Jack Weston	...	Charlie Farnsworth
Jan Handzlik	...	Tommy
Amzie Strickland	...	Woman
Burt Metcalfe	...	Don Martin
Mary Gregory	...	Sally
Jason Johnson	...	Man
Anne Barton	...	Myra Brand
Leah Waggner	...	Mrs. Goodman (as Lea Waggner)
Joan Sudlow	...	Old Woman
Ben Erway	...	Pete Van Horn
Lyn Guild	...	Mrs. Farnsworth
Sheldon Allman	...	Alien

Runtime:

25 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Filming Locations:

Warner Bros. Studios, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company:

Cayuga Productions

Quotes:

Narrator: The tools of conquest do not necessarily come with bombs and explosions and fallout. There are weapons that are simply thoughts, attitudes, prejudices to be found only in the minds of men. For the record, prejudices can kill and suspicion can destroy, and a thoughtless frightened search for a scapegoat has a fallout all its own for the children, and the children yet unborn.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Family Guy: Love Thy Trophy (#2.5)" (2000)

What a GREAT episode

This is among the very best episodes of THE TWILIGHT ZONE because it is such a great look at human nature. The show is set in a typical American city circa 1960 and has a very large and capable ensemble cast.

The show begins with strange things happening. Cars inexplicably stop, as do the televisions, radios and telephones. In fact, life pretty much comes to a grinding halt and everyone is naturally left confused and worried. Initially, the community in which this is set comes together with neighbors going out in the streets to ask what is happening. However, in a sinister twist, over time, instead of banding together, they begin sniping at each other--and people start blaming each other for the weird happenings. This is a great look at human nature and the very end of the show is a terrific twist.

This is a great episode for psychology and sociology lovers, though anyone can enjoy this subtle episode.