"A Thing About Machines", Poll and discussion thread

A writer (Richard Haydn) thinks that machines are conspiring against him.
Originally aired October 28, 1960.

List of musical cues

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Let the discussion begin!

*More specific instructions and suggestions about posting questions/comments related to this episode are located here.

Hmm, this is a "neither this nor that" episode for me. Not one of my favorites, but not terrible either. Not really boring or obviously incompetent, but not emotionally involving for me the way an ideal TZ episode is. From my point of view, entertaining enough to be a passable way of spending a half hour--once in a while.

Yeah, what he said ^. "5" Not going on the rocketship that's for sure.

Leen

Pretty weak, but there are worse ones I guess. Kind of goofy.

I thought it was quite interesting- the thought of a man bieng stalked by his everyday machines is a very frightening one- especailly when the concept of it happening to you comes into play. I gave it a 7.

Maybe in a 21st-century-made Zone... I have visions of a vibrator gone wild

Good morning Zoners! Just wondering if you were paying attention

Leen

Why would that guy be afraid of an electric shaver? Was he in fear of his eyebrows getting a close shave? That was pretty corny looking.

I've never understood the appeal of that effect, either, though several people (including Marc Scott Zicree) have singled that out as one of their favorite effects in the episode. That's always been a mystery to me. I like the typewriter and the dancer on TV much better.

I've taken Zicree's remark as complimenting the technical aspects of the razor special effect, perhaps including the camera angles at which it was shot, as opposed to its plot significance or fear factor. Along those lines, the typewriter would probably have easily been constructed akin to a player piano, and the dancer is totally straightforward. The razor, at least when it's slithering down the steps, seems trickier to accomplish.

As for being afraid of an electric razor, though: Wouldn't you be, if it jumped right out of your hand?

I always thought it gave the appearance of a snake ready to strike. That's pretty scary, yes?

Leen

Don't hate it as much as Young Man's Fancy but I really do hate it too. Gave it a 1.

And Leen, yes, you totally got my attention w/ that earlier post of yours!!!

Good! I was thinking my fellow Zoners had lost their sense of humor!!

Leen

Terrible! Bottom of the barrel, far as I'm concerned. I hate it.

It scared me as a kid, but doesn't hold up very well on subsequent viewings.

I like this episode! Especially when he's being chased by the car. He's such a rotten charachter that you're glad what happened to him.

What spooked me as a kid (and still spooks me) is that TV scene.

The TZ writers understood--and played upon--our fear that perhaps we really aren’t in control of things and events—that the boundaries we think are in place may not exist (think “The Dummy” or “Nick of Time”).

When that TV performer shouts at Finchley, a chill goes up and down all my control centers.

I guess because I saw this episode at an older age for the first time, I never regarded it as scary. In fact, one of the most amusing scenes I've seen in any episode was the shot of that serpentine electric razor slithering down the stairs. Just found it funny.
(I guess if the episode was made today, they would have used a computer mouse)

http://www.twilightzone.org/images/tzguide/tz_40.jpg

The mouse doesn't pose the same menace as the razor, though. How would you react to having those blades heading towards you?

I think the problem with "A Thing About Machines" is that it tries to be funny and frightening and ends up being neither. Richard Haydn as Mr. Finchley is an incredible jerk and really gets what he deserves in the end. I enjoyed seeing Finchley chased downstairs by an enraged electric razor. And you can clearly see the thin string pulling it down the stairs, which makes you chuckle a bit given the CGI and other effects that we are used to seeing today. One thing I wonder: as Finchley flees the house, he trips at the bottom of the stairs. I wonder if Haydn tripped over the string tugging the shaver and they decided to leave the shot in the finished product. It sure looks like it. Finchley also is chased by his car which is a bit creepy at first. However, the chase goes on too long and really loses its impact. This is a good episode but certainly not a standout.

Submitted for the spittle thread in care of King Nine

And also fits well into not made in the 21st Century is the collision guard placed on the Mercedes right before hitting the fence and the cardboard boxes. Please note before during and after shots.

Good eye Nine!

http://img204.echo.cx/img204/5870/prefence3fi.jpg

http://img204.echo.cx/img204/5834/guardon2qb.jpg

http://img220.echo.cx/img220/3554/postfence4xv.jpg

Thanks again, Leen.

i love this episode i see nothing wrong with it at all.

Good! I was thinking my fellow Zoners had lost their sense of humor!!

Leen

How's this for humor? Bartlett Finchley=Fartlett Binchley

How about the freeze frame on Finchley as Rod is doing his intro?

not a fan of this one mainly because i don't like finchley.

**spoiler**




oh.. also i noticed when the car is slowly driving toward the pool, trapping finchley between the pool and car, you can see tire marks on the grass- can anyone say 'take two'!!

I just found a post from a 1998 TZ message board by a poster named Barry F. Here was his angle on the razor scenes: "Most men at some point have worried about a razor taking a nick out of their face. But this razor is pent on doing a lot more than that." Hmm, I'll have to watch this again...

My larger concern with the razor is...well, excuse my probable absence of common sense here, but don't electric razors have safety guards that protect you against the blade(s)? I didn't get a good look at the razor to know whether it still had its safety guard, and to tell you the truth, I'm not sure I'd really even know what to look for, especially with an early '60s razor. I try to avoid shaving.

You have a nice full beard. I can just about manage a goatee.

James wrote:

But this one unsheathed itself like a cat extending its claws.

But this one unsheathed itself like a cat extending its claws.

Ah, it unsheathed itself, did it? I didn't have a good memory of that. Thanks, Crown! (And thank you too, Kanamit! )

I love how when I'm reading this thread ads for electric razors appear at the top!

I can't resist...

http://www.pergunnareriksson.se/images/ZappaWeazelsB.jpg

i love Barbara Stuart in this episode she is so sexy in it:)

4
You can see the (hilariously ill-staged) ending coming from a mile away.

i miss this episode with Barbara Stuart in it

Barbara Stuart is to hot in this episode

You don't say!

its alot of things i like about this episode

Such as....
Don't leave us hangin'!

Then you should be a huge Gomer Pyle, U. S. M. C. fan, since she had the recurring role of Sergeant Carter's girlfriend, Bunny Olsen. Carter, of course, was played by TZ alumnus Frank Sutton, who seemed to make a career out of co-starring with dummies.

<3Barbara Stuart