One stormy night long ago

The Hollywood Tower Hotel, otherwise known as the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, is full of the remaindered property of previous guests. Each charming detail links itself through time and space to an episode of the Twilight Zone. One of Matt Hochberg’s many project, TowerofTerror.org, is full of history, statistics, media, documentation, and, most importantly, all the back stories to the lost little details left behind. Yet, without extreme amounts of perseverance, it is very difficult to find copies of the episodes from which these remnants were repurposed.

On Sunday nights from May 1965 until September 1965* televisions across America were tuned in at 9:00 o’clock to witness what lies beyond the fifth dimension, beyond the deepest darkest corner of the imagination. The time is now, a Sunday night very much like those Sunday nights from years gone by, I invite you now to step beyond the Tower and the black and white screens. Tonight you have the opportunity to once again step back into those long forgotten stories, there is no time like the past.

Recently, The Twilight Zone Radio Dramas have found their way onto the airwaves. These dramas have a flavor all their own, while they been adapted from the original series’ scripts, they bring a modern touch along with them. The stories presented are made more real, eerie, and relevant to today by introducing items, like a cell phone, to the productions. Stacy Keach (American History X) has the daunting task of narrating in place of Rod Serling. Keach brings his own brand of uncanny narrative to the stories that is right in line with what one would expect from the Twilight Zone. Each episode combines Keach’s narrative with a full-fledged cast and an amazing detail to sound.

In the early part of 2008, the Twilight Zone Radio Dramas began appearing for purchase on iTunes. Though not every story included in Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Tower Hotel is available, many of the tales are, including: Escape Clause, It’s a Good Life, The After Hours, A Kind of Stopwatch, Twenty-Two, Time Enough at Last, A Passage for Trumpet, To Serve Man, The Bard, A Most Unusual Camera, A Thing About Machines, The Fever, and A Stop at Willoughby.

Be sure to check these dramas out if you are in search of the stories behind the belongings. Also, make sure to check-in over at TowerofTerror.org, it is a nice place to visit.

*The First incarnation of the Twlight Zone ran from October 1959 until September 1965. It was scheduled during the following time slots:
October 1959-September 1962 Friday 10:10:30
January 1963-September 1963 Thursday 9:00-10:00
September 1961-September 1964 Friday 9:30-10:00
May 1965-September 1965 Sunday 9:00-10:00