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Date Posted: 11:30:49 05/01/13 Wed
Author: Jarrod
Subject: About 'Terror at 2:00'

I've been meaning to post about this episode. It aired last week on the Encore channel. First, I think it is interesting that NBC postponed 'Kingdom of Fear' for over two years, claiming it was too violent. But I think 'Terror at 2:00' is much more violent. Both episodes were written by Landon. He did not direct 'Kingdom of Fear,' but he did direct 'Terror at 2:00.' The episode is padded with a lot of comic relief, ostensibly to delay the action that comes in the final act, when a madman attempts to murder everyone on Main Street. I think the comedy works very well in this episode, and it sort of lulls the viewer into a false sense of security. Anyone who is watching the story unfold knows that a climactic ending is in store, but cannot possibly guess how dramatically the narrative will switch from light-hearted to dark and sinister. The reason I want to discuss this episode is that I think it is Landon's version of the Kennedy assassinations. We have a sniper waiting in a hotel room for his chance to gun everyone down, not unlike Lee Harvey Oswald. It certainly is a powerful episode, and it ends on a slightly ironic note (about the festivities starting five minutes late). But it does seem to be a sign of the times in which it was made. It also seems to be heavily influenced by the Italian filmmakers whose spaghetti westerns were in vogue in the late 60s and early 70s. No doubt Landon was inspired by more than a few Leone westerns. Thoughts...?

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Replies:

[> Re: About 'Terror at 2:00' (Spaghetti Western ) -- Joe H., 07:18:10 05/04/13 Sat [1]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaghetti_Western

"was coined by Italian journalist Alfonso Sancha.[1] In the beginning the term was used in a derogatory sense, but over time it has become accepted as descriptive."

[1] = a relative of: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sancha_of_Leon ?


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[> [> Re: About 'Terror at 2:00' (Spaghetti Western ) -- Jarrod, 13:47:53 05/05/13 Sun [1]

Thanks for that bit of trivia. Regardless of how the term has evolved/been accepted in modern usage, it is obvious watching 'Terror at 2:00' that Landon is influenced by the Italian filmmakers working in the western genre. There are too many stylistic similarities to ignore. I would even say that 'Kingdom of Fear' has a few Leone-inspired touches.


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[> Re: About 'Terror at 2:00' -- Richard L., 08:05:02 05/08/13 Wed [1]

I didn't get the feel of a "Spaghetti Western" in this episode, other than the gatling gun, which seems to be used a lot in Spaghetti Westerns.

One thing I noted in "Terror at 2:00" was that there were no "outdoor soundstage" scenes that I can recall. That is, it was shot more like a movie perhaps.


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[> [> Re: About 'Terror at 2:00' -- Rick, 19:16:24 05/08/13 Wed [1]

The story was about the white man's hatred for the Indians. No other outside connections at all.




R-


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