Demon With A Glass Hand pt1

[greekdrwho]

TALK TO THE HAND :P

[maysonet777]

The best Outer Limits episode ever,by the best science fiction writer ever...the building used in Blade Runner.

[noircat1874]

love this one

[MarlonOwnsYourCake]

Anyone else hear "why are you trying to kill me?" in Batman's voice?

[curtisb3000]

Down with the OUTER LIMITS! 

[1tavern1]

Cool! !Thx 4 posting!So erie,dark & mysterious,it really just grabs at you!To bad they didn't make this a 2-hour long movie,'cause this was really good.My favorite episode of that 'outer limits' series!

[RedJoe10]

Is this where 'talk to the hand' came from?

[joshweiss01]

Sumerican? Harlan objected to this years ago. Either it was rewritten without his permission or the voice over screwed up. Sumerian wound be more like it.

[DrSamba1]

@joshweiss01 Probably misread, but yes, it sticks out like a sore thumb.

[YOUSUCK242]

The Terminator?

[MrBoyhowdy50]

My late father is the alien "Breech" at the beginning of episode that Robert Culp hung on gate, then sent back in time. I was 10 at the time and it was a thrill for me then...and now!

[db5astonmartin]

It reminds you of Blade Runner because the building most of it takes place in was used in Blade Runner as well.

FYI

[SuperOmnicron]

@db5astonmartin ..Blade Runner, T2...they really stuck it to Harlan Ellison , didnt they?

[Staszu13]

Sumerican? As in half American, half Sumerian?

[StimuLAZ]

@Staszu13 Sumerican as in mistake or ignorance.

Many have commented on this. Many have recognized the Bradbury building, in which parts of Blade Runner were shot. Also many claim that the Terminator was based on or copied from this. I believe that Terminator is more like "Soldier", another Outer Limits story.

[derwos]

@StimuLAZ yeah, Harlan Ellison, the guy who wrote Soldier, sued James Cameron after James Cameron said that Terminator was inspired by Soldier...somewhat of a frivolous lawsuit if you ask me...too many differences between the two stories for it to be a real rip off.

[finance485]

The guy sang like a canary

[federalwarhawk]

This episode reminds me of the Matrix movie,

[toolkien]

@finance485 Did you watch the full clip? He told him where to go he would go there. That's what they wanted him to do.

[TBDowns]

The narrator for this -- and most other OL episodes -- was Vic Perrin. You can find him at IMDB, Wiki, or see him in the movie DRAGNET with Jack Webb.

[lonnie93041]

Arguably the best episode of drama tv ever produced. I met Robert at the San Diego ComiCon not long before he passed away. He was one of the nicest guys you could ever meet. RIP Mr Trent.

[Nostalgic4]

Thank you very much for uploading this, Snedman40. I've thought about this episode so many times since it originally aired.

[ceuyoyi]

I've read that they used the same building later while filming Blade Runner.

[MrSunlander]

you mean Blade Runner reminds you of this..... My favorite episode.

[MrPmj1979]

The opening V/O reminds me of Will Smith's character in Hancock. Similar situation, an immortal with no memory of who he is, where he's from, etc.

[Gunbei2]

This is my favorite OL episode of all time. When I first saw Blade Runner and Terminator the "Demon" gene was clearly evident.

It's amazing that a bunch of guys wearing Uncle Fester make up and shower caps can make great science fiction when combined with a great performance by Robert Culp and an all-time great Harlan Ellison story.

[wigginsdesign]

One of the greatest TV show and Episodes of all time!

[marixalilith]

i adore this show....

[grendeljack]

Please, please, please remake this. Movie or a series. Could be epic. A better version of Highlander and Terminator series- an android with a soul, perpetually on the run throughout the centuries evading time hunters, corporate saboteurs seeking his tech and government entities who want to control the future.

[knoxvilleguy2]

@grendeljack - It'd be better than a lot of the merde they call " science fiction " that runs on the U.S. - based SyFy Channel recently. THAT would make a great script idea. Copyright it, already !

[flossjw1]

Snedman4........ you are the man!!!!!!!! This is my FAVORITE outer limits episode!! It is just so erie & dark,but not to over the top.As a kid i was so enthralled by the suspense & the"gothic" feel of this episode! Big thanks for posting!!!!!!!!!!

[fjccommish]

Nobody thought to wear the medallion inside their shirt.

[Trajan3876]

Sumerican? What an idiot!

[Gunbei2]

@Trajan3876 LOL. Yeah, this is a pretty famous script typo from OL.

[Trajan3876]

Sumerican

[knoxvilleguy2]

The voice in the stairwell sounds a LOT like Jonathan Harris, AKA " Dr. Smith " & " Lucifer ".

[knoxvilleguy2]

I had this on VHS. I saw that Harlan Ellison wrote the screenplay, & I HAD to find it !! Thanks for posting this. HE wrote the best stories. Wish that I could get it on DVD, Netflix or hulu.

[TheStockwell]

@knoxvilleguy2 The complete series - every episode - was selling on Amazon for 30 bucks as of July 2011. 49 episodes. A bargain. All the episodes ARE on HULU!

[knoxvilleguy2]

@TheStockwell - Thanks for the lead. Hulu is pretty good, even though they have a " Plus " option that you pay for. This ep. was CLASSIC, even with the crappy make - up on the aliens. :) Ellison is a great writer even though he had to slow down in recent years ( Quadruple bypass, near - crippling chronic depression, among other things. ).

[TheStockwell]

@knoxvilleguy2 When I finish going through the DVDS - yep, I bought 'em - I might pass them on to you, okay? Ellison, along with Ray Bradbury, is one of the last gen-you-wine WRITER writers out there, people who write because it's what they DO. Period. I'd write them and say "thank you" for their gigantic output of work, but I'd feel creepy about distracting them. I mean, ten minutes reading something from me is ten minutes they could spend writing - or thinking about writing.

[knoxvilleguy2]

@TheStockwell - You, sir, might have a DEAL, but, truth to tell, it would honestly be better all around to donate them ( IMHO ) to a film - making class to show said class how to make entertainment that reaches the heart, mind, soul & viscera rather than things that are " flavor - of - the - month " pop phenomena.

Is Ray Bradbury still alive ? I've heard he wasn't. If so, it's humanity's loss. R.B. had passion !

[TheStockwell]

@knoxvilleguy2 I'm already passing the DVDs around. They gett thrilled and stunned reactions along the line of, "Um, this is REAL Sci-fi, isn't it? Man, all we get TODAY are adventures in space and alternate reality mumbo-jumbo." Ray Bradbury is still alive. He doesn't get out much these days, but he turned up at Comic-Con in July 2011 and turns 91 in August 2011. I met him once. We bonded over the fact that neither of us ever learned to drive. He had me promise I'd never learn to. Cool!

[knoxvilleguy2]

@TheStockwell - Sounds like a very worthwhile project.

Ray Bradbury - 91 years old ! I remember " The Martian Chronicles " w / a lot of fondness as well. It seemed like it was influenced by " John Carter of Mars ", " Thuvia, Maid of Mars ", etc. LOVED it, even though Viking & the other probes completely rewrote all those interesting notions about the Red Planet having any life capable of building civilizations. I have the book somewhere around here & I had the VHS version.

[PRINCESAPHIR]

Un trés bel épisode mais un peu surévalué par rapport à sa réputation

[valere76]

R.I.P Robert Culp, quite the american hero...

[poikaa3]

The background sounds that make the mood of the story were created by the Hammond Novacord, the first true synthesizer first made in 1938. Was only produced from 1938 to 1942, about 1069 were made. Few remain....

[ekbart]

I remember seeing this when I was 10 years old. That was 46 years ago and I remember it well, It was one of the best episodes of Outer Limits, and Harlan did such a great job. Fascinating that it was filmed in the bradbury building same as blade runner!

[JessSayin]

My fav episode. You rocked Robert!

[Gilbavel]

My greatest American hero, RIP.

[tonkehar]

Talk to the hand.....the man with the white pants .....I wlll miss you, RIP!

[bass4049]

we will miss you  rest in peace robert culp

[KaptKan1]

Thanks for the great entertainment, Robert Culp. Rest In Peace, amigo.

[MexiaMudHen]

Use to enjoy watching Robert Culp and Bill Cosby in "I SPY" and all the Outer Limits shows. R.I.P.

[globbo100]

What a handsome man he was in this episode. May you rest in peace Robert Culp.

[UnsilentE]

Perhaps the coolest, scariest, saddest, all-around best O.L. episode ever. Rest in peace, Robert "Trent" Culp.

[mark84j]

RIP Dr. Breen.

RIP Robert.

RIP, good sir.

[kokujin1014]

Guess what,Outer Limits fans......actor Robert Culp was found dead from an accident earlier! NO FOOLING!!

[TheJoeyD27]

Rest In Peace, buddy

[ShroudedFury]

LA OUTWAAAA LIMWAAAAA

[BrainEatingApe]

Arlene Martel, who played Consuelo, also played Spock's bride T'Pring, in the Star Trek episode "Amok Time."

[matrix49A]

Most of the interior shot of DwAGH were shot in the same building where the genetic designer in BR lived (Also the Jack Nicholson "wolf" movie was filmed there.) I don't remember that name of the place You can maybe look for it here I remember in the Nicholson movie the interior building looked great. In BR water was everywhere dust etc. Movie majic

[alarclin]

Bradbury building, I think.

[snedman40]

Blade Runner is a movie adaptation of the book "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" by Philip K Dick. But I would agree that the fight in the Bradbury Building was heavily inspired by this episode.

[astroboy1960]

@snedman40 I think I'd read that some scenes in this are actually made on the same set which was later used during part of Blade Runner (as well as numerous film noirs)

[STesser]

Not just the story; Harlan Ellison also wrote the screenplay for this episode.

[spacepatrolman]

@romas1995 terminator was ripping off ellisons other OL episode the soldier[ from the future?] there was a plagarism court case over that

[aeopmusic]

This definitely inspired Ridley Scott and James Cameron for Blade Runner and Terminator respectively.

Ironically, Ridley Scott did Alien and Cameron followed up with Aliens. Hmm...

[ghune]

James Cameron was inspired by this movie for his Terminator. It was a great idea (and the other movie is Soldier)

[kumasie01]

Senator McCarthy was a saint! He fought the good fight...he was a Great American. you stupid idiots dont kno nothing abt him...except to curse. ur all byproducts of govt education. ur the epitome of the dumbing down of america. u socialist atheistic boy/boy lovers will be overcome. theres a storm brewing....

[JubalCalif]

The Bradbury Building also shows up in the 1951 American remake of "M", which was directed by Joseph Losey before he was blacklisted & had to movie to Britain to work,  THANKS for posting this excellent episode of an excellent early 60's show!

[JessSayin]

The voice of the 'hand' is Robert Culp. So it can truly be said he was "talking to himself"

[hootsmon]

I wonder how many out-takes they have of Robert Culp talking to the hand without corpsing...Love that number 5 priority is "Stay alive!" The voice of the narrator sounds like Leslie Nielsen maybe?

[halocekicksass]

Very bad video quality man how do you even expect people to watch the whole thing. TRY HARDER.

[tonkehar]

New sci fi is crap....what happen to sci fi! This is sci fi...watch it! New sci fi will kill any and all sci fi of the future, like they did to rock music... where it will be a thing of the past....Good sci fi is a creative plot not all cgi and blowing up shit...from a sci fi fan!

[duaneburnett]

and they did these shows on A shoestring like $70,000

there is some good new Sci Fi but you have to look really really really hard to find it.

[tonkehar]

Thx 4 reply , Yes I'm always looking really really hard for good sci fi. I love sci fi , and if you find some let me know! BBC has been running some good sci fi, like Torchwood that's new, Moonbase 3 that's old!

[arturo656b]

My fav ep of O.L..However .Dr Who is the best of all time...

[mavericstud9]

"Talk to the hand" it might have mythological meaning.

[rocketshipstud2]

outer limits vs twilight zone debate starts now!...outer limits ten times better...over half of t.z. is only creative writing!...o.l. is hardcore...

[spacepatrolman]

I like the outer limits better but i love the twilight zone there is an outer limits club in myspace i started a twilight zone club [im pretty sure that culp is the voice of the glass hand ] .

[rocketshipstud2]

the building and elevator is also used in the opening of ray bradbury theater and it is out on dvd! excellent!

[rocketshipstud2]

5stars jfk era sci-fi noir classic!...priceless! I was born in 1965 and have seen it many times and own series on dvd...it always blows my mind! enjoy!

[SuperOmnicron]

Ellison really got screwed because he wrote award winning stories, but Gene Roddenberry and George Lucas pretty much cornered the SF franchise from the standpoint of commercialism...Ellison was really annoyed how Star Trek became the single representation of SF...he considered the "cops in space"

[JohnnySullivan]

This is my all time favorite "Outer Limits" episode. "Behold Eck" is a close 2nd.

[spacepatrolman]

peter lind hayes is in behold eck [thats a real imaginative one an optometrist who is the only one who can see a 2 dimensional being that slices skyscrapers in half like the world trade center] I met ted brown the dj from wnew in new york who new peter lind hays ,peter lind hayes made a 45 record .

[xenbear]

The best episode of any tv sci fi series ever its the only thing that beats classic Doctor Who !!!

[dafrog491]

I dont know if you guys saw terminator salvation, but I think the chracter "marcus wright" is another character based on halan ellisons work. He's a cyborg that thinks hes human, like Trent. He has a relationship with the female soldier, but like Trent can not truly feel love. Im just pointing out the similarities, but either way I loved the new Terminator movie, and I think Marcus Wright is this movies Arnold from T2, as he's the robot you must come to care for.

[DWNicolo]

The building wasalso featured in Bladerunner. The name of the building in L.A. is known as the Bradbury Building and was designed by Forest J. Ackerman's grandfather.

[jedibill111]

Ha, just like a woman, I Love You! I Love you! wait...F.U. talk to the hand...

[Beanmaster73]

james cameron got sued for copying this story line in the original terminator movie

[sparknut71]

you're thinking of the episode called Soldier

[Jackalman99]

Jack Grimes has The Gilgamesh. Untnapshta was the immortal man who guides Gilgamesh on his quest for immortality but he failed.

[Porgot138]

This well-regarded episode of the influential 1960's science fiction series "The Outer Limits", written by Harlan Ellison, tells the story of a man who awakens to discover he is being pursued by alien beings and has no idea why.

[gb42760ad1972]

This is one of the best pieces of filmed science fiction ever. Thanks for the post. Peace, George.

[BrianfromFE]

This episode was filmed in the same building as Bladerunner. Check it out!

[airdriver]

It was also used in the video for "Tonight Tonight Tonight" by Genesis.

[jmorrison1966]

It's also the building used in Pushing Daisies and in Rebel Without a Cause. Anyone know what it is? They call it the Dickson Building, but I can't find anything online.

[jfbbenitez]

it's the bradbury building.

[barflewk]

This is one of the best eps of the series. Some of them sort of sucked, but this is great.

[doctorw2]

excellent sci fi!!!

[YALETOWNHOTEL]

The Star Trek episode, City On The Edge Of Forever, was written by Harlen Ellison. Also deals with time travel.

[voidforpurpose]

October the First is too late.

The complete Time travel illogic of the plot line of this Ellison episode is only evident at the end.

If the aliens can travel backwards in time, they would be able to simply wait for the man with the glass hand to reappear, naturally, into their future, as he must by the story's sense.

But the atmospherics are fun enough to overlook the loopholes and irrationality.

[geekeing]

you forgot about the plague which is killing the Kyben. Without the cure the Kyben cannot claim final victory since the duration of the plague is 200 years. Thus they cannot wait as they would be dying and Trent would be well prepared to hide and evade them before the invasion even begins

[Rbatty2]

Aside from Ellison's stories, the first 2 Terminator films have a massive degree of similarities with the 1966 film "Cyborg 2087". Cameron's films are better but they aren't original.

[nickmctrick]

Very good point, Roy. T1 is partially based on this episode as well.

[luridplanet]

The biggest flaw about time travel stories is that you cannot change the lives of the people in the future by going into the past. You could conceivably change past events, but it would only affect those in the past. Otherwise the people in the future would have more than one set of memories, which doesn't make sense to me.

[seka1986]

I will visit you tomorrow when it was one year ago and you will understand how it works.

[luridplanet]

ha-ha! I'll be be awaiting your visit yesterday

[seka1986]

I saw you yesterday when it was tomorrow.

[Bron23345]

i told u hi tomorrow,yet u saw me die yesterday

[geekeing]

I disagree. There would not be 2 sets of memories only one. When events are altered at any point of history all following events are also altered so the people of the future only know one version of history. Only the time traveler, if he is from that time period, would know the differences, assuming he does not negate his own existence.

[luridplanet]

Some physicists believe that the very act of traveling backward in time causes the time traveler to branch off into a parallel universe, therefore the universe he left behind would remain unaffected.

[geekeing]

I've heard this theory before and know a smiliar theory that changing history creates a parallel timeline; a parallel universe. And you're right, memories in both universes would be unaffected in their futures as the first universe is unaffected and the 2nd universe would take a different direction.

[mavericstud9]

The biggest flaw about time travel stories is that you cannot change the lives of the people in the future by going into the past.

I take it here,things are pre-ordained and this apart of history.

[BlackProteus]

I heard about the Ellison/Cameron dispute, but honestly the plot here seems different enough from The Terminator. I don't think this was plagiarism.

[totenkray]

You'd have to watch the episode called 'Solider' because Solider is the episode that is about two soliders that appear after some major explosion from the future and go at it in our time(well 1960's)...they even use cats and dogs to detect the enemy...which that and other details it's obvious it was just Cameron lifting ideas. Remember Cameron wrote a screen play not a novella or novel or short story. TV often enough lifts ideas from literature.

[snedman40]

Funny you should mention that episode. In the next few weeks I will be posting it on another account. Zanti as well, and others will follow. Stay tuned.

[Featster74]

@totenkray And Ellison didn't have dogs detecting anything in his story and movie "A Boy and His Dog"?

[Rbatty2]

Harlan Ellison did in fact turn this into a feature screenplay and it was almost made several years ago with David Twothy attached to direct. Got put into turnaround apparently. Didn't Robert Culp reprise his character here in an episode of "Babylon 5"? Harlan worked on that show as creative consultant which would explain this crossover.

The Kyben [forgive me if I misspelled] have also been featured in some of Harlan's prose fiction.

[billw1220]

This is by far the best episode of the original O/L. Many of the stories were(are) excellent. Of course the special effects limitiations in both technology/budget were always a problem. This episode is one, however, where the s/e limitations were less of a detractor. This would be a GREAT to make as a full blown movie today. It's different enuf from Terminator to stand up on it's own. I'm glad Cameron acknowledged his source. When I first saw Terminator originally I thought of this episode.

[bob9334]

I use to wonder what schwarzenegger in Terminator 3 meant when he said "ask the hand" could it be this O/L episode ?

[charlesvan13]

He says "Talk to the hand." in Terminator 2. It might be an inside joke about the Ellison/Cameron dispute.

[scotpens]

The somewhat rude expression "Talk to the hand" (or "Talk to the hand 'cause the face ain't listening") probably comes from the simple use of the upraised hand, palm facing outward, as a signal to stop. It's fun to think it might be derived from some kind of in-joke, though.

[Rbatty2]

I've seen some clips of "Prisoners of Gravity" on this website. Perhaps Harlan's interview on "The Terminator" plagrism may be up or someone may hopefully download it for us to see. At any rate it was a superb series for genre fans and is sorely missed by myself for one.

[Rbatty2]

Interviewed on "Prisoners of Gravity" in the early '90's, Harlan Ellison stated that James Cameron admitted that he stole from Harlan's "Outer Limits" episodes to write "The Terminator" in an interview with Starlog. Hemdale Films [the producer] pressured the magazine to remove the comments but Harlan got hold of the original tape of the interview with Cameron stating he plagrised Harlan in his own words, thus he settled with Harlan. Oddly Cameron has not publicly denied Harlan's claim.

[Rbatty2]

Harlan Ellison's script was originally written as a cross-country chase but the budget wouldn't allow it.  Producer Robert Justman took Harlan to downtown Los Angeles to see the Bradbury Building. Justman asked if Harlan to re-write it to suit the location.

Harlan agreed and came up with the concept of an internal chase inside this building instead.

The Bradbury has been featured in many t.v shows and films including "Blade Runner".

[BrianfromFE]

The stairway that Robert Culp climbs in Demon With A Glass Hand is the same stairway that Harrison Ford climbs in Blade Runner

[Jellyvibe]

That's the Bradbury Building in Los Angeles. It's been used in all kinds of movies over the years. Wiki has a bunch of info on it.

[hossmitchell]

great narrator voice

[Phoenix76YT]

Personally i do not see the connection. There is definite connection that can be made to Blade Runner but as for Terminator goes i just see nothing but generic concepts which can not be owned by anyone.

[Phoenix76YT]

"Science fiction author Harlan Ellison sued James Cameron, claiming that the film was plagiarized from the two "The Outer Limits" (1963) episodes that Ellison wrote, namely "The Outer Limits: Soldier (#2.1)" (1964) and "The Outer Limits: Demon with a Glass Hand (#2.5)" (1964). The concept of "Skynet" could also have been borrowed from an Ellison short story called "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream." The suit was settled out of court and newer prints of the film acknowledge Ellison."

SourceIMDB

[glomag]

Yes, this is basically the plot of Terminator. Ellison is credited in the the movie. This is a grat story, even if the dialog is a bit hokey at times. Ellison was a great sci-fi writer.

And... I named my company after Bong and Dern.

[malleymyster]

why does the bradbury building turn me on? well the world may never know, anywho, i can see the obvious connection to blade runner (besides the bradbury building, but the robot chase as well) but what i really want to know is how the hell this is termintor?

[randomrob7]

probably reminds you of blade runner since they both had scenes shot in the bradbury building in L.A.

[mavericstud1]

Cyborg 2087 (1966)how james cameron got away with ripping this thing off is beyond me. but then again, maybe a lot of people removed it from their resumes.

[jackdeath]

He didn't, Cameron ripped off "Demon with a Glass Hand" (1964), and settled out of court with Harlan Ellison the way Universal did for Cyborg 2087. Except with Terminator, as part of the settlement, Cameron had the right to place Ellison name on the credits, for which we could infer his tacit approval for the film.

Cameron had always maintained the concept was always his own, but settled with Ellison as, he said, "...An act of charity."

[jackdeath]

This episode of Outer limits is the basis for the move Terminator.

[mavericstud1]

Well is also a movie Cyborg 2087-starring Michael Renny as a cyborg from the future.funny thing this movie.

it repeats on the space channel a lot, along with another fine b scifi flick "project x", but the funny thing is, whenever it's on, i always fall asleep by the time they have that lame chase on the rooftop of the power plant. that's 3 times now this year i've missed the ending.

[wigginsdesign]

LOL I just said that in a earlier post. YES THIS IS THE BEST ONE EVER. And you are right Snedman, the mood and direction is very Blade Runner. Cool!

[oldtilter]

Best episode ever..thanks!

[jemcg]

Do a YouTube search for a vid by Cabaret Voltaire called "Yashar", you will recognize some great samples from this episode.

All the best,

Jeremy.

[OnTheRazorsEdge]

The Cabs loved to sample this episode. ^_^

[jebouchard451]

Thanks for this great episode, snedman40. It's proof that story is #1, always story over FX or star power. Great job on splitting the whole episode, too, right on cliffhangers.

[emousejapanimation]

I heard this was one of the episodes Harlan Ellison accused James Cameron of plaigerizing when "Terminator" came out in theaters. I think the other episode he was accused of copying was called "Soldier".

[hwdstrn]

I love this episode!

[CultofJ]

one of my favorite episodes of any tv show, great opening narration!

[nokori3byo]

Wiki says the episode was filmed mostly in the Bradbury Building, where the climactic sequence in Blade Runner takes place. So, there you have it.

[jemcg]

That is correct.

[CosmoWho2]

This is a great episode

Thanks for the up snedman