The Ray Bradbury Theater
The Ray Bradbury Theater
TV-14 | 21 May 1985 (USA)
SEASON & EPISODES
  • 6
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  • 3
  • 2
  • 1
  • Reviews
    Jenna Walter

    The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

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    Lidia Draper

    Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

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    Tobias Burrows

    It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

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    Haven Kaycee

    It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

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    gridoon2018

    The best thing about "The Ray Bradbury Theater" is its diversity: you never know what the next episode will bring you. There is sci-fi (both on Earth and on Mars), tales of the supernatural, mystery, horror, black comedy, just plain comedy, heartwarming stories, etc. The most disappointing thing is how many of the episodes don't have a memorable punchline or payoff, something that is required in this type of anthology show. Sometimes Bradbury's stories get lost in translation due to the generally dismal production values, or the usually unimaginative directors. But other times the stories themselves begin with a great idea that is never developed; too many endings make little sense or leave you wondering "Huh? Is that it?". There are episodes that make 22 minutes feel like an eternity; there are also episodes that achieve a kind of poetry. I won't go extensively into specific titles, because everyone has their individual tastes; I will just mention three episodes that I think are painfully unwatchable ("Colonel Stonesteel and the Desperate Empties" "There Was An Old Woman", "Exorcism"), and three that are clever and successful ("Touch of Petulance", "By The Numbers", "The Fruit at the Bottom of the Bowl"). Most of the others are somewhere in between. The DVD of this show is extremely cheap (under 10 US dollars), but you'll find out why: they have stuffed all 65 episodes in 5 discs (13 in each), resulting in frequent, and distracting, pixelization. Still, you can't beat that number of episodes for that price.

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    etpowell

    Ray Bradbury will doubtless be remembered as one of the 20th century's most brilliant writers. This series captures some of his best short stories, including some fairly obscure ones, quite well. In many episodes, Bradbury does a special introduction, giving the viewer a tidbit of background about the story, which is a nice touch. If there is one major flaw in this show, it is the production values. The show was an independent production, shot on a modest budget for cable TV. The first few episodes were done for HBO and the remainder for USA Network. The visual effects are lackluster, even for the time in which it was produced, and many of the episodes seem a bit dated--not exactly modern but not quite vintage either. Still, Bradbury's amazing ability to spin a yarn comes through to save things. Had the show been based on material from a lesser writer, it would have been unwatchable.

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    Flameshadow

    I used to watch this show when I was somewhere between fourth or fifth Grade. I didn't always understand everything. I knew that almost every episode had a twist ending, like Twilight Zone, but I was confused sometimes. Even so, the show changed the way I thought about the world and several episodes, although I haven't seen them in years, still stick with me. Every time someone is yakking on a cell phone, I think of the episode The Murderer, and I think "I want a chocolate milkshake". At a fifth Grade book-fair one fateful day I remember seeing the the name "RAY BRADBURY" blaring on the cover of a shiny book, The Martian Chronicles. I still recall my exact thoughts. I ran up, surprised, and said to myself "Heeeeeeey! thats that guy from TV!." So I bought the book, still sitting on my bookshelf next to numerous other Bradburys. I was impressed by some stories, baffled by others. The Cold War references were lost on me, and for a long time I was confounded looking for a continuous plot. The story "There will Come soft Rains" introduced me to a favorite poet, Sara Teasdale. Although I was left a little confused, I continued to raid the school library for more Bradbury, reading Something Wicked This Way Comes, S is For Space, R is For Rocket, Twice Twenty-Two, Death is a Lonely Business. My only disappointment is that I never got around to reading I Sing the Body Electric. Now, years later, as a teenager, I found The Ray Bradbury Theater DVD set at a best buy. 68 episodes, and only 30$! Well, needless to say, I grabbed the only copy they had left and clung to it for my life. I got home, and, perusing though episode titles, came across many of my favorite stories, A Sound of Thunder, The Lake, The Murderer, and many others I realized I had read since I watched the series as a child. In fact, I recall my elation at coming across "The Murderer" (always my favorite) as a short story. In short, Ray Bradbury Theater is a great series for people of all ages. It will make you think, an stick with you, and possibly cause you to read more Ray Bradbury stories than you watch in episodes.

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    Dan Aldridge

    Ray Bradbury is an absolutely brilliant writer. I am totally impressed with the original ideas that he evolves into thoughtful and creative stories. I had nearly given up TV when his series came to our PBS affiliate in Denver. I made it a goal, early on, to see every episode.My favorite episodes include `There Was an Old Woman' and `A Miracle of Rare Device.' They are true masterpieces. It is also fun to look for my favorite stars in these little-known vignettes.I grew up reading Ray Bradbury's books and I enjoyed, even more, the screen portrayals of his works. His insistence on creative control over the finished product has resulted in a legacy that he can truly be proud of. Don't miss these excellent stories!

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