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music composed by BERNARD HERRMANN: "WALKING DISTANCE" (1959

"THE TWILIGHT ZONE" is probably the best remembered work from Bernard Herrmann's career in television and easily stands up with his pioneering work on the CBS Radio Workshop and Orson Welles Mercury Theater from the 1930's. Of the 7 scores commisioned to Herrmann for the series, 'Walking Distance" is arguably the finest and best remembered, being episode #5 of the 1st season in 1959. He scored the episode for strings, harp and vibrophones, visualizing the sentimental journey back to the past of Martin Sloane. The beautiful music expresses isolation, yearning and lonlieness, and is semi-autobiographical for Rod Serling; being his favorite script of the series! The wonderful "ELEGY" at the finish with the childrens merry-go round displays the sadness of Martin, craving to stay and re-live the past where he grew up, but realizing it is only a dream of all men. As the episode concludes with the OPENING motiff, Martin drives back to N.Y., this time hoping to find some brighness he misses currently, instead of looking to the past for fullfilment. The Twilight Zone END TITLE music (and beginning) was writen by Herrmann but used for only the first season, being replaced with the now recognizable 'COMMERCIAL' theme of Maurice Constant. Herrmann's music was much more insightfully deep, if not energetic, giving us a sense of psychological danger, fear and anxiety as to what mysterious encounters we may find in the deep recesses of our MIND, (which is what the series was really all about) and not unfamiliar to this 'great' film music composer.

Channel: Music
Uploaded: November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am
Author: kachzvi18

Length: 09:06
Rating: 5.00
Views: 1503

Tags: Bernard Distance drama Herrmann of Rod Serling sixties TV Twilight Walking Zone

Video Comments

jstagnitto (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

I love Bernard Herrmann.

markrothkopf (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

wonderful to see someone say what i`ve always thought- my favorite episode- so nostalgic it`s painful; the score is the best i`ve ever heard it has a debussy like impressionist quality

aurah69 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

I've memorized the dialogue of "Walking Distance". The story is haunting. I still bike regularly to my childhood home - Falls Church, VA- and am fortunate enough to live much as I did in the 1950's. Unfortunately, with a 62 year old body. West Falls shopping center is still intact.

glencram (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

I've been a huge Twilight Zone fan my whole life and I have every episode on DVD. This is still my favorite one. Thank you for adding this!

qualitybeat (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

wunderschön!

fromthesidelines (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Bernard Herrmann did compose and record two variations of "projected" theme music for season two {and they're available, with most of his recorded scores for the series, on two different CD releases}, but the network preferred to use Marius Constant's "abtract" theme from the second season on. Herrmann continued to write several scores for the series over the years, the last being "Ninety Years Without Slumbering" {his "Variation On 'Grandfather's Clock'"} in late 1963.

mokacode (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

My favorite episode .So intense.Sometimes it's hard looking ahead...

dam2630 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Absolutely. Sadly enough, Gig Young, the star of this episode, committed suicide about 10 years later.

kachzvi18 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

I totally agree!!!!!!!!!!!

Cramnella (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

This is quite possibly the greatest score for a television show ever.

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music composed by BERNARD HERRMANN: "WALKING DISTANCE" (1959

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