The Box...

Question

So, the hook is that there's this guy (Frank Langella?) who's got this wonky Big Red Button thing in a box, that looks like Art Department didn't know if it was supposed to be a comedy or a drama. He offers it to some random person, or couple, telling them if they push the button, they'll get a million bucks, cash.
Oh, and some random stranger will also die.
So I guess the question here is mostly for Neal, as he used to work for Laurel, but... wasn't this an episode of Tales From The Dark Side? I don't think it was Monsters, as there's no monster involved, and I'm pretty sure it wasn't an episode of the new Twilight Zone, and I know it wasn't the old TZ 'cause it was in color. The twist ending is pretty obvious (I won't spoil it here), but... isn't this just some
22 minute first-run syndi story, padded out to feature length? Or amI missing something?

Life Continues, Despite
Evidence to the Contrary
Steven

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]So, the hook is that there's this guy (Frank Langella?) who's got this wonky Big Red Button thing in a box, that looks like Art Department didn't know if it was supposed to be a comedy or a drama. He offers it to some random person, or couple, telling them if they push the button, they'll get a million bucks, cash. Oh, and some random stranger will also die. So I guess the question here is mostly for Neal, as he used to work for Laurel, but... wasn't this an episode of Tales From The Dark Side? I don't think it was Monsters, as there's no monster involved, and I'm pretty sure it wasn't an episode of the new Twilight Zone, and I know it wasn't the old TZ 'cause it was in color. The twist ending is pretty obvious (I won't spoil it here), but... isn't this just some 22 minute first-run syndi story, padded out to feature length? Or am I missing something? Life Continues, Despite Evidence to the Contrary Steven[/nq]
Well, it wasn't Monsters and I have to admit I haven't watched every episode of Tales of the Darkside, although given how many of them there were, and how inexpensive the idea is, it seems like a likely choice for an episode.
I've also seen the trailer for this thing and I couldn't help thinking what a lame idea it was. This hypothetical moral challenge has been drifting around for ages as a hypothetical moral challenge. But how can you possibly make it make sense in any kind of real world context, especially since they're obviously suggesting that they've got lots of boxes and lots of people apparently pressing them for some sort of diabolical purpose.
(Oh establish the school bus picking the kids up in front of the house at the beginning I know nothing about this movie, but somehow I wouldn't be surprised if they ultimately end up pressing the button and the "stranger" that gets killed is the substitute school bus driver. Just tossing that out there based on the trailer.)

NMS

Usenet · Answer

There's a famous psychological experiment, the name of which escapes me, which runs on broadly similar lines: the subject is invited to press a button which she or he is told administers an electric shock to an unseen individual. And the level of the current is slowly increased.

It's amazing (or perhaps it isn't) how happy some subjects are to keep on pressing that button as the volts get higher and higher...

Bert

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]So, the hook is that there's this guy (Frank Langella?) who's got this wonky Big Red Button thing in a ... story, padded out to feature length? Or am I missing something? Life Continues, Despite Evidence to the Contrary Steven[/nq]
Apparently it was originally a Richard Matheson short story called "Button, Button", later adapted by Matheson himself for an episode of the 80s version of The Twilight Zone.

Usenet · Answer

Steven J. Weller:
[nq:1]wasn't this an episode of Tales From The Dark Side?[/nq]
Google and IMDb boards are your friend.
As has already been said, it's based on Matheson's 2-page "Button, Button", which did g et made into a half hour new Twilight Zone episode (available on YouTube or Google videos).
Kelly takes that idea as the Act 1 set up in his story and then launches into a sci-fi/existential thriller involving NASA, the Mars landers and aliens.
The script is available online. I've been told by people intimately involved in the production that there was a good amount of rewriting before filming. But we were told the same thing about "The Green Effect" (The Happening)..
I'm still gonna see it though since, well, I'm still holding out hope for Kelly (haven't given up on him like I have Shyamalan), and because it was filmed locally 2 years ago.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Steven J. Weller:[/nq]
[nq:2]wasn't this an episode of Tales From The Dark Side?[/nq]
[nq:1]Google and IMDb boards are your friend. As has already been said, it's based on Matheson's 2-page "Button, Button", which did get made into a half hour new Twilight Zone episode (available on YouTube or Google videos).[/nq]
There's a film-watcher's moral dilema - which element is more important? That it's based on a Matheson short story (generally a good thing) or that it's based on all of TWO FREAKIN' PAGES!
[nq:1]Kelly takes that idea as the Act 1 set up in his story and then launches into a sci-fi/existential thriller involving NASA, the Mars landers and aliens.[/nq]
...and there, I think, we have the answer.
[nq:1]The script is available online. I've been told by people intimately involved in the production that there was a good ... for Kelly (haven't given up on him like I have Shyamalan), and because it was filmed locally 2 years ago.[/nq]
Be sure and tell us all about it, after. Where's 'local?'

Life Continues, Despite
Evidence to the Contrary
Steven

Usenet · Answer

As has been said - Matheson short story made into half hour TWILIGHT ZONE episode in the 80s (have it one VHS) which drags like **** as a
22 minute TV show. Can't imagine how they pad the movie.

- Bill

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]As has been said - Matheson short story made into half hour TWILIGHT ZONE episode in the 80s (have it one VHS) which drags like **** as a 22 minute TV show. Can't imagine how they pad the movie. - Bill[/nq]
I mean, really what can you do with this incredibly paper thin idea?

I'm gonna press it!
No, don't press it!
I'm gonna press it!
No, **** it, don't press it!
I'm gonna press it!
No, no, don't *** press it!
I pressed it!
Bad twist-ending style ironic *** *** promptly happens.

The End.
I mean, whether it's two minutes, five minutes, twenty minutes or five hours of story-telling junk mixed in what else can you do with it?

NMS

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]As has been said - Matheson short story made into ... show. Can't imagine how they pad the movie. - Bill[/nq]
[nq:1]I mean, really what can you do with this incredibly paper thin idea? I'm gonna press it! No, don't press ... five minutes, twenty minutes or five hours of story-telling junk mixed in what else can you do with it?[/nq]
Right when he's about to press it, a giant, mechanical spider kills him.

But still that's only five minutes.
The giant, mechanical spider leaves, years later someone else finds the box and then...
There's goes another five minutes.

Paulo Joe Jingy
"I just couldn't live in a world without me."

Usenet · Answer

"nmstevens"
[nq:1]I mean, whether it's two minutes, five minutes, twenty minutes or five hours of story-telling junk mixed in what else can you do with it?[/nq]
Sell it on e-bay.

Martin B

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