WITH HIS EPISODE, the series passed on the use of SciFi and the Occult World in favor of examining strange occurrences that happen to one largely within the head; a subject matter that Mr. Rod Serling would often revisit during the series multi-season run. In a sort of metaphor, the play is set on a cross country highway automobile trip; undertaken as a solo venture by the main character,the most beautiful and young, Miss Inger Stevens.
FROM THE OUTSET, we are presented with a study in contrasts. On one hand we have the young,blonde and beautiful lady who is the driver and solo occupant of the vehicle. As representative of the example of opposite polarity, there is the mysterious hitch-hiker; who is a rather elderly sort, haggard in appearance and dark, even swarthy in hair and complexion.
THE FACT THAT the hitchhiker continually appears along the road, always far ahead of the auto, leads us to an early conclusion that we are in the process of examining some of our notions about our lives here on Planet Earth; as well as the very nature of the Hereafter. Those viewers who possess the analytical, detective story fan-type of minds would have correctly made some early assumptions as to just where the story was taking us.
WE SEE THAT this episode of THE TWILIGHT ZONE is an adaptation of a 1940's Radio Script that starred Mr. Orson Welles. That should not be surprising, for it had all of the elements that made for such great and edgy drama on such fine Old Time Radio anthologies; such as: SUSPENSE, THE INNER SANCTUM, THE WHISTLER and many others.
WHEN WE FIRST heard of the title, we had it confused with the film,THE HITCH-HIKER(The Filmmakers/RKO Radio Pictures, 1953),which starred Edmund O'Brien, Frank Lovejoy and William Talman; and was directed by Ida Lupino. Although it was a completely different story, we understand that it too had been adapted from a Radio Play.
FROM THE OUTSET, we are presented with a study in contrasts. On one hand we have the young,blonde and beautiful lady who is the driver and solo occupant of the vehicle. As representative of the example of opposite polarity, there is the mysterious hitch-hiker; who is a rather elderly sort, haggard in appearance and dark, even swarthy in hair and complexion.
THE FACT THAT the hitchhiker continually appears along the road, always far ahead of the auto, leads us to an early conclusion that we are in the process of examining some of our notions about our lives here on Planet Earth; as well as the very nature of the Hereafter. Those viewers who possess the analytical, detective story fan-type of minds would have correctly made some early assumptions as to just where the story was taking us.
WE SEE THAT this episode of THE TWILIGHT ZONE is an adaptation of a 1940's Radio Script that starred Mr. Orson Welles. That should not be surprising, for it had all of the elements that made for such great and edgy drama on such fine Old Time Radio anthologies; such as: SUSPENSE, THE INNER SANCTUM, THE WHISTLER and many others.
WHEN WE FIRST heard of the title, we had it confused with the film,THE HITCH-HIKER(The Filmmakers/RKO Radio Pictures, 1953),which starred Edmund O'Brien, Frank Lovejoy and William Talman; and was directed by Ida Lupino. Although it was a completely different story, we understand that it too had been adapted from a Radio Play.