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61-407: The Outer Limits or Outer Limits may refer to: Television [ edit ] The Outer Limits (1963 TV series) , a black-and-white science fiction series that aired from 1963 to 1965 The Outer Limits (1995 TV series) , a revival of the older series that aired from 1995 to 2002 Music [ edit ] The Outer Limits (album) ,

122-421: A cold open or a preview clip, followed by a narration over visuals of an oscilloscope . Using an Orwellian theme of taking over your television, the earliest version of the narration was: There is nothing wrong with your television set. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are controlling transmission. If we wish to make it louder, we will bring up the volume. If we wish to make it softer, we will tune it to

183-812: A 1993 Voivod album Outerlimits (album), a 1989 Show-Ya album The Outer Limits, 1960s English band, pre- Christie "Outer Limits", original title of the 1963 surf rock instrumental " Out of Limits " by The Marketts Other uses [ edit ] The Outer Limits: Flight of Fear , former name of an enclosed launched roller coaster built at two Cedar Fair parks The Outer Limits (double act), featuring Nigel Planer and Peter Richardson, later members of The Comic Strip See also [ edit ] [REDACTED] Search for "outer-limits" on Misplaced Pages. All pages with titles beginning with The Outer Limits All pages with titles containing The Outer Limits Outer Out (disambiguation) Limit (disambiguation) Topics referred to by

244-434: A brief music video ). It typically includes (or begins) the text of the opening credits , and helps establish the setting and tone of the program. It may consist of live action, animation, music, still images and graphics. In some films, the title sequence is preceded by a cold open . Since the invention of the cinematograph , simple title cards were used to begin and end silent film presentations in order to identify both

305-503: A critical part of the story line in a villain of the week format. Season 1 writer and producer Joseph Stefano believed this element was necessary to provide fear, suspense, or at least a center for plot development. This kind of story element became known as "the bear." This device was, however, mostly dropped in Season 2 after Stefano left. Two Season 1 episodes without a "bear" are " The Forms of Things Unknown " and " Controlled Experiment ,"

366-551: A direct response to television's successful invasion of the leisure marketplace. Part of cinema's new prestigious and expansive quality were orchestral overtures before the curtains opened and long title sequences — all designed to convey a sense of gravitas it was hoped television would be unable to compete with. As cinema's title sequences grew longer and more elaborate, the involvement of prominent graphic designers including Saul Bass and Maurice Binder became more common. The title sequence for Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest

427-409: A distinct art form in their own right: due to the running length of a half-hour block of programming on Japanese television providing more time for the actual episode as opposed to commercials, an episode is able to budget one-and-one-half minutes each for an OP (opening sequence) and ED (ending sequence). These will invariably feature pieces of vocal music, sometimes sung by members of the voice cast for

488-464: A few cases in which titles and credits are sung, including the musicals Sweet Rosie O'Grady (1943) and Meet Me After the Show (1951). Since the late 1950s, film title sequences have been a showcase for contemporary design and illustration. The title sequences of Saul Bass and Maurice Binder are among the best examples of this. They also inspired many imitators both in cinema and on television. In

549-451: A film. With the arrival of sound, the sequence was usually accompanied by a musical prelude or overture . Slowly, title sequences evolved to become more elaborate pieces of film. The advent of television was a pivotal moment for title design because it forced the major film studios to invest in making cinema more attractive in order to win back a diminishing audience. The "cast of thousands" epics shot on various patent widescreen formats were

610-425: A hard box case with a 60-page Illustrated booklet, with essays by leading Outer Limits expert and author David J. Schow . Title screen A title sequence (also called an opening sequence or intro ) is the method by which films or television programmes present their title and key production and cast members , utilizing conceptual visuals and sound (often an opening theme song with visuals, akin to

671-466: A loyal audience in its first season. Some viewers were reported to take TV sets with them if they had to be away from home, so they wouldn't miss an episode. However, the second season fared rather poorly in the Nielsen ratings after moving from Monday to Saturday night, where it competed with Jackie Gleason . Producer Joseph Stefano chose to leave the show after the first year; he realized that competing with

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732-459: A major part of video games for decades. However, it is only recently that game title sequences have been able to match the quality and fidelity of film and television titles. Deus Ex: Human Revolution by Eidos Montréal and The Last of Us by Naughty Dog are two examples of Triple-A games that have employed film-style opening title sequences. Professor Layton and the Lost Future had

793-522: A remake of The Architects of Fear and Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian . In 2001, MGM made plans with Mark Victor and Michael Grais to produce a film adaptation of The Outer Limits . Development began a year later with Gerald Di Pego co-writing with his sons Justin and Zachary, and Rupert Wainwright directing. A new adaptation was developed in 2010, with Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan writing and Jonathan Shestack producing. On June 20, 2014, The Hollywood Reporter said Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

854-418: A series' original title sequence can allow a producer to change many key elements within a programme itself, without losing the show's on-screen identity. Other variations include changing only the theme music whilst keeping the visuals or vice versa. Some series make minor changes to the title sequence of each episode, such as superimposing a different episode title on each one. Others make minor alterations to

915-456: A stronger foothold in the mind and memory of the audience." As of the beginning of the 21st century, title sequences can be found bookending a variety of media besides film and television including video games, conferences, and even music videos. Some films have employed unusual and fairly elaborate title sequences since the late 1910s; in America this practice became more common in the 1930s. In

976-482: A variation of his Fear theme for One Step Beyond being heard over the end titles. The program sometimes made use of techniques (lighting, camerawork, even make-up) associated with film noir or German Expressionism (see for example, " Corpus Earthling "). Credit for this is often given to the cinematographer Conrad Hall , who later won three Academy Awards for his work in motion pictures . However, Hall worked only on alternate episodes of this TV series during

1037-404: A whisper. We will control the horizontal. We will control the vertical. We can roll the image, make it flutter. We can change the focus to a soft blur, or sharpen it to crystal clarity. For the next hour, sit quietly and we will control all that you see and hear. We repeat: There is nothing wrong with your television set. You are about to participate in a great adventure. You are about to experience

1098-445: A writer and producer. Stefano, who had never produced before, felt reassured by Associate Producer Robert Justman to support him as Justman had experience in TV. Season 1 combined science fiction and horror, while Season 2 was more focused on ' hard science fiction ' stories, dropping the recurring "scary monster" motif of Season 1. Each episode in Season 1 was to have a monster or creature as

1159-518: Is common ground between some of the shows' episodes. As David J. Schow and Jeffrey Frentzen , authors of The Outer Limits: The Official Companion , have noted, several Outer Limits episodes are often misremembered by casual fans as Twilight Zone episodes—notably, "problem-solving" episodes such as "Fun and Games" and "The Premonition." A few of the monsters from The Outer Limits reappeared in Gene Roddenberry 's Star Trek series later in

1220-436: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages The Outer Limits (1963 TV series) In 1997, the episode " The Zanti Misfits " was ranked #98 on TV Guide's 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time. It was revived in 1995 , until its cancellation in 2002. In April 2019, a new revival was stated to be in development at a premium cable network. Each show began with either

1281-528: Is generally cited as the first to feature extended use of kinetic typography . This innovation, in turn, influenced the 1960s television predilection for title design, resulting in the creation of strong graphics-led sequences for many television shows. Since then, the mediums of film and television have engaged in a kind of push and pull behavior, inspiring and spurring each other in different directions. There have been several such pivotal moments in title design history. The introduction of digital technologies in

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1342-547: The Outer Limits episode " Soldier ," guest-starred as Klingon commander Kang in the original and spin-off Star Trek series. Arlene Martel , who appeared in the Outer Limits episode " Demon with a Glass Hand ," guest-starred as Spock's Vulcan bride, T'Pring, in the Star Trek original series episode " Amok Time ." Joseph Ruskin , who appeared with Nimoy in " Production and Decay of Strange Particles ," later went on to play Galt,

1403-521: The state funeral of President John F. Kennedy . Like The Twilight Zone , The Outer Limits had an opening and closing narration in almost every episode. Both shows were unusually philosophical for science fiction anthology series, but differed in style. The Twilight Zone stories were often like parables, employing whimsy (such as the Buster Keaton time-travel episode " Once Upon a Time "), irony, or extraordinary problem-solving situations (such as

1464-445: The 1930s including Maytime (1937). Kyle Cooper 's title sequence for David Fincher 's Seven (1995) influenced a whole host of designers in the late 1990s. Its aesthetic has "been co-opted almost wholesale by the horror genre as a house style". Kenneth Branagh 's Hamlet (1996) actually has no opening title sequence. The only credits seen at the beginning are the name of the production company, Shakespeare 's name, and

1525-425: The 1936 film Show Boat , cut-out figures on a revolving turntable carried overhead banners which displayed the opening credits. This opening sequence was designed by John Harkrider, who created the costumes for the original 1927 Broadway production of the musical. In several films, the opening credits have appeared against a background of (sometimes moving) clouds. These include The Wizard of Oz (1939), Till

1586-572: The 1959 film Ben-Hur , the opening credits were set against the background of the "Creation of Man" in Michelangelo 's Sistine Chapel ceiling. As the credits progressed, the camera slowly zoomed in on the Hand of God outstretched toward Adam. In 1976, Saul Bass designed a title sequence for That's Entertainment, Part II in which he paid homage to a range of title sequences from earlier Hollywood films and replicated several novelty title sequences from

1647-487: The 1960s. The moving microbe beast in " The Probe " was modified and used as the ' Horta ' in " The Devil in the Dark ," operated by the same actor, Janos Prohaska . The "ion storm" from " The Mutant " (a projector beam shining through a container containing glitter in liquid suspension) became the transporter effect in Star Trek . The black mask from " The Duplicate Man " was used by the character Dr. Leighton in " The Conscience of

1708-404: The 1990s and 2000s. Limited-editions model kits, to be assembled and painted by the purchaser, were issued by Dimensional Designs. A smaller set of out-of-the-box action figures were sold in larger quantity by Sideshow Toys. The former produced a model kit of The Megasoid from " The Duplicate Man ," and both created a figure of Gwyllm as an evolved man from " The Sixth Finger ." The series earned

1769-713: The Clouds Roll By (1946), the David Lean Oliver Twist (1948), and the 1961 King of Kings . In 1947, the Technicolor film Sinbad the Sailor , the letters of the opening credits seem to form from colored water gushing into a fountain. Film titles and credits usually appear in written form, but occasionally they are spoken instead. The first example of this in American cinema was The Terror (1928). There are also

1830-527: The Dragon " and " The Borderland ," made before the "bear" convention was established. Season 2 episodes with a "bear" are " Keeper of the Purple Twilight ," " The Duplicate Man ," and " The Probe ." "Bears" appear near the conclusion of the Season 2 episodes " Counterweight ," " The Invisible Enemy ," and " Cold Hands, Warm Heart ." The "bear" in " The Architects of Fear ," the monstrously altered Allen Leighton,

1891-705: The King ." The Megasoid from "The Duplicate Man" and the Empyrean from "Second Chance" (1964) were briefly seen near Captain Christopher Pike in other cages in the Star Trek pilot " The Cage ." The process used to make pointed ears for David McCallum in " The Sixth Finger " was reused in Star Trek too. Lead actors who later appeared in Star Trek 's regular cast included Leonard Nimoy , who appeared in two Outer Limits episodes (" Production and Decay of Strange Particles " and " I, Robot "); and William Shatner , who appeared in

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1952-515: The MGM/UA Library brand product of the video series was released. MGM Home Entertainment has released both seasons of The Outer Limits on DVD in Region 1. In 2007, they re-released the series in three separate sets. In October 2008, MGM released a 7-disc box set featuring all 49 episodes of the series. The re-releases of Season 2 correctly claim three discs in the set on the outer packaging, whereas

2013-481: The awe and mystery which reaches from the inner mind to... The Outer Limits. A similar but shorter monologue caps each episode: We now return control of your television set to you, until next week at this same time, when the Control Voice will take you to... The Outer Limits. Later episodes used one of two shortened versions of the introduction. The first few episodes began simply with the title screen followed by

2074-598: The awe and mystery which reaches from the inner mind to... The Outer Limits. On 27 March 2018, Kino Lorber released the first season on Blu-ray. The 7-disc set contains the 32 episodes of the first season. The second season was released 20 November 2018, but the episode "Soldier" had audio defects. A replacement disc was sent out from Kino in April 2019. On Jun 24, 2020, Australia's Via Vision Entertainment released The Outer Limits: Complete Original Series Collector's Edition 11-disc Blu-ray set. It's coded for region B and comes in

2135-408: The backstory, as in I Dream of Jeannie or Gilligan's Island . Because it is produced at the outset of a series, the sequence will usually include visuals taken from early episodes already shot when it was prepared. Short clips of key characters may be used to introduce them and to credit the actors playing them, as with The Love Boat . In and around these elements may be other footage depicting

2196-406: The ballet. When the actual title appears on the screen we see Baryshnikov in his nutcracker costume and mask leaping into the air in slow motion and freeze frame. The "Overture Miniature" is heard during the opening credits. In contemporary television news a title sequence can be changed every day, by including footage of that day's news with a presenter's voice "teasing" the items. This ensures that

2257-438: The content of the sequence itself, to keep them from being completely repetitive each episode and to reward attentive viewers. For example, The Rockford Files would feature a different message left on the title character's answering machine , and The Simpsons features several unique elements in the title sequence of each episode (e.g. the couch gag). In anime series, opening and ending title sequences have evolved into

2318-419: The course of the series' run, they can become highly memorable. Theme music played during the sequence may be remembered clearly by viewers decades later. Title sequences can take a variety of forms, incorporating different elements. A song may summarize the backstory or premise of the series, such as for The Brady Bunch , The Beverly Hillbillies , or Mister Ed . Less commonly, a voice-over may serve

2379-502: The episode " Cold Hands, Warm Heart " as an astronaut working on a Project Vulcan. Other actors who subsequently appeared on Star Trek were Grace Lee Whitney (episode " Controlled Experiment ") and James Doohan (episode " Expanding Human "). Roddenberry was often present in The Outer Limits ' studios, and hired several of its staff, including Robert Justman and Wah Chang , for Star Trek . Michael Ansara , who appeared in

2440-565: The episode " The Arrival "). The Outer Limits was usually a straight action-and-suspense show which often had the human spirit in confrontation with dark existential forces from within or without, such as in the alien abduction episode " A Feasibility Study " or the alien possession story " The Invisibles ." The Outer Limits was also known for the moody, textured look of many episodes (especially those directed by Byron Haskin or Gerd Oswald , or photographed by Conrad Hall ) whereas The Twilight Zone tended to be shot more conventionally. There

2501-400: The film and the production company involved, and to act as a signal to viewers that the film had started and then finished. In silent cinema, title cards or intertitles were used throughout to convey dialogue and plot, and it is in some of these early short films that we see the first examples of title sequences themselves, being quite literally a series of title cards shown at the beginning of

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2562-416: The final Season 1 episode. A pair of Season 2 episodes, " Soldier " and " Demon with a Glass Hand ," were written by Harlan Ellison . The latter won a Writers' Guild Award. Writer Joseph Stefano was recruited in a late night phone call from Leslie Stevens; the two men had known each other for years. Stevens met him with composer/producer Dominic Frontiere and pitched the series to him asking him to come on as

2623-426: The first of which was shot in a dual format as science fiction for The Outer Limits and as a thriller for a pilot for an unmade series, The Unknown . Actor Barry Morse , who starred in "Controlled Experiment," states that it was made as a pilot for an unrealized science fiction/comedy series. It was the only comedic episode of The Outer Limits . Earlier Season 1 episodes with no "bear" were " The Hundred Days of

2684-492: The first two-thirds of the first season. The program's other cinematographers included John M. Nickolaus and Kenneth Peach . Season 1's monsters and creatures, and most props, were developed by a loose-knit group under the name Project Unlimited, whose members included Wah Chang , Gene Warren and Jim Danforth . Makeup effects were by Fred B. Phillips and John Chambers . Many of the creatures that appeared in Outer Limits episodes were sold as models and action figures in

2745-477: The individual slim cases with the DVDs inside rather confusingly claim only two. There is nothing wrong with your DVD player. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are controlling your DVD player. We already control the horizontal and the vertical. We now control the digital. We can change the focus from a soft blur to crystal clarity. Sit quietly and we will control all that you see and hear. You are about to experience

2806-409: The late 1980s and early 1990s to film and television changed both industries, and accordingly the 1990s saw a resurgence in title design. Ironically, a key sequence in this resurgence was the main title to David Fincher 's Se7en , designed by Kyle Cooper while at R/GA , which was created using primarily analogue means. The title opticals for Se7en were created by Cinema Research Corporation ,

2867-516: The lead Thrall in the Star Trek Season 2 episode " The Gamesters of Triskelion ." Harlan Ellison contended that inspiration for James Cameron 's The Terminator (1984) came in part from Ellison's work on The Outer Limits . Orion Pictures conceded the influence, and Ellison was awarded money and an end-credits mention in The Terminator , stating the creators' wish of "acknowledgement to

2928-465: The leading title company in the 1990s. Soon thereafter, television followed suit and networks like HBO began to develop more cinematic experiences for television, including more elaborate and considered title sequences. For example, when The Sopranos first aired in 1999, it was only the second hour-long television drama that HBO had ever produced. Its title sequence "helped lend the show a credibility and gravitas normally reserved for cinema, giving it

2989-454: The more popular Gleason would kill his show (proven by its cancellation midway through the second season). However, the series retained a following for many years after its original broadcast. Many decades later, horror writer Stephen King described it as one of the best programs of its type to run on network TV. Originally scheduled to air on November 25, 1963, the episode " Nightmare " was delayed until December 2 due to television coverage of

3050-405: The narration and no cold open or preview clip. The Control Voice was performed by actor Vic Perrin . The Outer Limits was originally broadcast on the American television network ABC (1963–65). 49 episodes were produced. It was one of many series influenced by The Twilight Zone and Science Fiction Theatre , though it ultimately proved influential in its own right. In the unaired pilot, it

3111-511: The program, and will have unique animation that thematically serves to open and close the episode; often, guest animators will be brought in to direct and provide key animation for these sequences. The OP credits will usually include director, producer, animation director, studio, music, and OP animation credits: detailed staff and voice cast is almost always reserved for the ED. In anime produced primarily for an audience of young children, karaoke lyrics to

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3172-543: The same function, as for Star Trek , Quantum Leap , or The Twilight Zone . Often a song will more generally set the theme of the series, such as for WKRP in Cincinnati , Cheers , or All in the Family . An instrumental piece may be used the same way, as for Taxi , The Bob Newhart Show , or Dallas . A title sequence will at some point badge the show with a typographic logo. Visuals may be used to quickly present

3233-429: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title The Outer Limits . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Outer_Limits&oldid=1241779655 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description

3294-618: The setting, or examples of scenes common to the show (e.g. car chases for a police drama, household activities for a sitcom, singing and dancing for a variety show). Although a title sequence may be modified during a series to update cast changes or incorporate new "highlight" shots from later episodes, it will tend to remain largely the same for an entire season. Some shows have had several quite different title sequences and theme music throughout their runs, while in contrast some ever-popular shows have retained their original title sequences for decades with only minor alterations. Conversely, retaining

3355-558: The song will sometimes be provided at the bottom of the opening and ending sequences. For further information on anime openings, see Music in Japanese animation . Television specials, especially of classic works, sometimes contain unusual opening credit sequences. In the title sequence of Mikhail Baryshnikov 's 1977 version of Tchaikovsky 's ballet The Nutcracker , for example, we see closeups, freeze-frame and slow-motion shots of Baryshnikov and female lead Gelsey Kirkland "warming up" for

3416-455: The title of the film. However, the title is shown by means of the camera slowly panning across the base of the statue of the dead king Hamlet, whose ghost will appear in three scenes of the film, and who will play a crucial role in the story. Title sequences for television series have routinely played a central role in establishing the show's identity. Repeated at the beginning of every new and rebroadcast episode, usually with limited changes over

3477-546: The title sequence appears fresh but still identifies the news program by its music and visual style. In 2010, TV Guide published a list of American TV's top 10 credits sequences, as selected by readers. The series, in order of first to tenth, were: The Simpsons , Get Smart , The Mary Tyler Moore Show , the original Hawaii Five-O , True Blood , The Big Bang Theory , Dexter , The Brady Bunch , Mad Men , and The Sopranos . The animated introduction, attract mode , title screen, and title sequence have been

3538-505: The works of Harlan Ellison." Cameron was against Orion's decision and was told that if he did not agree with the settlement, they would have Cameron pay for any damages if Orion lost Ellison's suit. Cameron replied that he "had no choice but to agree with the settlement. There was a gag order as well." Filmmaker Kevin Smith has stated that, before offering him the chance to write Superman Lives in 1996, Warner Bros. offered him two projects:

3599-504: Was called Please Stand By , but ABC rejected that title. Series creator Leslie Stevens retitled it The Outer Limits . With a few changes, the pilot aired as the premiere episode, " The Galaxy Being ." Writers included creator Stevens and Joseph Stefano (screenwriter of the film Psycho ), who was the Season 1 producer and creative guiding force, and who wrote more of the series' episodes than anyone. Future Oscar-winning screenwriter Robert Towne ( Chinatown ) wrote " The Chameleon ,"

3660-474: Was developing a film version of The Outer Limits based on the "Demon with a Glass Hand" episode, with Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill writing and Mark Victor producing. On April 1, 2019, Variety reported that an Outer Limits reboot was in development at a premium cable network. From 1990 to 1995, four LaserDisc boxed sets were released. A total of twenty-nine of the forty-nine episodes were released on this format. A "platinum" version of

3721-591: Was judged by some of ABC's local affiliate stations to be so frightening that they broadcast a black screen during the "Thetan's" appearances, effectively censoring most of the show's last act. In other parts of the United States, the "Thetan" footage was tape-delayed until after the 11pm/10c news. In others, it was not shown at all. The series was shot at KTTV ( Metromedia Square ) on sound stage # 2. Season 1 had music by Dominic Frontiere , who doubled as Production Executive; Season 2 featured music by Harry Lubin , with

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