A Most Unusual Camera

A goofy episode of the twilight zone that worked of worked. The characters weren't morally good but they were likeable. The ending felt a bit rushed, but a story was told. Decent acting.

Three small time criminals find an old camera among the booty that they have taken from a curio shop. The camera has the ability to show a picture of something happening five minutes in the future. One crook takes a picture of his wife and the photo shows her wearing a mink coat. A few minutes later, they find a mink coat in a box. They try to figure out how to work this to their benefits, but are too stupid to figure anything out. Then it dons on them that they can see the results of horse races before they are run. Down to the track they go and have the world by the butt. It's what they do afterward that this story is all about. It's about stupidity, carelessness, haphazard actions. The whole thing is pretty predictable, but has a few choice moments.

When I watch this episode, I have the feeling to read a James Hadley Chase's novel, a crime book, fiction book, where all characters are evil, greedy, full of ambition and ruthlessness. All characters seeking to "eat", annihilate their fellow friends or accomplices, mates or anyone potentially on their way; disgusting characters. And the magic - or evil - camera also reminds me a Pierre Siniac's novel ( L'AFFREUX JOUJOU ) maybe written aftter Siniac saw this episode, I admit - Pierre Siniac was a French novelist whose books were unfortunately never shown on screen; except one. So, this story is a very exciting one, different from the others, but deserving its place in TWILIGHT ZONE series. No real moral here, except denouncing greed in human soul.

This is one wonderful Twilight Zone story laced with some sardonic humor about a husband and wife pair of crooks who in a heist latch on to A Most Unusual Camera.

It's one of those old fashioned jobs and Fred Clark and Jean Carson don't know how to load and reload it. But this thing could have come from the Curious Goods shop on the Friday the 13th series.

The camera has an unusual ability to take pictures about 5 minutes in advance of when things happen. When Carson.s brother Adam Williams shows up who's basically dumb mob muscle the three decide to go to the track and take pictures of the results of the race before it's run.

Of course they clean up, but that's far from the end of the story. These three are like the 3 Stooges of crime, they really are incredibly dumb.

Only one other character is in this story, Marcel Hilliare as a waiter. The camera ain't real good to him in the end.

Let's hope the kids from Curious Goods got the camera in the vault.

Very light but enjoyable entry about Paula and Chester (Jean Carson and Fred Clark) as small time crooks and big time losers. They have stolen a lot of stuff, mostly worthless, but a strange camera turns out to be a fantastical novelty. Paula's brother Woodward (Adam Williams, Sailor from 'The Hitch-Hiker', series one) gets involved and the unholy three think they're onto a good thing.

The self interested silliness of the three main characters makes this a nice one to sandwich between more serious Zones in a marathon or whatnot. Shallow characters who couldn't outwit a gnat let alone keep control of an TZ object with a special power. The voice, smile ,and posturing of Jean Carson are just right for the vain Paula. The ending is often criticized, but the time flies by with this one and it will have to do.