The Phantom Farmhouse/Silent Snow, Secret Snow

Truly haunting, hypnotic small film in the series. Great narration by Welles. This was based on a story of the same title by Conrad Aiken.

I was that boy.

This "Night Gallery" episode from 1971 is well done and good as the first one features the legendary Orson Wells as a narrator in a tale about a boy going away to a different kind of place and different kind of school. And then a tale that features a man in hell where nothing is to appear or what it seems to be. Then to finish out the last tale with David Carradine as a man housed on a prison like farm who all of a sudden has a little secret a house that is around only this house has a history a curse it turns out that it's a land of werewolves! Really a pretty good entry from the series one to watch for it's suspense and imagination and drama like twist.

Since season two of "Night Gallery" is not available yet. I find that I must rely on my memory. From what I remember this is one of the most beautifully disturbing programs that I have ever seen. A young boy's decent into autism. Or maybe not. As narrated by Orson Wells, this become some of the most captivating television ever shown. Season Two of "Night Gallery" was Television at it's finest in the early 70's. Why isn't season two available on DVD yet? Let's hope that when it is released that they take a little more care in the transfers. How season one was presented was a joke. How can we convince the powers that be at NBC, that we the people want and need this? Thank you.

"Silent snow, secret snow" really ranks up there with the best episodes of this series or Serlings masterpiece "The Twilight Zone" In this story, a young boy becomes enchanted with dark and cool snow, so much so that he withdraws from the real world and inhabits a fantasy world completely detached from his parents and reality. As good as the episode is, it is completely won over by the amazing narration of the late great Orson Welles. Without seeing this, it's tough to describe why this episode is so good. I think it has to do with the feel it generates. I read somewhere that is describes a boy's descent into madness and I think that is the truly creepy aspect of this show, that a young boy could go so completely insane. Very creepy and thoughtful episode.

This episode of Night Gallery is a double-dose of baffling hippie-era claptrap.

First up is The Phantom Farmhouse, in which David McCallum plays the director of a funny farm; David Carradine is guitar-strumming patient Gideon, who is also a warlock, sending victims into the woods to be attacked and killed by ghostly werewolves. It makes zero sense and is told in such a spaced-out fashion you'll think you're tripping. The three wolves look suspiciously like two alsatians and a golden retriever.

Orson Welles is narrator for the second tale, rambling incoherently about snow and a young boy named Paul (Radames Pera), who retreats into an imaginary world where the white stuff falls all year round. I found this one to be a real snooze-fest, Welles incomprehensible gibberish gently lulling me to sleep, but others seem to like it -- go figure.