Rod Serling: Submitted For Your Approval

Plot

Rod Serling was already one of the most acclaimed writers in American television when he created the legendary fantasy series The Twilight Zone, which presented speculative fiction with an intelligence unheard of in TV at the time, while addressing many of the hottest issues of the day in metaphors that were clear and telling, but safe from political censorship. The remarkable rise and sad decline of Serling's career is the subject of Submitted for Your Approval, which features exclusive interviews with many people who worked with him, including John Frankenheimer, Buck Houghton, Jack Klugman, and Kim Hunter. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Review

Aside from Star Trek, no television show has more of a cult following than The Twilight Zone, and as even the most casual fan can tell you, that show was really nothing more than a reflection of the dreams, neuroses, and general psychological patterns of its creator, Rod Serling. What a lot of people don't remember is that Rod Serling was at the forefront of the development of television as a powerful medium and, in fact, was one of the most honored and respected TV writers of his day in an era where production was much more strenuous and obstacle-ridden. Submitted for Your Approval is an excellent documentary that traces the history of television through the vehicle of Rod Serling as opposed to being a simplistic portrait of the man himself. The fact of the matter is that Serling was one of the undisputed giants of the medium in its infancy and this film does an excellent job of conveying the rush and excitement of television when most of it was done live and mistakes couldn't be hidden. Many familiar faces appear to reminisce, most notable Jack Klugman, Richard Kiley, and director John Frankenheimer, all of whom found success on the small screen when it eluded them on the stage. Indeed, a significant portion of the film concentrates on Serling's inability (with the exception of Seven Days in May) to translate his success to the big screen. Naturally, The Twilight Zone gets a lot of well-deserved attention, but because it still has some resonance today, it is not over-played as one would expect. More attention is given to lesser-known or less well-received works like Night Gallery or the modern Western The Loner. Biographical details of Serling's life are not even mentioned until very late, and then almost as an afterthought, since his life, along with his innate beliefs and desires, were always evident on the screen or the page. Anyone who thought of Serling as merely the man who introduced The Twilight Zone or Night Gallery episodes needs to see this film. ~ Dan Friedman, Rovi

Cast

Martin Manulis - Himself

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