Scarecrow's Blog From the Darkside

While I totally get why many consider Serling’s writing style for the Ghosts of the film heavy-handed, less-than-subtle, on-the-nose, and landing with quite the hammer to the head, being such a fan of his, I personally have no problem with that. Being that “Twilight Zone” is my all-time favorite television show, knowing he had written a variation on “A Christmas Carol”, one of my all-time favorite stories, thrill and excitement were a given. I wasn’t a big fan of Hayden since I just see Scrooge going through a roller coaster of emotions, and he never shows anything but that stern, austere, unwavering rock of a personality. Even when on his knees asking Christmas Future (Robert Shaw in a robe as outstanding as always; Serling’s dialogue in his mouth is pure magic) if the “rubble and madness” dystopia of Seller’s ME philosophy could be altered, while also concerned about his own survival should elicit real emotion, and yet I just never find myself convinced by Hayden. There is just no ra

1973. Connecticut. Kevin Kline and Joan Allen are the Hoods, a couple whose marriage is in decline. Their neighbors are the Carvers, Jim and Janey (Jim Sheridan and Sigourney Weaver), whose marriage isn’t particularly riding too great a high. Kline’s Ben and Janey are having an affair. But Janey gets bored very easily with Ben any time he talks about his life. In fact, Janey seems bored by everything around her to the point I wondered what the fuck she’s doing in Connecticut with a family at all. She seems little interested in her sons, Mikey (Elijah Wood) and Sandy (Hann-Byrd, “Halloween H20”), much less her husband, often away on business. Allen’s Elena eventually learns of Ben’s affair with Janey, not particularly amused by it. Tobey Maguire is the Hoods’ son at college, Paul, while Cristina Ricci is their daughter, Wendy. On the night of the Ice Storm there is a swinger’s party gathering up all the neighbors called “a key party”...the Hoods go as do the Carvers. In the film there a