Films with references to The Twilight Zone

This article is written from the Real world point of view

The following is a list of films which have featured homages, parodies or references to The Twilight Zone franchise.

Perhaps the greatest number of references to the various TV series in a single movie or film occurs in Twilight Zone: The Movie. The film actually remakes stories from The Twilight Zone in three segments of the film and at times makes use of small references or homages to the series (such as an appearance by Bill Mumy in the film version of "It's a Good Life"). In the opening segment, the two characters makes numerous references to various episodes in a discussion of the series and at one point hum the show theme. Despite this, the film has not been included below, because the film itself is a part of the franchise as a whole.

Action/Adventure

• Gotcha! (1985)
• The Return of the Six-Million-Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman (1987) (TV)

• Mentioned by Jaimie's TV-obsessed patient

• Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time (1991)

• Ms Trent says "Is this the Twilight Zone? Where is Rod Sterling"

• Last Action Hero (1993)
• Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (1995)
• xXx (2002)

Adult

• Twilite Pink (1981)

• One of countless Twilight Zone pornographic parodies, this one actually borrows one of the show's original concepts, an introduction by "Sterling Rod" and a "Zone" twist ending. The major use of an original concept is an antique watch that can stop time, just like the one from "A Kind of a Stopwatch"). In this production, however, it not only freezes time but gives its owner the power to reanimate people in an extremely horny mood.

• Twilight Pink II: The Erogenous Zone (1982)

• Sequel to "Twilite Pink," similar premise.

• The Sexual Zone (1989)

• Spoof of The Twilight Zone.

• Eternity (1990)

• Porn treatment of specific "Twilight Zone" plot. In it, a woman must have sex with younger lovers to drain their life energy and remain young, similar to The Twilight Zone episode "Queen of the Nile".

Animation

• G.I. Joe: The Movie (1987) (V)
• Golden Anniversary of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1987) (TV)

• At Disneyland's Main Street USA, Dick Van Dyke asks the Seven Dwarfs where they are and Grumpy remarks that it "feels like the Twilight Zone"

• The Good, the Bad, and Huckleberry Hound (1988) (TV)

• Mentioned in dialogue.

• CyberWorld (2000)
• Monsters, Inc. (2001)
• Retarded Animal Babies (2003) (V)

• Mentioned in dialogue

• Tiny Toon Adventures: Night Ghoulery (1995) (TV)

• The final segment is a parody of the famous Twilight Zone movie segment "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet (movie segment)"

• Trip to the Planetarium (2008)

• Introduction scene reference to Twilight zone opening

Comedy

• Sixteen Candles (1984)
• The Breakfast Club (1985)
• Lost in America (1985)
• Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
• Mannequin (1987)

• For a moment Jonathan thinks he's in the Twilight Zone
• Really Weird Tales (1987) (TV)

• The Great Outdoors (1988)

• When the Ripley boys see the twins for the first time, the Twilight Zone theme plays as the camera zooms in on the girls' faces.

• Dream a Little Dream (1989)
• Fletch Lives (1989)

• Fletch hums the zone theme while in the swamp

• Uncle Buck (1989)

• When Bob and Cindy are backing out of the driveway, Buck plays the theme from "The Twilight Zone" on the piano.

• Cadillac Man (1990)

• Towards the very end when Joey is telling Larry that he is crazy; he says, "You came into the Twilight Zone".

• Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead (1991)

• When the Babysitter reveals her true (evil) nature, the Twilight Zone theme is heard.

• Doc Hollywood (1991)
• Strictly Business (1991)
• Wayne's World (1992)
• Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)

• Screenshot in scene

• What Happened Was... (1994)

• Makes reference to a flickering light as being something out of "The Twilight Zone".

• Tommy Boy (1995)

• A character mentions it

• It Takes Two (1995)

• The "Twilight Zone" theme is heard when Amanda is shocked to see the picture that she believes is of herself.

• Christmas Every Day (1996) (TV)

• Billy called his situation a Christmas episode of The Twilight Zone.

• In & Out (1997)
• Free Enterprise (1998)

• Robert picks up a book about the show in the bookstore.

• Strange Planet (1999)

• Features The Twilight Zone.

• Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000)
• Lucky Numbers (2000)
• Surviving Gilligan's Island: The Incredibly True Story of the Longest Three Hour Tour in History (2001) (TV)

• Features the show.

• I'm with Lucy (2002)
• Just Married (2003)
• Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004)

• "The Twilight Zone" is mentioned by name in the Harold and Kumar movie.

• Film Geek (2005)

• Scotty has a book called "The Twilight Zone Companion"

• Get a Life (2006) (V)
• Everything's Gone Green (2006)

• "Twilight Zone-like"
• "Twilight Zone" mentioned

• RV (2006)

• Cassie says that the Gornickes are "like that hitch-hiker in The Twilight Zone."

• The Sandlot 3 (2007) (V)

• "It's like the Twilight Zone"

• How to Lose Friends & Alienate People (2008)

• mentioned by Sidney

Documentary

• The King of the Duplicators (1968)

• Bill Tuttle holds Anne Francis' makeup head and says Francis plays a mannequin in a "The After Hours".

• The Movie Orgy (1968)

• The Movie Orgy is a 1968 film, created by Joe Dante. It is a seven-hour-long compilation of movie clips, commercials, and film trailers assembled by Dante while a college student and features a blooper of Rod Serling flubbing an introduction

• American Masters: Rod Serling: Submitted for Your Approval (1995)
• Influences: From Yesterday to Today (1999) (TV)

• Clips from the show are used in this special.

• The 100 Greatest Scary Moments (2003) (TV)

• The Twilight Zone makes the countdown, is talked about.

• CBS at 75 (2003) (TV)

• A clip from The Twilight Zone is featured.

• Science Fiction: A Journey Into the Unknown (1994) (TV)

• Clips from this show are featured in this special.

• Behind the Planet of the Apes (1998) (TV)
• Psalm II: 'Walking Distance' (1999)
• Back to the Future: Making the Trilogy (2002) (V)

• referenced by Bob Gale

• Psalm III: 'Night of the Meek' (2002)
• 'Duel': A Conversation with Director Steven Spielberg (2004) (V)

• Mentioned once

• You Think You Really Know Me: The Gary Wilson Story (2005)

• Still photos are shown and the title is mentioned.

• Inside 'Never Among Friends' (2005) (V)
• The Secret (2006) (V)

• Mentioned by Jack Canfield (who also mimics the title music).

Drama

• The Boy in the Plastic Bubble (1976) (TV)

• "I saw a thing about it on 'Twilight Zone'."

• Out on a Limb (1987) (TV)
• Bound by Honor (1993)

• Mentioned in the conversation at the end

• Lush Life (1993) (TV)
• Natural Born Killers (1994)
• Bandwagon (1996)
• Truth or Consequences, N.M. (1997)
• Northern Lights (1997) (TV)
• Wilbur Falls (1998)

• "This is like 'The Twilight Zone'!"

• Practical Magic (1998)

• "...damn Twilight Zone"

• Staring at Headlights (1999)
• Judy Berlin (1999)
• Interstate 60: Episodes of the Road (2002)

• Opening scene, OW Grant's line upon entering I-60

• The Fighting Temptations (2003)

"Angels in America" (2003)

• "You're still an honorary citizen of The Twilight Zone."

• The Terminal (2004)

• Frank Dixon (Stanley Tucci) talks to one of his subordinates about how good The Twilight Zone is.

• Say Uncle (2005)

• "It was like something out of The Twilight Zone."

• Guy X (2005)
• Broken Bridges (2006)

• "If this is going to get all 'Twilight Zone', tell me now."
• mentioned in newspaper film review

• Lymelife (2008)

• Mentioned in dialogue by Scott.

Foreign/Non-English

• El buque maldito (1974)
• Paura nella città dei morti viventi (1980)
• Le dernier combat (1983)

Musical

• Bikini Beach (1964)
• Rent (2005)

• In "What You Own" Roger&Mark reference life in America like "a Twilight Zone"

• Hairspray (2007)

• "It's like a living Twilight Zone" (song lyrics)

Sci-Fi/Horror

• Blood Freak (1972)

• A female character says "It's like something from 'Star Trek' or 'The Twilight Zone'".

• Saturday the 14th (1981)

• The Twilight Zone is the show that the family watches the first night in the house.

• E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

• The theme song is hummed on the group's first hunt through the backyard for the creature causing noise.

• The Slumber Party Massacre (1982)
• My Science Project (1985)
• Alien Predator (1987)
• Howling III (1987)

• Professor Beckmeyer says of a strange discovery he feels "Rod Serling could appear at any moment."

• Masters of the Universe (1987)
• Texas Chainsaw Massacre: A Family Portrait (1988) (V)
• Not of This Earth (1988)

• Mentioned in dialogue

• The Bitch Is Back (1995)

• Doll hums theme song twice.

• Jumanji (1995)

• Alan says he realizes his account must sound like something out of "The Twilight Zone".

• Macabre Pair of Shorts (1996)
• Mars Attacks! (1996)

• In the opening scene they hear a flying saucer and the speech sounds like it is directly from the episode "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street" down to a person with references even to the fact that the people witnessing it at first are two male neighbors.

• Merlin's Shop of Mystical Wonders (1996)

• There is an overt reference in the musical score to the famous incidental music of Twilight Zone.

• Contact (1997)

• A snippet of the original series' theme can be heard during the opening sequence, after the camera pass Jupiter.

• Trucks (1997) (TV)

• "Got any of those Twilight Zoners?"

• Virus (1999)

• Captain Everton: "And no more of this Twilight Zone stuff."

• The Sixth Sense (1999)
• Dracula 2000 (2000)
• Vanilla Sky (2001)
• Cultivision (Collapsing Stars) (2002)
• Disappearance (2002) (TV)

• Kids mock TZ narrator "a land where cell phones don't work" while entering town

• Camp Daze (2005) (V)

• "It's like we just stepped into 'The Twilight Zone'."

• The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)

• Mentioned by Ethan Thomas in court

• Severed (2005)

• "What the hell are we talking about here, 'The Twilight Zone' or something?"

• Beverly Kills (2005)

• "I even got one of those really wonderful spinning spirals like The Twilight Zone"

• Werewolf: The Devil's Hound (2007) (V)

• Theme song hummed when talking about aliens

• Headhunter (2005)

• "Now I'm in the...'Twilight Zone.'"

• VooDoo Curse: The Giddeh (2006)

• "This ain't the...Twilight Zone."

• The Hills Have Eyes (2006)

• When Doug returns he tells others about bunch of abandoned cars he saw. He says "It was like The Twilight Zone".

• Dead Man's Hand (2007)

• (after something strange happens) "Is this when Rod Serling shows up?"

• Terror Inside (2008)

• Corey Feldman as ALLEN references the series in the film

• Time Enough at Last (2004)
• Mammoth (2006) (TV)

• Mentioned by Jack in front of the movie theater.

• Desperation (2006) (TV)

• Guy jokingly says the opening lines to this show after seeing something strange

• The Hills Have Eyes (2006)

• When Doug returns he tells others about bunch of abandoned cars he saw. He says "It was like The Twilight Zone".

• The Last Winter (2006)

• "Very 'Twilight Zone'."

• Blackout (2007/II)

• mentioned in dialogue

• Nite Tales (2009)

• In a DVD commentary, producer/director Deon Taylor discusses how The Twilight Zone and Tales from the Darkside had a big influence on this work in a "making of" featurette.

Suspense/Thriller

• The River Wild (1994)
• The Manchurian Candidate (2004)

• Someone hums the theme from "the Twilight Zone."

• Collateral (2004)

• The Jamie Fox cabdriver character says, at one point late in the film, "This whole night has been like an episode of 'Twilight Zone.'"

Notes and References

References

• Internet Movie Database. "The Twilight Zone" (1959): Movie Connections. Retrieved: 2009-04-29.