But what were viewers expecting

Spielberg had indeed amazed us before! "Jaws", "Close Encounters of the Third Kind", two episodes of "Indiana Jones", and "E.T" were fresh on our minds, and the first of three "Back to the Future" episodes was in release. Now Steven was going to amaze us on television! Often! And we knew it could happen! Most of us remembered that Steven had directed "Duel", and if that wasn't gripping, original television programming, then what was

At the time, some of us might have fallen prey to conceptual dyslexia and understood the advertised title to mean "Amazing Steven Spielberg Stories". Which is too bad, because mental associations with the "Amazin' Mets" (Wow!), the "Amazing Kreskin", and the "That's Incredible!" television show would be inescapable. "Steven Spielberg's Amazing Stories" was actually an effort to deliver, via television, entertainment similar to what was earlier found in pulp fiction.

The original "Amazing Stories" has a rich history. First published in the 1920s in various short story and comic forms, "Amazing Stories" often represented some of the best elements of pulp fiction. Many famous science fiction writers, such as Isaac Asimov and Robert Heinlein, contributed to "Amazing Stories". Old issues are quite collectible. Many "Amazing Stories" readers were inspired to write in the new realm of "science fiction". One of the earliest manifestations of creative science fiction entertainment on television was Rob Serling's "The Twilight Zone". Broadcast in the late '50s and early '60s, the standout episodes of "The Twilight Zone" represent some of the best writing ever presented on television.

Steven Spielberg had the opportunity to contribute to Rod Serling's "Night Gallery", which ran from 1969-71. "Night Gallery" episodes provided suspense, intrigue, and interesting plot twists, and occasionally amused viewers with some gentle humor, but did not have the consistent sharpness and cutting edge that the black and white episodes of "The Twilight Zone" provided. Through his experiences with "Night Gallery" and his cinematic triumphs with "Close Encounters" and "ET", Steven saw an opportunity to reinvent "Amazing Stories" in television form, and in 1985 he was ready to try his hand.

Spielberg developed "Amazing Stories" and wrote many episodes himself. Ray Walston provided the episodic narration. Ray was effective. Where "Twilight Zone" introductions by Rod Serling were intriguing, tension filled, and insightful, Ray's charged narration (he was wired to a higher voltage than the rest of us) usually let us know that reality and the story presented were not necessarily related. In most situations, this worked just fine.

I understand that at least six VHS tape collections are available, each tape containing two-three episodes. There's some good stuff here. For Spielberg historians, "Amazing Stories" offers some direct insights into Steven's storytelling mind. Spielberg was really shoveling the coal in the mid-eighties, and when you are working overtime, the results generally can be directly associated with core thoughts and feelings, because there's little time for anything else. In "Amazing Stories", we see Spielberg's continued fondness towards plot twists, the elements of suspense and surprise, and the occasional magical ending.

The opening orchestrated theme is quite flashy and dramatic, and the cinematography and editing is good. For me, the story's the thing, and I am finding some value and variety. The variety of story lines included war dramas, unusual mag icians, wayward mummies, spirited portraits, comatose patients, and phantoms in the nightyou get the idea! Often prominent stars such as Sid Caesar, Beau Bridges, Sondra Locke, Harvey Keitel, John Lithgow, Danny DeVito, Rhea Perlman, Patrick Swayze, Mark Hamill, and David Carradine took roles. Kevin Costner starred in a one-hour special. Burt Reynolds, Clint Eastwood, and Martin Scorcese directed episodes. Through "Amazing Stories", we see early work of today's stars, including Christina Applegate, Kiefer Sutherland, Tim Robbins, and Charlie Sheen, who took roles in "Amazing Stories" to stretch acting talents, fostered new associations, and gain more exposure.

"Amazing Stories" provided a well-funded production environment that invited some creative experimentation. Some episodes provided real creative entertainment, much the same way pulp fiction in an earlier time. Unfortunately, commercials can dilute entertainment and interrupt suspense, and we had grown accustomed to viewing full-featured entertainment from Spielberg. In comparison, "Amazing Stories" seemed slightly dilute, "Spielberg Lite", even though considerable personal investments in writing and production were applied.

In recent years, we are discovering in Steven's work that intellectual enlightenment can be equally amazing and entertaining. Exploring past, present, and future events, examining fundamental human values and philosophies, and fostering new understanding of ourselves highlight recent movies such as "Schindler's List", "Saving Private Ryan", and "Deep Impact". These movies provide amazing insights into the human character. It must now be difficult for Spielberg to consider leaping back, and attempting to develop an "Indiana Jones IV" which would surprise audiences with suspense, action, and adventure. I suspect, if Spielberg and Harrison Ford decide to really roll up their sleeves and revisit Indiana, that they will create a grand adventure with deeper significance for the viewer, a reach not just for the popcorn and the golden ring, but for the heart, mind, and soul as well.

And that will be an "Amazing Story" worth waiting for!