August 3, 2003 - 750801 - The Onyx Eye

[vgarci]

This week's program is presented for your review by Brian (Hamlet2003).

For those who do not have the program, you can download it (with or without a Streamload account) at: www.streamload.com/vgarci (http://www.streamload.com/vgarci)

To introduce the program, Brian offers the following:

Aug 1, 1975 The Onyx Eye
Starring Frances Sternhagen

A man who is down on his luck and looking for work enters an old curio shop to buy an inexpensive present for his wife's birthday. THe mysterious shopowner sells him a small piece of onyx that looks like a human eye, telling him it will bring him good luck. It does, but for every piece of good luck it brings...it also bring horrible consequences. This is a classic tale in the tradition of the old story "The Monkey's Paw." This episode is an example of what CBSRMT does best--a great story executed well with excellent actors (including the fantastic Frances Sternhagen who plays the man's wife and the only one in the episode who realizes that the onyx eye is not a thing to fool around with. Sternhagen has been in everything from a regular spot on "ER" to a voice on the "Simpsons.")

[dnagle]

To be honest, I didn't enjoy this SOTW as much as some of the others. I guess it was a little too predictable. The acting was high quality of course, but I couldn't buy the reporter deciding at the end that he had to have the Eye. But then that is the beauty of the series ... no matter the individual preference as to shows, they were always excellent in the presentation. Having said that, I will enjoy reading the subsequent posts, to get other opinions on this show, which of course is the whole reason for the forum! Anyway, keep the shows coming, it is a great way to sample the series.

[brian1984_2001]

I reviewed this one earlier in my listening log. A couple months ago, I gave it a 7.5. After another listen, I've not changed my mind.

I enjoyed this episode both times. It is a standard morality tale, and even if the story is not "A" material (and this was probably "B"), Mr. Marshall usually delivers a stand up performance that rescues the show.

I gave it a 4, but a lower 4. While there are certainly a number of better episodes out there, this one did not disappoint.

Thanks for a good selection.

[hamlet2003]

:D Ok, so perhaps I was overly gracious in my praise of this episode. :D Just for some reason it's one of those I've always enjoyed listening to. It has fun elements: strange little owner of a strange little shop, cryptic warnings, mystical object of mysterious origin, a "is something supernatural really happening" plot, and characters who slowly come to realize that having everything you ever wanted isn't always the best thing in life. As a side note, it's always interesting to see how differently we all react to various episodes--just goes to show what an eclectic web community we are.

Brian

[dsndblm]

I enjoyed this episode and give it a six. I agree that it was a bit predictable at times but itdid not lose my interest. I am an antique hunter and have seen many strange objects in the shops. You never know what you might find..........

David :twisted:

[dsndblm]

I enjoyed this episode and give it a six. I agree that it was a bit predictable at times but it did not lose my interest. I am an antique hunter and have seen many strange objects in the shops. You never know what you might find..........

David :twisted:

[geospart]

I liked this episode, it was an interesting story, Simialar theme to the Imp In The Bottle. I give this a 4 because this is one of those typical CBSRMT episodes that would have kept me on the edge of the radio speaker as a kid. I try to reflect back when I originally listened to these episodes and how I felt, not so much as an adult. I will leave the adult listening to my wife (I know that sounded bad for me). She never heard these as a kid being a few years younger than me.
My father in-law loves these shows I make him normal audio CD's of them. This will be included in the next batch of shows he gets.

:evil: :roll: :twisted:

[hamlet2003]

George, off the subject for the minute, I love your signature line!

[geospart]

Thanks Hamlet,

Been using that sig for years, I saw the movie Real Genius back in the day and remembered the line that Val Kilmer used about the last words of Socrates, I think at the time I was the only one laughing out loud in the theater. :evil: :roll: :twisted:

[bva18]

I am new to this forum, but I am looking forward to listening to these shows and reading what others think about the programs. I remember hearing this story when it was on the radio in 1998. I liked it then and liked it again this time.

[Lagavulin]

fun episode - as already pointed out, it's another in a series of Monkey's Paw clones.

What made this one unique was the inability to be rid of the totem, the randomness of the luck, and the unrelatedness of the consequences. Those qualities made the object more incidious.

good pick

cheers
Miles

[ApplCinamn]

Somewhat predictable since it's the formula of the evil talisman being passed from person to person. I did wonder why he was apparently sold on it by a ghost, as opposed to a previous owner desperate to be rid of it. What's the history of the thing and why did it seemingly appear out of nowhere along with the ghostly curio shop proprietor? That question was kind of hanging over the story for me but I still thought it a good story. You knew bad things were going to happen but not what exactly.

[doublex]

I did not relisten to this one in honor of it being SOTW, but I do remember listening to it a couple of years ago, and I enjoy it for what it is- not great, but a pretty good engaging listen with some nastiness tossed in. Not bad.