Black Leather Jackets
"Black Leather Jackets" | |
---|---|
The Twilight Zone episode | |
Episode no. |
Season 5 Episode 18 |
Directed by | Joseph M. Newman |
Written by | Earl Hamner, Jr. |
Featured music | Nathan Van Cleave |
Production code | 2628 |
Original air date | January 31, 1964 |
Guest appearance(s) | |
Lee Kinsolving as Scott | |
"Black Leather Jackets" is episode 138 of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone.
Opening narration
“ | Three strangers arrive in a small town, three men in black leather jackets in an empty rented house. We'll call them Steve, Scott, and Fred, but their names are not important; their mission, as three men on motorcycles, lead us in the Twilight Zone. | ” |
Plot
Three beings, disguised as human males wearing leather jackets, are part of an advance alien invasion force, sent to Earth to infect city water reservoirs with bacteria. Calling themselves "Scott", "Steve" and "Fred", they rent a house in a suburban American town where they can keep in visual contact with their planet's leader while setting the plan in motion.
The alien plan is to kill all humans and domestic animals. Their own race needs room to expand, and this is an easy way to take over the Earth for themselves. The excuse given by the alien leadership, for the extermination, is that humans are violent and hateful and therefore deserve to be destroyed. The youngest of the three aliens, called Scott, falls in love with the girl who lives next door to their rented house, Ellen Tillman. Scott tries to convince the leader of his world that not all men are evil and that love exists among people of the Earth, but to no avail.
Scott tries to convince Ellen to run away with him so that she will escape death, but Ellen is so terrified of his claims, she believes him to be mentally disturbed. Ellen's father calls the local sheriff to take Scott away. The deputy who answers the call turns out to be part of the invasion force, intending to punish Scott for his defection. The Tillmans comfort their daughter not realizing they are doomed from the upcoming alien invasion.
Closing narration
“ | Portrait of an American family on the eve of invasion from outer space. Of course, we know it's merely fiction—and yet, think twice when you drink your next glass of water. Find out if it's from your local reservoir, or possibly it came direct to you....from the Twilight Zone. | ” |
References
- DeVoe, Bill. (2008). Trivia from The Twilight Zone. Albany, GA: Bear Manor Media. ISBN 978-1-59393-136-0
- Grams, Martin. (2008). The Twilight Zone: Unlocking the Door to a Television Classic. Churchville, MD: OTR Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9703310-9-0