Monday Movie Night at Hot Wax: The TwilightZone (Original Series) Marathon 5x5

Schedule

Mon, 25 Aug, 2025 at 08:00 pm to Tue, 26 Aug, 2025 at 01:00 am

UTC-04:00

Location

Hot Wax Coffee Shop And Tap House | Tampa, FL

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This Monday, August 25th, Sacrilegious Cinema: Menagerie of Madness steps into the fifth dimension where we traverse The TwilightZone (1959-1964). In this special edition of movie night, we switch gears with a 5x5 (10 episodes in total, separated by an intermission) marathon of the iconic original series forged by the late, great Rod Serling himself- not only providing narration, but also assuming position as one of the primary writers behind the 156 episodes spanning across 5 seasons- penning 92 overall.
The TwilightZone completely altered the very fabric of television and media as a whole- challenging widely accepted norms under a variety of lenses- from feministic to classist perspectives, examining sociological structures as well as psychological case studies- The TwilightZone offers thought-provoking storytelling and character driven tales cloaked as horror and science fiction in order to tackle topics ordinarily deemed taboo. This prolific anthology show became notorious for inventive narratives and twist endings, imbuing each episode with a sense of dramatic irony rife with allegories, effectively conveying Serling’s penchant for social commentary. This myriad of ingredients earned the pivotal program a reputation as controversial in its subject matter, submitting a progressive point of view well beyond its years in its cerebral treatment of an overlooked genre, expertly utilizing nuance to execute hauntingly profound messages woven within the themes. The TwilightZone emerges as a timeless exercise in fear, demonstrating a flawless dissection of the human condition, it remains relevant even today many decades later.
We start out our binge at 8PM with NUMBER 12 LOOKS JUST LIKE YOU- walk into a world in a not so distant dystopian future, where 18-year-old pariah named Marilyn has reached the age of ‘transformation’, wherein each member of this totalitarian society must pick from a select number of models to decide on a permanent appearance, with citizens donning name tags to distinguish themselves from a plethora of duplicates. This episode offers a critique on the rigid beauty standards— and with the age of ‘Instagram face’ and rise in popularity of plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures, this spine-tingling tale is increasingly suitable for modern day where such modifications are normalized, and even applauded- successfully stripping away individuality to uphold conformity. 1️⃣2️⃣
And perhaps by far one of the most renowned entries, NIGHTMARE AT 20,000 FEET tracks Bob Wilson’s first time back on a plane following a 6 month stint in a sanitarium due to a nervous breakdown- but, as the flight takes off, Wilson notices a repugnant creature on the wing destroying the infrastructure. To his chagrin, the gremlin disappears from sight whenever he is able to garner any attention to its mischief, causing onlookers to question his sanity. Skillfully portrayed by William Shatner, this episode dares viewers to decide for themselves whether this is a mere product of paranoia on behalf of an unreliable narrator, or something supernatural at work. ✈️👹
Next up, enter THE DUMMY where we meet the acquaintance of ventriloquist Jerry and his sidekick Willy who may be more than just a hunk of wood with a human countenance. While Jerry’s career is on the line, he falls deeper into addiction to cope with his fiendish counterpart, inevitably replacing Willy with a different, less abrasive dummy called Goofy for his act. But this indiscretion lands him in hot water with Willy, whose retaliation capitalizes on the shared disbelief amongst his peers, dubbing Jerry as nothing more than deranged. This story dives into duality, substance abuse, and the shadow self, banking on uncanny valley. 🎤
THE MASKS, directed by Ida Lupino and written by Serling, accompanies a dying millionaire who invites his greed stricken family to his mansion on Mardi Gras, asking them to adorn their faces in custom Cajun made masks until the stroke of midnight, otherwise risk losing their massive inheritance at the time of his demise. This installment bestows a grotesque visage, exhibiting the duplicity of beauty whilst exposing the decay eroding the facade in a lesson of materialism and just deserts. 🎭
Direct your attention to THE MONSTERS ARE DUE ON MAPLE STREET- upon visiting a sleep suburb on a tranquil summer afternoon until a string of strange malfunctions and a suspicious power outage disrupt the peace, thus systematically turning neighbors against one another to identify the culprit, assuming the perpetrator is in their midst. This paranoia powered episode, written by Serling, echoes the bowels of McCarthyism in its mob mentality, revealing man’s greatest adversary is in fact mankind itself, unveiling the prejudice brewed by fear and the frailty of social order. 🍁🏘️
Following our intermission, we resume our marathon at 10PM with EYE OF THE BEHOLDER, amongst the most memorable episodes to grace the screen, in addition to presenting as a significant companion piece to Number 12 Looks Just Like You. The plot introduces us to Janet Tyler after her 10th surgery in effort to correct her disfigurements in her quest to be beautiful after enduring ridicule and disgust from others her entire life. If this next surgery fails to take, she must undergo a mandatory exile to a section of society constructed for ‘undesirables’ as to not offend the masses. The cinematography exhibits a dread-inducing shadow play, focusing on silhouettes and obscuring faces until the climax wherein the bandages are removed from the allegedly ‘unsightly’ subject. With exceptional makeup by William Tuttle and a score orchestrated by Bernard Herrmann known for Hitchcock’s Psycho, Eye of the Beholder exudes a message far beneath skin deep, surveying the subjectivity of beauty and the horrors of segregation, cautioning against conformity and the pressures of perfection in a society plagued by vanity. 👁️🩹
Returning to uncanny valley, LIVING DOLL steals the stage as we are invited into the home of a fractured family, as daughter Christie is treated to a new doll known only as Talky Tina only to be met with disapproval from her callous stepfather, Erich. However, Erich’s cruelty is defied by Christie’s new friend in the form of plastic. This segment explores domestic abuse, childhood trauma, all while profiling the projections of an insecure parental authority. The premise likely serves as inspiration for the likes of Chucky from Child’s Play and its many descendants. 🎀🧸
After our encounter with a lively doll, we take a cross country roadtrip with Nan Adams in THE HITCH-HIKER. After narrowly avoiding her demise in a nearly fatal tire blowout, Nan recovers from the accident and continues her journey but begins to see a mysterious stranger on the side of the road looking for a ride. The man grows exceedingly ominous as he manages to track her across states without a vehicle of his own, causing Nan’s anxiety to run rampant as she tries to escape his ghastly presence- a phantom relentlessly stalking.
Reminiscent of a marriage between Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960) and Carnival of Souls (1962), The Hitch-Hiker oozes an eerie atmosphere, accommodated by the predicament of mortality and denial etched in the annals of fear. 🛣️🛞
Then, WILL THE REAL MARTIAN PLEASE STAND UP? Honoring another fan favorite, this episode trails two state troopers and their mission to discern the location of the crashed UFO occupants. Stumbling upon a diner, the men meet 7 passengers and driver of a bus on a pit stop to wait out the snow storm- although, matters become complicated when the bus driver discloses the initial headcount as only 6 people. Deducing one of the diner guests must be an alien in disguise, panic ensues as they turn on one other, conjuring dubious clues out of thin air to fit a narrative with all involved guilty until proven innocent. Piggybacking on paranoia and humanity under hysteria, this extraterrestrial entry acts as a tongue and cheek cousin to the earlier Monsters Are Due On Maple Street, complete with red herrings and a mystery waiting to unravel in another Serling written story, delving more into absurdist territory for a change of pace. 🛸👽🌨️
And finally- last but certainly not least- PERCHANCE TO DREAM concludes our watch party. This volume concerns a man with a heart condition named Edward Hall in an expedition to seek help as he struggles to fall asleep, scared a seductive carnie called Maya the Cat Girl will be the catalyst for his demise, as each time he slumbers she plagues him with persistent night terrors. This edition is a masterclass in the phantasmagorical, featuring a warped style mimicking German Expressionism to display the carnivalesque and lull audiences directly into a fever dream. These techniques spotlight the hazy line between nightmares and reality, testing the inner strength of the protagonist against temptation (manifested by Maya) to punctuate the self-destructive nature of man. 🎡🎢🎠🎟️
Join us in a journey into the dimension of imagination this Monday at Hot Wax Coffee Shop, in tandem with our manager’s (Curtis) birthday celebration. Enjoy cake, roulette, spin to win for prizes and an opportunity to win free drinks, along with industry night (25% off) beginning at 7PM before we initiate the marathon. 🎂🎈🏆
FREE popcorn included with a
mandatory purchase- no cover charge with a 1 drink (or snack) minimum from the bar. Can’t get enough of the 5th dimension? Savor the taste of The TwilightZone with our limited time themed drinks to get into the mood.
(Movie nights offer psychological insight accompanied by behind the scenes information and observations by your horror hostess). 🍿🎞️🎥
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Where is it happening?

Hot Wax Coffee Shop And Tap House, 1522 E 7th Ave, Tampa, FL 33605-3704, United States

Event Location & Nearby Stays:

Scarlet Sacrilege

Host or Publisher Scarlet Sacrilege

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