The Old Man in the Cave – Twilight Zone (1963)
12 days ago
- #Post-apocalyptic
- #The Twilight Zone
- #Rod Serling
- The Twilight Zone episode 'The Old Man in the Cave' is set in a post-apocalyptic 1974, ten years after a nuclear holocaust in the United States.
- The episode is a cautionary tale about humanity's greed and the danger of questioning faith in forces greater than oneself.
- A mysterious 'old man in the cave' advises the townspeople on which food is safe to eat, but it is later revealed to be a computer.
- Major French and his soldiers challenge the authority of the 'old man,' leading the townspeople to destroy the computer.
- Without the computer's guidance, the townspeople consume contaminated food and perish, leaving only Goldsmith as the survivor.
- The episode explores themes of faith, the dangers of greed, and the interdependence between humans and technology.
- Notable cast members include James Coburn as Major French and John Anderson as Goldsmith.
- The episode was written by Rod Serling and directed by Alan Crosland, Jr., based on a short story by Henry Slesar.