This is a strange mixture of the SF "mad scientist" trope with a serial killer story. Dr. Cordell is trying to find an antidote for nerve gas, but ends up creating a new gas that permeates his protective mask. Will he turn into a monster? Grow to be 50 feet tall? No - the only result is that he goes nuts when he hears bells ring. The first victim is his landlady's parakeet, and the trouble escalates from there.
We're left for awhile wondering how a mysterious gas can cause "tintinnabulophobia," but then the resident doctor takes it to the ridiculous limit with his explanation: the gas could alter the chemistry of a man's brain. So if, perhaps, when he was a child, he was tormented by an older sibling using a toy bell, the change in chemistry coupled with the "trigger" sound of a bell causes these old memories to come flooding back, followed by homicidal rage. I kid you not. Tortured by a toy bell.
This is one of prolific THRILLER contributor Donald Sanford's only original scripts, and it's a mish-mash of clichés from a variety of genres. Robert Vaughn handles his Jekyll/Hyde role well, and there's a lovely twisted tribute to VERTIGO at the end. But the highlight for us baby boomers is the opportunity to watch Napoleon Solo murder "That Girl," Marlo Thomas.
We're left for awhile wondering how a mysterious gas can cause "tintinnabulophobia," but then the resident doctor takes it to the ridiculous limit with his explanation: the gas could alter the chemistry of a man's brain. So if, perhaps, when he was a child, he was tormented by an older sibling using a toy bell, the change in chemistry coupled with the "trigger" sound of a bell causes these old memories to come flooding back, followed by homicidal rage. I kid you not. Tortured by a toy bell.
This is one of prolific THRILLER contributor Donald Sanford's only original scripts, and it's a mish-mash of clichés from a variety of genres. Robert Vaughn handles his Jekyll/Hyde role well, and there's a lovely twisted tribute to VERTIGO at the end. But the highlight for us baby boomers is the opportunity to watch Napoleon Solo murder "That Girl," Marlo Thomas.