The Twilight Zone’s Iconic Plane-Wrecking Gremlin Nearly Had a Much Different Look

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Is there any other episode from the original Twilight Zone series (often aired on SYFY) as memorable as “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet”?

One could debate whether “To Serve Man” or “Eye of the Beholder” is superior, but there’s an undeniable charm in young William Shatner being tricked by a mischievous gremlin on a plane. Most people have experienced flying, along with that sudden sensation when a plane encounters turbulence. With recent events, the apprehension towards air travel has grown significantly.

While flying in an airplane, I gazed at the clouds from my window and imagined, ‘What if someone was skiing across those as if they were snow?’ This thought originated when I was asked about the idea’s source during an interview. However, I realized it wasn’t particularly frightening, so I transformed it into a gremlin lurking on the plane’s wing instead.

The episode in question is one of the few ‘Twilight Zone’ installments without an apparent moral or behavioral message. In this instance, similar to Henry Bemis (played by Burgess Meredith) in “Time Enough at Last,” Captain Kirk (portrayed by William Shatner), is subjected to torment for no obvious reason. He’s a man trying to recover from a nervous breakdown and unfortunately, he’s labeled insane once more, despite the climax suggesting that the ‘gremlin’ was not merely a figment of his imagination. The possible lesson of “Nightmare” might be that the universe is frequently indifferent or even cruel, often sparing neither good nor bad from harsh acts of fate.

For More on The Twilight Zone

1. Reason Behind the Three-Month Delay of a Notable Episode from The Twilight Zone’s Original Broadcast

2. Title Variations Surrounding an Iconic Episode in The Twilight Zone Series

3. Impact of Forbidden Planet on a Single Episode within The Twilight Zone’s Sci-fi Universe

Despite the fact that “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet,” which premiered on CBS in October 1963, has stood the test of time, one aspect that hasn’t aged quite as well is the appearance of the gremlin. Upon reflection, it’s evident that the gremlin was simply a person in an improvised costume (played by Nick Cravat). It’s important to remember that the show shouldn’t be criticized too harshly for its somewhat outdated creature design. Given the tight budgets and production schedules at the time, as well as Rod Serling’s constant limitations due to network censors and sponsors when it came to what he could present on television, it’s impressive that they were able to create such an enduring piece of work.

As per Marc Scott Zicree’s book, “The Twilight Zone Companion”, the gremlin who detested turbines initially appeared quite distinct from its final form under the supervision of original director Jacques Tourneur (also known as “Night Call”). However, this vision was later changed when Richard Donner, a young director at that time, took over.

The Twilight Zone‘s iconic gremlin from “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” almost had a very different look

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Although it’s not certain what led to Tourneur being replaced, Matheson expressed his preference for the director’s interpretation of the monster: “I wasn’t impressed with that winged creature. I believe Jacques Tourneur would have done a better job, as he had a unique concept. The actor inside the suit perfectly matched my character description. They simply needed to utilize him as described in the story. Tourneur intended to dress him in a dark suit and sprinkle diamond dust over him, making the monster barely visible. To Matheson, this creature resembled a panda bear.

According to the writer’s remarks, it seems he found William Tuttle’s mask (the creator of pig-nosed prosthetics for “Eye of the Beholder”) satisfactory. He mentioned that if they hadn’t used that costume and simply made his character a bit more gnarled, it would have matched perfectly with his story description. The writer said this during his talk with the Television Academy Foundation.

In the given text, the gremlin is described as having an ugly, non-human face. Its skin was rough with large pores, its nose was a discolored, squat lump, its lips were misshapen and cracked, revealing oversized, crooked teeth. Its eyes were small and set back, unblinking. The description also includes shaggy, tangled hair that grew not just on the head but also from the ears and nose in feathery tufts, giving it a bird-like appearance across its cheeks.

“The face of the gremlin was far from human, with coarse skin having large pores, a squat, discolored lump for a nose, twisted lips that were cracked and forced apart by unusually large and misshapen teeth. Its eyes were small and unblinking, set back in its head. The hair on its head was tangled and shaggy, sprouting feathery tufts not only from the top of its head but also from its ears and nose, giving it a bird-like appearance on its cheeks.

It took about two decades after Matheson and viewers for a truly compelling portrayal of the gremlin in the 1985 film “Twilight Zone: The Movie”. This adaptation of “Nightmare” was directed by George Miller and starred John Lithgow. However, unlike its small-screen counterpart, the cinematic segment suffered from an issue that its predecessor had avoided: a visually impressive creature but a weak storyline.

Matheson expressed to TAF that he found the monster in the film quite impressive, despite having reservations about the storyline. He praised Lithgow for his acting abilities but felt that he was given an unattainable task – portraying constant high-level hysteria from the start. In contrast, he believed that Bill Shatner’s performance, where he struggled to maintain control due to a mental breakdown, was far more captivating.

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2025-02-26 21:47