ARTICLE: Gremlins is a War Film

Via William Shatner, Will Smith, and Roald Dahl

No, I haven’t lost my mind, but this might be the most ADHD thing I’ve ever written. Spielberg’s film franchise, which debuted in theatres exactly forty years ago this past weekend, has its roots in the Second World War. Before, that, however, I have to mess with you even more and bring in William Shatner…

There was an episode of The Twilight Zone in 1963 in which, before he was Captain Kirk, Shatner played an airline passenger terrified by an evil looking character that landed on the wing during a flight and started messing about with the engine. In the story, every time Bill tries to point this menace out, the gremlins hides itself and everyone consequently thinks he is bonkers. The episode ends with Shatner being dragged off in a strait jacket, but the viewer is shown damage to the wing that suggests he isn’t quite so mad after all.

Shatner versus the gremlin on the other side of the window. Therefore ensuring my shade is remaining down forever more (scifi.com)

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This concept would not have been revolutionary to viewers. The episode was written by Richard Matheson who penned 18 episodes of TWZ in all, but more notably was the author of the 1954 book I Am Legend, the last adaptation of which was that dubious effort with Will Smith.

The Second World War

With regards to the gremlin on the wing of the aeroplane, Matheson took his inspiration from WW2, during which he had served in Europe. (His novel based on his own experiences, The Beardless Warriors, was published in 1960)

He didn’t invent the wheel. Multiple cultures the world over had traditional stories about tiny people who take joy in messing with the existence of ordinary mortals. Europe has fairies, leprechauns, (my six in the Brownies) imps, pixies, sprites; in the Middle East they form a sub category of the djinn, and in Hawaii they have the diminutive menehunes.

By the time Matheson went to war, the phenomena that identifies gremlins and links them specifically with airmen was already in existence. The first evidence of it comes from the 1920s. It will not surprise you to hear that said evidence was heavily influenced by alcohol, which is how all the best stories start…