Battleground (Stephen King)
Encyclopedia
"Battleground" is a short story by Stephen King
, first published in the September 1972 issue of Cavalier
magazine, and later collected in King's 1978 collection Night Shift
.
. The package contains a G.I. Joe Vietnam Footlocker, sent to him by the mother of the toy-maker he had recently killed. When he opens the package he finds that the toy soldiers are alive with working copies (albeit miniature) of weapons, jeeps, and helicopters. To Renshaw's surprise the tiny soldiers begin to attack him. At one point, the toy soldiers even offer him the chance to surrender on a small sheet of paper passed under a door, Renshaw does not and is then attacked with more force. Renshaw plots to attack the soldiers with a Molotov cocktail
constructed from a bottle of lighter fluid, but before the cocktail detonates the entire apartment explodes, and kills him. At the very end of the story, a couple finds Renshaw's bloody t-shirt, and the other contents of the footlocker are revealed, including one made-to-scale thermonuclear weapon, which was what ultimately killed Renshaw.
. Originally airing on Wednesday July 12, 2006, the episode was directed by Brian Henson
and starred William Hurt
as Renshaw the assassin. There is no dialogue in the entire episode.
The episode featured a longer ending than the short story, in which Renshaw is attacked again and makes it out of the penthouse for a final showdown in the elevator shaft with an angry plastic commando (played by an uncredited Bill Barretta
). Renshaw defeats the final commando, only to find it had armed a thermonuclear weapon that then explodes and kills him.
It was also made into an animated short film, Srazhenie - see External Links - by the Soviet Kievnauchfilm
studio in 1986, directed by Mikhail Titov.
can be spotted as part of Renshaw's trophy collection. This is an homage to Richard Matheson
the father of Richard Christian Matheson and the author of Trilogy of Terror. The episode also has a similar plot and structure to Richard Matheson's classic 1961 episode of The Twilight Zone
, "The Invaders
" which presents a similar sort of battle between a silent protagonist and miniature attackers.
The concept of a person being attacked and killed by group of living green plastic soldiers
was also featured in the Darkroom
anthology horror/thriller series episode "Siege of 31 August".
A similar concept made it to the screen in the films Small Soldiers
and Tales from the Hood
.
Renshaw's response to the tiny plastic soldiers' demand for surrender is "NUTS", the response given by General Anthony McAuliffe
to the Germans during the Battle of the Bulge
. His response was changed to "SCREW YOU!" in the televised episode.
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
, first published in the September 1972 issue of Cavalier
Cavalier (magazine)
Cavalier is an American magazine that was launched by Fawcett Publications in 1952 and has continued for decades, eventually evolving into a Playboy-style men's magazine...
magazine, and later collected in King's 1978 collection Night Shift
Night Shift (book)
Night Shift is the first collection of short stories by Stephen King, first published in 1978. Many of King's most famous short stories were included in this collection.-Stories collected:-Details:...
.
Plot summary
Renshaw is a professional hit-man who returns from his assassination of a toy-maker to find a package delivered to his penthouse apartmentPenthouse apartment
A penthouse apartment or penthouse is an apartment that is on one of the highest floors of an apartment building. Penthouses are typically differentiated from other apartments by luxury features.-History:...
. The package contains a G.I. Joe Vietnam Footlocker, sent to him by the mother of the toy-maker he had recently killed. When he opens the package he finds that the toy soldiers are alive with working copies (albeit miniature) of weapons, jeeps, and helicopters. To Renshaw's surprise the tiny soldiers begin to attack him. At one point, the toy soldiers even offer him the chance to surrender on a small sheet of paper passed under a door, Renshaw does not and is then attacked with more force. Renshaw plots to attack the soldiers with a Molotov cocktail
Molotov cocktail
The Molotov cocktail, also known as the petrol bomb, gasoline bomb, Molotov bomb, fire bottle, fire bomb, or simply Molotov, is a generic name used for a variety of improvised incendiary weapons...
constructed from a bottle of lighter fluid, but before the cocktail detonates the entire apartment explodes, and kills him. At the very end of the story, a couple finds Renshaw's bloody t-shirt, and the other contents of the footlocker are revealed, including one made-to-scale thermonuclear weapon, which was what ultimately killed Renshaw.
Film, TV or theatrical adaptations
"Battleground" was converted to a teleplay by Richard Christian Matheson for the television series Nightmares & DreamscapesNightmares & Dreamscapes (TV Series)
Nightmares and Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King is an 8-episode anthology series on TNT based on short stories written by Stephen King. It debuted on July 12, 2006, and ended its run on August 2, 2006. Although most of them are from the collection of the same name, there are some...
. Originally airing on Wednesday July 12, 2006, the episode was directed by Brian Henson
Brian Henson
Brian Henson is an Academy Award-winning puppeteer, director, producer, and technician. The son of puppeteers Jane and Jim Henson, Brian was born in New York City, New York....
and starred William Hurt
William Hurt
William McGill Hurt is an American stage and film actor. He received his acting training at the Juilliard School, and began acting on stage in the 1970s. Hurt made his film debut as a troubled scientist in the science-fiction feature Altered States , for which he received a Golden Globe nomination...
as Renshaw the assassin. There is no dialogue in the entire episode.
The episode featured a longer ending than the short story, in which Renshaw is attacked again and makes it out of the penthouse for a final showdown in the elevator shaft with an angry plastic commando (played by an uncredited Bill Barretta
Bill Barretta
Bill Barretta has been performing with the Muppets since 1991, when he performed the body of family father Earl Sinclair on Dinosaurs...
). Renshaw defeats the final commando, only to find it had armed a thermonuclear weapon that then explodes and kills him.
It was also made into an animated short film, Srazhenie - see External Links - by the Soviet Kievnauchfilm
Kievnauchfilm
Kievnauchfilm , sometimes translated as Kiev Science Film in English, was a film studio in the former Soviet Union located in Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, established in 1941.-Description:It was the largest European studio for non-fiction films...
studio in 1986, directed by Mikhail Titov.
Trivia
At several points during the televised episode, the killer Zuni fetish doll from the "Amelia" segment of the 1975 television movie Trilogy of TerrorTrilogy of Terror
Trilogy of Terror is a three-part made-for-television horror film, first aired as an ABC Movie of the Week on March 4, 1975...
can be spotted as part of Renshaw's trophy collection. This is an homage to Richard Matheson
Richard Matheson
Richard Burton Matheson is an American author and screenwriter, primarily in the fantasy, horror, and science fiction genres. He is perhaps best known as the author of What Dreams May Come, Bid Time Return, A Stir of Echoes, The Incredible Shrinking Man, and I Am Legend, all of which have been...
the father of Richard Christian Matheson and the author of Trilogy of Terror. The episode also has a similar plot and structure to Richard Matheson's classic 1961 episode of The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)
The Twilight Zone is an American anthology television series created by Rod Serling, which ran for five seasons on CBS from 1959 to 1964. The series consisted of unrelated episodes depicting paranormal, futuristic, dystopian, or simply disturbing events; each show typically featured a surprising...
, "The Invaders
The Invaders (The Twilight Zone)
"The Invaders" is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone.-Synopsis:An old woman is apparently living alone in a very rustic cabin. She is dressed shabbily and there are no modern conveniences in evidence...
" which presents a similar sort of battle between a silent protagonist and miniature attackers.
The concept of a person being attacked and killed by group of living green plastic soldiers
Army men
Army men, or plastic soldiers, are simple toy soldiers that are about 5 cm tall and most commonly molded from green or other colored relatively unbreakable plastic. Unlike the more expensive toy soldiers available in hobby shops, army men are sold at low prices in discount stores,...
was also featured in the Darkroom
Darkroom (TV series)
Darkroom was an American television thriller series that aired on ABC from November 27, 1981 to January 15, 1982. It was an anthology horror/thriller series, similar in style to Rod Serling's Night Gallery. Each 60 minute episode featured two or more stories of varying length with a new story and...
anthology horror/thriller series episode "Siege of 31 August".
A similar concept made it to the screen in the films Small Soldiers
Small Soldiers
Small Soldiers is a 1998 American action/science fiction film directed by Joe Dante starring Gregory Smith and Kirsten Dunst. The film revolves around two teenagers , who get caught in the middle of a war between two factions of sentient action figures, the Gorgonites and the Commando...
and Tales from the Hood
Tales from the Hood
Tales From the Hood is a 1995 horror anthology film directed by Rusty Cundieff, and executive produced by Spike Lee. It presents four short African American-themed horror stories, presented within the frame story of three drug dealers buying some "found" drugs from an eccentric and story-prone...
.
Renshaw's response to the tiny plastic soldiers' demand for surrender is "NUTS", the response given by General Anthony McAuliffe
Anthony McAuliffe
General Anthony Clement "Nuts" McAuliffe was the United States Army general who commanded the 101st Airborne Division troops defending Bastogne, Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II...
to the Germans during the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
. His response was changed to "SCREW YOU!" in the televised episode.