The special effects are surprisingly strong for a network TV show at the time, but that should come as no surprise upon the realization that it’s directed by Brian Henson ( The Muppet Christmas Carol), who harnesses the powers of Jim Henson’s Creature Shop. Hurt’s wordless, solo performance carries the episode, with the ever-present score by Jeff Beal ( House of Cards, Monk) helping to shoulder some of the weight. Like a darker take on Small Soldiers, a hitman ( William Hurt, A History of Violence) finds himself being attacked by little green army men toys and their weapons of war after killing a renowned toy manufacturer. Presented without any dialogue, “Battleground” is an intrepid choice to kick off the series – but it’s also the strongest of the eight episodes. Several name actors and notable filmmakers were involved, including some King alumni.įive of Nightmares & Dreamscapes‘ episodes – “ Crouch End,” “ Umney’s Last Case,” “ The End of the Whole Mess,” “ The Fifth Quarter,” and “ You Know They Got a Hell of a Band” – are based on stories from King’s 1993 short story collection of the same name, while “ Battleground” comes from 1978’s Night Shift and “ The Road Virus Heads North” and “ Autopsy Room Four” are in 2002’s Everything’s Eventual. As with any anthology, the installments are hit or miss, but the unpredictability is part of the fun. Filmed in Melbourne, Australia, the eight-episode anthology series aired as a four-week event – two episodes each Wednesday night – in the summer of 2006 before hitting DVD in time for Halloween that year.

With multiple films and TV series based on his writing being produced each year – to the point where his books are optioned before they’re even published – it’s no surprise that some adaptations slip through the cracks.įollowing the success of their 2004 Salem’s Lot miniseries, TNT returned to the world of King with Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King. When it comes to translating his work to the screen, on the other hand, the results are uneven to say the least. Whether measured by quality, quantity, or any other conceivable metric, Stephen King is virtually unparalleled in the literary world.

Nightmares and dreamscapes book