SHOW DATES/TIMES: Fri, Dec. 1 - 9:00P Mon, Dec. 4 - 7:00P Sat, Dec. 9 - 9:00P
Wed, Dec. 13 - 1:00P
The popular 1984 movie Gremlins is one of the selections that will be featured in this year's 12 Movies of Christmas festival. So, once I saw that the movie is showing at the theater during this festive festival, I decided to check it out since it would be the FIRST TIME ever seeing this 80s classic!
A gadget salesman is looking for a special gift for his son at a store in Chinatown.
The shopkeeper is reluctant to sell him the "mogwai" but sells it to him with the warning to never expose him to bright light, water, or to feed him after midnight.
All of this happens and the result is a gang of gremlins that decide to tear up the town on Christmas Eve.
Gremlins may not be the typical traditional Christmas movie but it's a huge 1980s favorite and I have always wanted to check this one out. Even before I watched his, I had no idea it actually took place during the holidays. Now, let's get on with my thoughts on Gremlins!
Gremlins is a great blend of horror and comedy. This 1984 classic, which was released on the same day as another classic (Ghostbusters), really delivers a lot of fun moments and a lot of mischief from those pesky gremlins.
After seeing this movie, I can see why this classic is on a lot of people's favorite's list. The little Mogwai character is a little lovable creature and just looking at it would make you wonder how this little guy could eventually wreak havoc.
Gremlins can be a little dark at times so the little ones could get a little scared when the gremlin mayhem starts up in the latter half of the movie. In fact, this movie is one of the reasons why the PG-13 rating was created. When we see the Gremlins causing chaos throughout the town of Christmas Eve night, the whole third act is loads of fun!! And seeing the gremlins having a little bit of fun at a tavern definitely is a stand out moment in the movie.
So, during the 12 Movies of Christmas festival that begins December 1 (this Friday!), make sure to check out this awesome classic!!!
The cast: Zach Galligan as Billy Pelzter; Phoebe Cates (which I'm sure almost every guy in the 80s had a crush on after Fast Times at Ridgemont High) as Kate Beringer; Hoyt Aston as Randall Peltzer; Polly Holliday as Ruby Deagle; Frances Lee McCain as Lynn Peltzer; Dick Miller as Murray Futterman; Scott Brady as Sheriff Frank Reilly; Jonathan Banks as Deputy Brent Fyre; Corey Feldman as Pete Fountaine and Howie Mandel as the voice of Gizmo.
Gremlins is wirtten by Chris Columbus (Netflix's Christmas Chronicles 2; Christmas with the Kranks; Mrs. Doubtfire) and directed by Joe Dante (Looney Tunes: Back in Action; Small Soldiers; Gremlins 2: The New Batch).
Gremlins is rated PG and has a running time of 106 minutes. The show dates and times for this movie are as follows: Friday Dec. 1 at 9:00; Monday Dec. 4 at 7:00; Saturday Dec. 9 at 9:00 and Wednesday Dec. 13 at 1:00.
Here are some fun little tidbits for Gremlins!!!
The set for Kingston Falls is the same one used for Back to the Future. Both movies were filmed on the Universal Studios back lot.
Originally, Stripe and Gizmo were the same character. Spielberg insisted one of the Gremlins be a good guy with whom the audience could identify. Director Joe Dante expresses that this decision was the reason why the movie is fondly remembered.
In Cantonese, "mogwai" means "devil," "demon" or "gremlin."
An earlier attempt to have monkeys play the gremlins was abandoned because the test monkey panicked when made to wear a gremlin head.
At least one of Phoebe Cates' screams in the scene at Dorry's Tavern is genuine. An enormous cockroach crawled out in front of her during one take.
The movie was released on the same day as Ghostbusters.
This movie and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom are credited with inspiring the MPAA to create the PG-13 rating. Many felt the movies were too violent for a PG rating but not enough for an R.
After watching Tim Burton's earlier short films, executive producer Spielberg considered him to direct this movie. He decided against it, however, because at the time, Burton had never directed a full-length movie.
Originally planned and scheduled for a Christmas release, this movie was rushed into production shortly after WB found out that it had no major competition against Temple of Doom or Ghostbusters for the summer movie season.
Gizmo was the inspiration for the Furby, a multi-million selling mechanical stuffed animal in the late 1990s .... REMEMBER THOSE????
The scene in the department store where Stripe attacks Billy with a chainsaw wasn't in the script. It was added by director Joe Dante and star Zach Galligan as an homage to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.
Financially, Gremlins was a success. Produced on a $11 million budget, it was more expensive than Spielberg had originally intended but still relatively cheap for its time. The movie was released in domestic theaters on June 8, 1984. Gremlins ranked No. 2, with $12.5 million in its first weekend, $1.1 million less than Ghostbusters.
By the end of its American screenings on Nov. 29, it had grossed $148.1 million domestic. This made it the fourth highest grossing film of 1984, behind Beverly Hills Cop, Ghostbusters and Temple of Doom.
The movie not only spawned the sequel, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, but is believed to have been the inspiration for several unrelated movies about small monsters. These include Ghoulies, Troll, Hobgoblins and Munchies.
An animated series, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, premiered on the Max streaming service on May 23, 2023 and a potential third movie has been rumored for years.
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