Gremlins is Funny, Scary, and Most Importantly...Entertaining!

Rating: 8/10 (1 May 2020)

1984's Gremlins is one messed up movie...and I am all down for it. The movie came out at a time where it was acceptable to blend the genres of horror and comedy. In fact, it came out the same weekend as the very popular Ghostbusters. Which did the same exact thing, but perhaps a little less scary than Gremlins. The film itself infuses a nice mixture of comedy and horror and it really is a fun movie. There are several grotesque moments, but this film is my childhood and it might be the one film to show your child when introducing the genre of horror.
Can you believe that Joe Dante's film is rated PG? Creatures being blown up in a microwave, these gremlins looking like the monster from Alien, a really sad story about why Kate, one of the characters despises Christmas, and so forth. Along with Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, this movie inspired the PG-13 rating which we would see in a few months. There have been stories where parents walked out of the theater with their 4-year-old child because the film was marketed as a cute, cuddly movie in the vein of E.T: The Extra-Terrestrial. Despite the involvement of Steven Spielberg in both projects (he executive-produced this film), this movie is NO E.T.
I was very surprised to see the movie get a June release date considering the film is set at Christmas. It could have been a factor in the film's success, but it ultimately was the fourth-highest film of 1984. This movie was widely accepted by the audiences, and Joe Dante did a great job combining different genres. I laughed often, but I was also terrified at times. The movie is really scary in certain parts. The creatures themselves added to the scariness. Gizmo himself is a mixture of Yoda and a kitten and is super cuddly, but Stripes and his gang make the creature from Alien seem like a super cute puppy. The creature designs are excellent. Practical effects are good modern-day films, huh?
Inventor Rand Peltzer (Hoyt Axton) is in New York and he wanted to buy a gift for his son Billy (Zach Galligan) before he leaves. He stops is a mysterious Chinatown shop where he encounters a Mogwai, that very cute creature. He is told of three rules: avoid bright light, do not give him water, and never, ever feed him after midnight no matter how much he begs. Billy falls in love with his new pet, named Gizmo. Over time, Billy breaks these rules, which causes the birth of the mean-spirited Stripes. Stripes and his mischievous, evil gremlin pals are ready to show the Norman Rockwell lookalike town some very crazy moments.
I wouldn't say the acting is the best part of the film, but the performances are good enough. Zach Galligan, who was unknown at the time, had some good chemistry with Phoebe Cates who plays his girlfriend, Kate. Spielberg wasn't sure about Cates because she was known for playing risquÃ© roles such as that in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, but she was impressive. The supporting cast were well-known veteran actors all who gave respectful performances; Dick Miller, Polly Holliday, Hoyt Axton, and Judge Reinhold. Then there is young Corey Feldman. Feldman mainly acted in commercials at the time, so this role boosted his child star status and he did a great job.
Gremlin's music was composed by Jerry Goldsmith who is familiar with the world of horror/sci-fi. The music is instantly recognizable, especially the Gremlins March. His music sounded so playful, but at the same time sounded tense. The film has the looks of a Norman Rockwell painting. The beautiful small-town look...that was destroyed by the gremlins. John Hora did a good job giving us the looks of the town before and after the destruction. Dante did a great job directing the film. He preferred the film's sequel, but I think he still did a great job. Spielberg was originally going to direct the script, which was written by Chris Columbus, but he ultimately gave the directing duties to Dante.
Keep in mind that there are some really dark scenes. The Christmas explanation by Kate was based on an urban legend and was quite controversial. Warner Brothers actually wanted that scene cut, but Dante wanted to keep that scene in. Of course, the second half of the film is based on the destruction by the Gremlins and there is A LOT of it. Also, children, please do not microwave your pets. While not the greatest horror-comedy, the film is a minor classic. I think this is a Christmas film despite its June release date, so give this film a watch...if you dare!
My Grade: B+