Unmatched originality

Rating: 9/10 (6 June 2000)

" So the next time your refrigerator goes on the fritz, don't call a repairman. You just never know, there might be a gremlin in the house. "
These are the words to end Gremlins. And after the rollercoaster ride that the film has just put us through, they are the perfect way to end the film. These creatures are perhaps the funniest and most entertaining little ghouls I have ever seen. They act like spoiled rotten little rich kids. These gremlins could be human characters in books by Steven King. They are not just mischeivious, they are down right mean, hilarious, awful, cruel and carefree. Their idea of a good time is to spit up nasty loogies, flash people, swing from light fixtures, play poker, drink to annebriation, bite, claw, scratch and kill. If you haven't seen this film, you have no idea what you are missing. I think this is one of the most original films, on par with Star Wars in terms of originality. Neither film has been imitated. You just can't do it.
Not only is this film entertaining and a little scary, but it is unbelievably funny. And I think the hilarity stems from watching these varments act crazy. They don't give a rat's ass about anything or anyone. They do what they please when they please and they are oblivious to the consequences of their actions. There is one scene where they are attacking a Santa Clause and they are just hanging off him like he is a toy. They are just terrorizing him. They probably won't kill him, but they sure will scare the hell out of him. They are also incredibly juvenile in their speech. They seem to have a firm grasp of the English language but they speak like babies. "Deagle, YUM YUM!" or when they see Gizmo at one point, they whisper, "Gizmo, Caca"
Gremlins has one of the most amazing production teams assembled. It was directed by Joe Dante, produced by the Amblin people ( Kennedy, Marshall and Spielberg ) and written by Chris Columbus. No wonder this is a top notch production. With people like this that have the propensity for success, I'm sure great pains were taken to get everything right. And it shows.
Gremlins is a film that I don't think can be imitated and that is because any attempt to make a film like this again and you would be accused of duplicating it. So this may actually go down in history as one of the only films out there that doesn't have a clone.
9 out of 10 One of the best film to come out of the 80's. Watch for a funny line in Goonies when Chunk is calling the cops to report the Fratelli's and the cop says to him, "Sure, sure, just like the time you called and told us about the little green monsters that were attacking you." Same production team and also Corey Feldman was in both films. That is a great connection.

This is just pure fun.