Gremlins

Rating: 8/10 (17 June 2005)

From executive producer Steven Spielberg, writer Chris Columbus and director Joe Dante (The Howling, Small Soldiers), this was released in cinemas as a family comedy horror. It turned out however to have too many scenes which scared young children, so they changed it to a 15 certificate, which in a way is fair enough. Basically Randall Peltzer (Hoyt Axton) is looking for Christmas present for his son Billy (Zach Galligan), and after secretly paying for it, despite the owner Mr. Wing (Keye Luke) saying no, he finds a Mogwai. There are rules to owning the Mogwai, which Billy names Gizmo, he must be kept away from bright lights, especially sunlight which will kill him, he must stay away from water, and most important, he must never eat after midnight. Trying to have fun with and take care of Gizmo, it is not long before the first rule is broken when water is spilt, causing his body to spit out more Mogwais. While the school scientist does some tests on one of the Mogwais, Billy unintentionally breaks the big one by feeding them after midnight, causing all but Gizmo to be in cocoons transforming. As soon as they hatch, that is when the chaos starts, the leader Stripe jumps in a swimming pool causing multiplication, and these larger monsters, called Gremlins according to Murray Futterman (Dick Miller), wreak havoc in the town while it is dark. Billy and his love interest Kate Beringer (Phoebe Cates), who has had a horrible incident happen at Christmas before, are now trying to find a way to kill them all. They find all of them cooped up in the cinema watching Snow White and turn the gas on the blow them up, but the leader Stripe manages to get away, but don't worry, he is stopped before multiplying and melted with sunlight. Also starring Frances Lee McCain as Lynn Peltzer, Polly Holliday as Ruby Deagle, Jackie Joseph as Sheila Futterman, Scott Brady as Sheriff Frank, Harry Carey Jr. as Mr. Anderson, Corey Feldman as Pete Fountaine, Judge Reinhold as Gerald Hopkins, Frank Welker as Stripe / Mogwai / Gremlins, Howie Mandel as Gizmo, Chuck Jones as Mr. Jones, Jerry Goldsmith as Man in Telephone Booth Glancing at Camera and Steven Spielberg as Man in Electric Wheelchair. The cute and cuddly Mogwai is fun, the nasty and ugly Gremlins are entertaining, and the spoofs and in-jokes in amongst the sometimes scary moments make this a great alternative to the feel-good Christmas specials, a great black comedy fantasy. It was number 34 on The 100 Greatest Family Films. Very good!