Gremlins 1 & 2.

[EmmanuelZorg]

Two fun horror comedy fantasy flicks from Joe Dante and Steven Spielberg. The first movie is a very original and creative concept for the time about a young man who gets a cute creature for a pet before christmas week but three rules for it are broken as it gets wet and mutilply other Mogawais like it, the other mogwais get exposed to light and they even eat after midnight to transform into reptilan creatures that run amok in a town. The film became a smash at the box-office among critics and audiences in 1984 and was still a hit when it was re-issued in 1985 when i was 4 as i saw the re-issue and loved it.

Chris Walas designed some brilliant creature animatronics as they rank as his best with "The Fly", "Naked Lunch" and "Scanners" on the make-up divison including "Raiders of the Lost Ark". The film is also a nice and fun Christmas/halloween movie to enjoy on those occasions, it also stirred up controversy over it's violence and scared children as parents weren't too happy. Same thing with Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom that summer, both helped the MPAA create the PG-13 rating with Red Dawn being the first one to get that rating.

Part 2 is a very entertaining and brilliant satire about yuppies and building executives including on the first movie. I love the in-jokes especially Leonard Maltin who got killed for giving the first movie a bad review and Hulk Hogan wanting to destroy the Gremlins. But it was still better then the crappy Gremlin rip-offs that tried to imitate on the original's success over the years such as Ghoulies, Troll, Evil Toons, Munchies, Spookies, Elves, Leprechaun (Which came out in 1992), and the worst one of them all Hobgoblins. Now "Critters 1 & 2" with "Child's Play", "Cat's Eye", "Dolls" and "Puppet Master" were charming Gremlins-esque movies in their own ways of being movies about little killers running amok.

[Aragorn]

So you're not a fan of Leprechaun in Space or Leprechaun in the Hood?

[votd]

I agree with the op; I loved the Gremlins films as a kid and still do now. I prefer the first as the second feels a bit forced and relies more on comedic moments.

The only trouble is: whenever it's shown on TV in the UK it's at 6pm on a Sat/Sun and they cut ALL the best bits! It's not really a kids film, but because parts of it are funny and it's set at Christmas, TV execs think it's appropriate to show a cut version to children. Damnit I want to see the Gremlins get stabbed/blended/microwaved/beheaded!!

[EmmanuelZorg]

I thought Gremlins 2 was great satrical fun, had that Bride of Chucky or Scream sense of self-parody horror humor. Do you think Gremlins 2 still blows away the shitty imitators that tried to copy the success of the first movie such as Ghoulies, Munchies, Evil Toons, Spookies, Kamillions, or the shittest of all Gremlins rip-offs known as Hobgoblins except for Critters 1 & 2? now Critters 1 & 2 were great fun Gremlins style Sci-fi horror comedies in their own right.

What do you think of those especially the other Gremlins-esque movies of little creatures attacking movies of the 80's like Puppet Master, Child's Play, Cat's Eye or Dolls?

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

I have a soft spot for part 2:

I loved the scene with the crazy revolving door, that spins so fast that young well dressed woman is blown clear across the room to the floor.

I love the character, concept, and, mostly, the logo of Clamp.

I love the brain and bat gremlins.

I love the heavy metal soundtrack: Faith No More, Damn Yankees, maybe slayer.

[Bob The Skutter]

votd wrote:

---

I agree with the op; I loved the Gremlins films as a kid and still do now. I prefer the first as the second feels a bit forced and relies more on comedic moments.

The only trouble is: whenever it's shown on TV in the UK it's at 6pm on a Sat/Sun and they cut ALL the best bits! It's not really a kids film, but because parts of it are funny and it's set at Christmas, TV execs think it's appropriate to show a cut version to children. Damnit I want to see the Gremlins get stabbed/blended/microwaved/beheaded!!

Good news Gremlins is on ITV 2 on Monday the 21st at 9pm.

[Pingfah]

^ Better news, you can buy the Gremlins 1 & 2 boxset off play.com for a fiver

Already got mine last year though.

[Bob The Skutter]

Pingfah wrote:

---

^ Better news, you can buy the Gremlins 1 & 2 boxset off play.com for a fiver

Already got mine last year though.

I've been kinda tempted to pick up Gremlins on Blu-Ray. I think it's about £8 on Amazon at the minute.

[Lindley]

There was a movie I saw once which I've been trying to find the name of for years. I don't know if it was one of these or not.

In the movie, there are portals to another world under kids' beds, and guys down there who like Doritos and disappear when exposed to light. Eventually the kids defeat the bad guys by strapping headlights all over themselves, and then there's a race to get out before the doors into this world are closed, and they're running to other time zones to manage it.

Anyone know what movie that is?

[Bob The Skutter]

Lindley wrote:

---

There was a movie I saw once which I've been trying to find the name of for years. I don't know if it was one of these or not.

In the movie, there are portals to another world under kids' beds, and guys down there who like Doritos and disappear when exposed to light. Eventually the kids defeat the bad guys by strapping headlights all over themselves, and then there's a race to get out before the doors into this world are closed, and they're running to other time zones to manage it.

Anyone know what movie that is?

Little Monsters. Fred Savage was the star if I remember.

[Lindley]

Thanks. I'll have to see if I can find that again, see if it's as fun as I remember it being.

[John Picard]

EmmanuelZorg wrote:

---

Two fun horror comedy fantasy flicks from Joe Dante and Steven Spielberg. The first movie is a very original and creative concept for the time about a young man who gets a cute creature for a pet before christmas week but three rules for it are broken as it gets wet and mutilply other Mogawais like it, the other mogwais get exposed to light and they even eat after midnight to transform into reptilan creatures that run amok in a town. The film became a smash at the box-office among critics and audiences in 1984 and was still a hit when it was re-issued in 1985 when i was 4 as i saw the re-issue and loved it.

Chris Walas designed some brilliant creature animatronics as they rank as his best with "The Fly", "Naked Lunch" and "Scanners" on the make-up divison including "Raiders of the Lost Ark". The film is also a nice and fun Christmas/halloween movie to enjoy on those occasions, it also stirred up controversy over it's violence and scared children as parents weren't too happy. Same thing with Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom that summer, both helped the MPAA create the PG-13 rating with Red Dawn being the first one to get that rating.

Part 2 is a very entertaining and brilliant satire about yuppies and building executives including on the first movie. I love the in-jokes especially Leonard Maltin who got killed for giving the first movie a bad review and Hulk Hogan wanting to destroy the Gremlins. But it was still better then the crappy Gremlin rip-offs that tried to imitate on the original's success over the years such as Ghoulies, Troll, Evil Toons, Munchies, Spookies, Elves, Leprechaun (Which came out in 1992), and the worst one of them all Hobgoblins. Now "Critters 1 & 2" with "Child's Play", "Cat's Eye", "Dolls" and "Puppet Master" were charming Gremlins-esque movies in their own ways of being movies about little killers running amok.

The original Gremlins was meant to be a horror, but due to the chagrin of the director and producer, it was reclassified due to audience reaction.

The second tried to capitalize (cash in) on the success of the original.

[LitmusDragon]

I like both movies for different reasons. The first one for it's strange mix of horror and wholesomeness. The second because it is a very strange movie by mainstream hollywood standards.

[Trekker4747]

Gremlins 2 was mostly crap, but still servicable. Gremlins 1 is an 80s classic.

[23skidoo]

I've only seen G1 a couple of times, but G2 is one of my favorite films. It's a screwball comedy with some great jabs at the media -- and even though the film is close to 20 years old, some of its satire is still current today. John Glover's Trump parody is a hoot, and I love the little touches like the announcer sayng Casablanca was now available with a happy ending (Casablanca Remastered, anyone?), or the late Robert Prosky's obsolete TV horror host lamenting changing tastes.

Christopher Lee is lots of fun to watch as well, and of course I punched the air when the videotape "screwed up" and the Gremlins broke the fourth wall. I wish I'd been in the theatre to see the original version of that gag. Fortunately the DVD apparently has both versions; according to the IMDb the video version is an Easter egg). But it happens to be one film I've never gotten around to picking up. With any luck there'll be a 20th anniversary edition or something in 2010.

Alex