Gremlins (1984) is a gentle film that turns wild with the dangerous creatures of the title that wreck havoc and some gruesome ends in a small town! One of the Steven Spielberg produced films was Gremlins, directed by Joe Dante. He had previously directed the werewolf horror movie,The Howling (1981), and followed it up with the sci fi adventure Explorers (1985). It featured a screenplay by Chris Columbus, who also wrote The Goonies (1985), and he directed another franchise, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001). Dante and Columbus, plus the two leads, continued with the sequel, Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990). There is an upcoming animated series, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, for HBO Max. Gremlins opens on a Chinatown alley at night. A visitor there is a father played by Hoyt Axton and a young boy (John Louie). Axton is well known as a folk singer/songwriter, he wrote the popular song, “Joy to the World”, and also appeared as the father in The Black Stallion (1979). Axton also gives the narration and introduces himself as Rand Peltzer, an inventor.
He is looking for a birthday present for his son and follows the boy down steps to his grandfather’s store. Grandfather, Mr. Wing, is played by Keye Luke, well known for the popular martial arts series, Kung Fu, as Master Po and his character is identified as Mr. Wing in the 1990 sequel. Rand looks around the store filled with antiques. He comes up to Mr. Wing and the boy to go into sales mode. Rand shows them the Bathroom Buddy which he demonstrates its Swiss Army knife-like features for travel. Then, he hears a cooing sound. Rand takes out the toothbrush and the green toothpaste spurts all over his shirt! He hands over his card trying to sell the Bathroom Buddy and again hears the animal-like sounds. Distracted, Rand heads to the back, past a tarantula tank, he uncovers a box. We get a closeup of Rand’s face as the boy explains that it is a Mogwai, a Cantonese word for “evil spirit” or “demon.” The Mogwai gives a happy sound like a songbird. The boy, bored, says the Mogwai likes to sing. Rand tells Mr. Wing that he has to have the Mogwai and lays down $200.
The grandson is impressed at the money, but grandfather refuses to sell. Mr. Wing says that the Mogwai requires responsibility. The boy tells Rand to wait outside and then brings him the box. The grandson says they need the money. He explains that there are three rules that are very important; #1 Keep Him Out of the Light, sunlight can kill him. #2 Don’t get him wet and the most important rule, #3 Never feed him after midnight, for any reason. I love rules because you are always waiting to see what happens when they are broken. We see Rand walking in Chinatown in slow motion as we hear the kid explain the rules. Then, we are introduced to the snowy town of Kingston Falls, a very picture of It’s a Wonderful Life’s Bedford Falls. At a Christmas tree lot, the sheriff stumbles on a pine tree, a costume worn by Pete Fountaine (Corey Feldman) for his father’s business. Feldman was also in The Goonies and The Lost Boys (1987). A red, snow-covered VW bug fails to start for owner, Billy Peltzer (Zach Galligan). This is the first movie for the actor who also starred in the sequel and the comedy horror movie, Waxwork (1988).
Next to him is the family dog, Barney. Billy goes out and checks the trunk which sends out clouds of smoke. Our intro to the hero is hapless, but has to learn some responsibility. His neighbor, Mr. Futterman (Dick Miller), checks on Billy who says he is late for work. Miller is a Dante favorite appearing in The Howling and also the Pawn Shop Clerk in The Terminator (1984). The neighbor also brings up Billy’s interest in comic strips. Billy has rush off with Barney. They pass a movie theater billboard has the early titles for E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982). Billy enters the Union Bank, passes Kate (Phoebe Cates, a twist on her last name?), and ties up Barney at his teller’s desk. Cates is known for the high school comedy, Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), which made it difficult to be cast in this part, and was also in the comedy romance, Date with an Angel (1987). Kate walks over to Billy’s desk to ask him to sign a petition to save Dorry’s pub with Mrs. Deagle trying to close it. Mrs. Deagle (Polly Holliday) carries the head of a snowman and brushes away the townsfolk. Holliday is also familiar as Flo Castleberry, “Kiss my grits!” from the sitcom Alice and also the comedy romance, Moon Over Parador (1988).
Her character is in the mold of Mr. Potter, grumpy, and angry at everything outside of her lonely life. Billy watches her through a window like a dark cloud. Mrs. Harris (Belinda Balaski) comes up to Mrs. Deagle to ask for some time since she will be paid in two weeks. Mrs. Deagle refuses even when the mother pleads that it is Christmas. She forces herself through the other customers to put the snowman head on Billy’s desk. Barney had broken her imported snowman so she wants the dog in Cruella fashion. Mrs. Deagle says she will take him to the kennel to be put down or she will do it herself! Barney frees himself and jumps at her, the snowman shatters, and Billy wrests Barney from attacking Mrs. Deagle! She exclaims that her heart is weak, it really needs to grow two sizes, and she is helped up by bank manager, Mr. Corben (Edward Andrews). There is also junior vice president of the bank, Gerlad Hopkins (Judge Reinhold). The actor was also in Fast Times at Ridgemont High and was Detective Billy Rosewood in Beverly Hills Cop (1984). Later at Dorry’s pub, we get a dragon with Mrs. Deagle’s face and Billy’s work is completed by Mr. Jones played by legendary animator Chuck Jones!
He is joined by Gerald who teases Billy about almost getting fired. Billy gets another table, but Gerald wants to tell him that he will have Mr. Corben’s job. He gets a drink from Kate who is working at the bar pro bono. Gerald continues to be annoying. Billy returns home, this causes one of the wall mounted swords to fall. His mother, Lynn (Frances Lee McCain) tells him that she’s in the kitchen. McCain was in Footloose (1984) and also Back to the Future (1985). She asks for Billy’s help with the eggs, he is hesitant to use his father’s invention, it cracks an egg with a chicken beak, but all of the other eggs are also broken! Rand returns home, the sword falls again, singing a Christmas song. He tells his wife that the Miracle Company that bought his Kitchen Companion might be interested in the Bathroom Buddy. Rand gives his son the large, wrapped box. They go to the couch so Billy can open it, Rand tells Lynn to dim the lights, she uses another invention to do so. Billy opens the box and something furry pops up! Lynn holds back Barney.
Rick Baker’s Gizmo and Gremlin puppets from Gremlins 2: The New Batch, Icons of Darkness, photo by the author.
Three tiny fingers hold the edge of the box and the Mogwai pulls himself up. He has a pudgy face, long ears, and a dog-like patches of white and brown fur on his face. Mogwai are the Baby Yoda of its time, 35 years before The Mandalorian! His voice is by comedian and now host, Howie Mandel, a variation of his Bobby’s World voice. The Mogwai are created by Chris Walas in this film. Rick Baker designed them in the sequel. Rand dubs him Gizmo. Lynn is about to take his picture, but the flash blinds Gizmo, rule #1. He shudders and repeats, “Bright light.” Rand goes over the rules. In his room, Billy plays his electric piano as Gizmo sings. Billy holds up a mirror to Gizmo and the reflected light again causes him pain sending Gizmo into a trash can! He is injured so Billy takes him to the bathroom to apply a bandage to his head. Later, Billy puts away the comic book, Hooded Menace #1, he was reading and says good night to Gizmo sleeping in a chair. In the morning, Billy gets a glass and eyes his father’s orange juice machine, it starts to fill his glass, then bursts out a juice explosion!
Pete has brought over the family Christmas tree. Gizmo is upstairs watching television. Billy walks up to his room with Pete. He introduces Pete to his new pet. Billy sets Gizmo on the table to sing. Pete reaches out to hold Gizmo, but spills a cup holding Billy’s paint brushes on the Mogwai, rule #2! Gizmo’s back writhes and he screeches! He pops out a fur ball that starts to grow! Four more fur balls pop out Tribble-style! They are Mogwai! All voiced by Frank Welker. Pete notices one has a stripe on his head. Still, Gizmo is sad. Rand is in his workshop working on a card invention that suddenly sends out cards in automatic fire. Billy tells his father that the water makes more Mogwai. The new Mogwai are wild and have Christmas tinsel all over themselves. Stripe is using a portable Donkey Kong game. Rand sees a sales opportunity with the Mogwai. Stripe spits yellow liquid at Gizmo and the others laugh. Rand thinks of his new idea, The Peltzer Pet, which is what worried Mr. Wing. At night, Billy sleeps with Gizmo, the other Mogwai are together in a blanket. Stripe has a mischievous look waking up.
Billy hears Barney whining and goes to find him as Stripe smiles. Barney is hung up with Christmas lights on the porch, the Mogwai are tiny, Barney could easily bite a few of them. He blames Mrs. Deagle. His father says he will take Barney to Billy’s grandmother’s place on his way to the convention. Pete sees Billy take a box of the Mogwai to school. He hopes for Mr. Hanson (Glynn Turman) to find out about them. Billy puts a single drop of water on the Mogwai! Bubbles and then a fur ball pops out. This is the “Pop Goes The Gremlin” theme from master composer, Jerry Goldsmith. Billy lets him keep one Mogwai to examine. Then, he walks over to Dorry’s Pub to see Kate helping Mr. Futterman go home very drunk. Mr. Futterman mentions gremlins getting into machinery including WW2 planes. Kate convinces him to walk home. The last rule broken will unleash the furry Mogwai into reptilian Gremlins to take over the town! It is chaotic and not a little vicious, pre-PG-13, the film may be disturbing to the very young. Gremlins is a wild, fun movie with the evil creatures bringing in the horror!
Five Bathroom Buddies out of Five!
#Gremlins, #JoeDante, #ZachGalligan, #PhoebeCates, #HoytAxton, #FrancesLeeMcCain, #DickMiller, #GlynnTurman, #JudgeReinhold, #PollyHolliday
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