1h 46m
Director: Joe Dante

Billy is given a Mogwai for Christmas. It's a strange, cute little creature as long as you observe the 3 rules - 1. Keep him out of the light, 2. Never get him wet and most importantly 3. NEVER feed him after midnight.

Mogwai's are adorable until you feed them after midnight then you get Gremlins which are cantankerous monsters. The 'Gremlins' name is a reference to the mythical creatures that used to be blamed for mechanical faults on planes during the war. Mr Futterman alludes to this in one of the scenes in the film whilst drunk.

Gizmo the Mogwai will max out your cuteometer with his furry coat, big eyes and delightful little noises. It wouldn't be much fun if the audience didn't find out what happens when you break the rules and it's not long before Gizmo gets wet and we discover it makes him multiply, though his compadres don't seem quite as sweet as their forebear.

Billy soon finds out that the mischievous new Mogwai unplugged his clock and tricked him into feeding them after midnight which causes them to undergo a gross metamorphosis and become Gremlins.

It's not long before Billy discovers they're lethal little monsters as they start wreaking havoc all over town. There's some creative comedic kills in this if you like seeing creatures getting merc'd, not least of which are Gremlin in a blender and Gremlin in a microwave which are unforgettable.

When they discover the swimming pool, things really start to escalate and chaos ensues! (Rule 2)...

Billy is written off as crazy when he tries to explain the cause of all the trouble to the Sheriff. The gags and comedic action feel relentless as the town goes completely insane with mischief appearing everywhere you look.

I love the magical world this movie paints. It's Christmas, Billy's Dad is an inventor and the dog in this movie understands English. A lot of things conspire to make it feel alive and they spend a bit of time introducing all the characters so you understand their relationships when the horror kicks off.

There's some nice easter eggs for those paying attention in there too. There's a scene where Billy's Mum speaks to his Dad on the phone whilst he's at an inventor competition for example. Keep your eye on the background where you'll see what looks like H.G. Wells' time machine which subsequently disappears and is replaced by smoke in later shots.

Jerry Goldsmith did the score to this movie and you can really tell, with some excellent orchestral accompaniments and some very iconic themes for the creatures and their antics. Once you've heard them, you'll be instantly reminded if you ever hear one of the hooks anywhere, they're unmistakable.

You'll notice they pull almost every trick in the cinematic trick bag in this film but it never feels gratuitous or out of place, everything has reason.

It's cinematic gold dust from that era when film releases were big events and theatre queues stretched for a mile outside the cinema!



Trailer: