This is an article about the movie Gremlins. See Gremlin for the fantastical beings.

Gremlins is a 1984 movie directed by Joe Dante. It stars Zach Galligan and Phoebe Cates. A sequel called Gremlins 2: The New Batch was released in 1990. Unlike this cartoon-like sequel, the original Gremlins opts for black comedy, which is balanced against a Christmastime setting.

Plot summary

Inventor Randall "Rand" Peltzer (played by Hoyt Axton) of Kingston Falls goes on a trip to New York City and decides to pick up a present for his son Billy (Galligan). A young Chinese boy (played by John Louie) takes Rand to his grandfather's small shop in Chinatown where Rand takes interest in a small, cute, furry creature called a mogwai (which, in Mandarin Chinese, translates literally as "evil spirit"). Mr. Wing (the Chinese boy's grand father and owner of the shop who is played by Keye Luke) refuses to sell the mogwai noting that owning it takes considerable responsibility, but Wing's grandson secretly sells the mogwai to Rand. Though the creature seems innocent enough, the grandson warns Rand that he must take the following precautions regarding the creature: he must not let the Mogwai near bright light (especially sunlight, which can kill the Mogwai), he must not get water on the mogwai, and, most importantly, never feed the mogwai after midnight.

Rand names the creature Gizmo and brings it home to his son. Unfortunately, although his new companion proves to be a very gentle and well behaved creature, Billy and his friends inadvertently become careless with Gizmo. They accidentally get water on Gizmo, causing him to instantly multiply. Even worse, the new and much more anti-social mogwai (led by Stripe, who has a white mohawk-like hairstyle) that have spawned from Gizmo trick their guardians into feeding them after midnight, and transform into dark green gremlin-like monsters which wreak havoc upon Billy's town. Together with his girlfriend Kate Beringer (Cates), Billy must stop the gremlins before they can cause any more damage. Remarkably for the time and cultural context, the "original" Gizmo is not only non-participant, but even afraid of his evil offspring and helps Billy and Kate fight them.

At the end after the gremlins are eliminated, the old man returns to collect Gizmo to prevent any reoccurance of the trouble. However, while he notes while the Peltzers and western society as a whole is not ready to properly care for a mogwai, Billy shows some potential.

Awards

Gremlins won the following awards:

• The 1985 Saturn Award for Best Director, Best Horror Film, Best Music, Best Special Effects, and Best Supporting Actress (Polly Holliday) from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films
• The 1985 Golden Screen Award
• The 1985 Young Artist Award for Best Family Motion Picture - Adventure

The film was also nominated for the Young Artist Award for Best Young Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture Musical, Comedy, Adventure or Drama (Corey Feldman).

Technical data

• Writing: Chris Columbus
• Music: Jerry Goldsmith, Noel Regney
• Creature design: Chris Walas
• Runtime: 106 minutes
• Sound: 70 mm 6-Track/Dolby
• Aspect ratio: 1.85 : 1
• Release date: June 8, 1984
• Budget: $11,000,000
• Total gross (USA): $148,170,000
• MPAA rating: PG
• Distribution: Warner Bros.
• Production: Amblin Entertainment

See also

• Gremlins 2: The New Batch
• 1980s in film
• List of fantasy films
• Critters (film series)
• Ghoulies
• Night Skies
• Hobgoblins
• Pet Shop of Horrors

External links

• Gremlins at the Internet Movie Database
• All Movie Guide entry for Gremlinsde:Gremlins – Kleine Monster