Gremlins (released in theaters on June 8, 1984) begins in a smoky, subterranean antique shop in Chinatown, where eccentric inventor Randall Peltzer (Hoyt Axton) searches for a unique Christmas gift for his son, Billy (Zach Galligan).
He purchases a small, furry, and impossibly cute creature known as a Mogwai, named Gizmo.
The shopkeeper’s grandson gives Randall three strict, non-negotiable rules for Gizmo’s care: keep him out of bright light, never get him wet, and, most importantly, never feed him after midnight.
Randall brings Gizmo home to the snowy, peaceful town of Kingston Falls, where Billy, his mother Lynn (Frances Lee McCain), and his friend Pete (Corey Feldman) are instantly charmed by the gentle creature.
The plot takes a disastrous turn when Pete accidentally spills water on Gizmo, causing the creature to painfully spawn a litter of new, highly mischievous Mogwai led by a sinister, mohawk-sporting creature named Stripe.
The troublemakers trick Billy into feeding them after midnight, causing them to cocoon and metamorphose into reptilian, green monsters known as gremlins.
The creatures quickly multiply and unleash a wave of violent, anarchic terror across the town on Christmas Eve.
Guided by director Joe Dante, the monsters terrorize local citizens, including the cruel, wealthy Mrs. Deagle (Polly Holliday), a skeptical science teacher (Glynn Turman), a paranoid veteran (Dick Miller), a smug bank coworker (Judge Reinhold), and the local police deputy (Jonathan Banks).
Billy and his brave girlfriend Kate (Phoebe Cates) must fight their way through a chaotic town under siege, culminating in a tense, explosive showdown inside a department store to stop Stripe from spawning an unstoppable army.
Dante directs the film with a brilliant, subversive sense of dark humor that perfectly balances genuine horror with anarchic comedy.
Galligan provides a wonderfully earnest and relatable protagonist, while Cates delivers a grounded performance, famously highlighted by a darkly comedic monologue about her childhood.
The true stars, however, are Chris Walas’ phenomenal animatronic and practical puppet effects, which give Gizmo irresistible charm and make the gremlins delightfully grotesque.
Phoebe Cates in Gremlins (Photo/Warner Bros.)
Reception for Gremlins
Gremlins grossed $12.5 million on its opening weekend, finishing second at the box office behind Ghostbusters, which earned $13..6 million on its debut weekend.
The film remained in the second spot for six weeks and inside the top 10 for 16 consecutive weeks en route to grossing $212.9 million worldwide.
Gremlins was the fourth highest-grossing film of the year, behind Beverly Hills Cop, Ghostbusters, and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
Roger Ebert gave Gremlins three out of four stars in his review.
Legacy
Gremlins‘ legacy rests on its historic role in reshaping the Hollywood rating system forever.
Alongside Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, the intense, boundary-pushing violence and dark tone of this film directly forced the MPAA to create the PG-13 rating in 1984, bridging the massive gap between family-friendly entertainment and mature horror.
Written by Chris Columbus and executive produced by Steven Spielberg, the movie established a definitive blueprint for the festive horror-comedy subgenre, proving that a film could dismantle wholesome holiday tropes while achieving massive commercial success.
Gremlins remains a beloved pop-culture phenomenon and an essential seasonal classic, celebrated for its anti-consumerist satire, its memorable theme song by Jerry Goldsmith, and its timeless warning about the unforeseen consequences of neglecting basic responsibilities.
