Gremlins | Canadian First Time Watching | Movie Reaction | Movie Review | Movie Commentary

[@CineBingeReact]

A good movie can be watched any time of the year, do you agree or disagree?

[@daniellooney8878]

For sure, rare case of sequel being = too or greater than original, but for different reasons. lol

[@tushinlungerjhider853]

My favorite Christmas movie tho.

[@williamdrake6711]

Agreed

[@boyce919]

yup

[@philoebeddo8724]

I could watch Gremlins every day

[@mojoshivers]

You should watch the sequel. It leans even further into parody and callbacks to other films and tv shows. It definitely goes for the humor even more than the original.

[@dukerstheartist]

Then watch the Key and Peele sketch about Gremlins 2

[@eduardomendesvieira2561]

The second movie is a masterpiece of comedy

[@woeshaling6421]

it parodies itself, great stuff

[@mojoshivers]

@@eduardomendesvieira2561 Seconded.

[@nitrokid]

Gremlins 2 is basically the first Gremlins on crack.

[@IggyStardust1967]

Fun fact: This movie was one of a few that were responsible for the creation of the PG-13 rating. Many parents brought their kids to see this, and were absolutely horrified by the violence it contained.

[@davevannatta985]

Along with Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

[@opalviking]

You’d think it would have been Jaws lol

[@IggyStardust1967]

@@louiegarcia2500 Jaws was tame compared to Temple of Doom and Gremlins, though. That's kinda saying something, if you think about it.

[@bryancorrell3689]

The kitchen fight scene was absolutely infamous at the time for how violent it was.

[@o0pinkdino0o]

Yeah, Poltergeist was released as a PG in America !

[@gishgali8354]

This movie was originally released in June of 1984, so you should feel fine about watching it any time of the year.

[@hellomark1]

This movie was also kinda light-heartedly billed to kids through the trailers, and led to a lot of nightmares (and surprises for parents)

[@handsomeDRAC]

Came out in theaters in summer but released on VHS during Christmas season.

[@boomhall]

I had to check, UK release was Dec'84. This was back in the good old days when films got released in the UK about 6 months after US, they must have been too tight to pay for Air Mail. I saw this in the cinema at the time with friends, I would have been 9! The place was full of kids. Things like the gremlin in the microwave we just thought was hilarious not horrifying. And yes George Gizmo dolls were a massive seller that Christmas!

[@doughbafett]

It came out the same day as Ghostbusters. We were so spoiled in the 80s.

[@jayeisenhardt1337]

@@boomhall A good demonstration of what not to do to your cat. The rare kid that's like, I gave him a bath and wanted to dry him in the microwave/dryer. Or they use the washing machine first. Oh goodness.

[@onikaze8445]

I know there was a penchant for GIs to blame "gremlins" if something was wrong with the machinery during WW2. There were a few bugs bunny cartoons that had Bugs fighting one that was sabotaging planes. throw "bugs bunny gremlin" into KZbin search to check out what it was like. there was also the classic Twilight Zone ep of a gremlin tearing apart an engine of an in flight passenger plane, William Shatner played in that ep while John Lithgow played the same role in the movie. this and Temple of Doom were put forth as why a new film rating was needed and prompted the PG-13 rating.

[@Rikard_Nilsson]

Jim Carey references Shatners role in "nightmare at 20000 feet" in Ace Ventura 2 (when they are flying to Africa) he plays with the curtains before turning around and saying "There's...something on the wing...some kind of...thing!". In the TZ episode nobody believes Shatners character since the gremlin hides when anyone else is looking, so he steals the air marshall's revolver, opens the door, and shoots it which leads to him being put in a strait-jacket at the end and supposedly taken to an insane asylum. And the gremlin is clearly just a man making a stupid face wearing some kind of woolly teddybear-costume.

[@stompievision]

Simpson referenced the twilight zone gremlin once too!

[@jacob4920]

@@stompievision With all of the references, it's clearly the most iconic Twilight Zone episode of all time. Because none of the other episodes, that I can recall, ever get that much play in pop culture.

[@stompievision]

@@jacob4920 ok?

[@kieransanders2133]

@@jacob4920 I keep meaning to finally sit down and watch all the episodes of the Twilight Zone. I carved out a whole weekend for it, but then I broke my glasses.

[@BrenGunR]

The mechanic not liking "foreign" things is because the character is a WWII veteran who fought against the Germans (and by extension, the Japanese). This is true for a lot of veterans (though definitely not all). My uncle was a Marine who fought against the Japanese and up until the day he died he couldn't stand having a Japanese car or electronics around, though surprisingly he didn't have an issue with Japanese people. This is also where him talking about "gremlins" comes from. The idea of them wreaking havoc with mechanical things comes from WWII.

[@Tr0nzoid]

Meanwhile, adding to more of that resentment, Japanese companies were really expanding and they were blamed for job losses as Ford, GM, and other companies shut down plants.

[@jayeisenhardt1337]

@@Tr0nzoid Mr. Roboto and I think I'm turning Japanese. Then kids playing on their video game systems. Whoa boy.

[@Hexon66]

@@Tr0nzoid More like that that they made better cars.

[@JJDumbface]

@@Hexon66 Yes, which resulted in the shutting down of Ford and GM plats across middle America. 2 things can be true at once.

[@vladyvhv9579]

Plus, back in the day, a lot of foreign made products really were inferior quality to US made ones.

[@DraggorLecanth]

You two would love the movie "Batteries Not Included". It's a classic like "Short Circuit" and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind". It's a heartfelt story and I highly encourage you to watch it. Watch all of the above if you haven't, but definitely watch "Batteries Not Included". I love your reactions and I can't wait for the "Gremlins 2" reaction 😊

[@tkurz3071]

Love those little floating hamburgers. Not enough people know about Batteries...

[@DraggorLecanth]

@@tkurz3071 They really are some of the most wholesome sci-fi critters 😊❤

[@brad481]

Adam Savage from mythbusters, on his youtube channel called Tested, he did a show and tell on one of the prop robots from that film and it brought back lots of great memories. Just wanted to put it out there if anyone wants to see

[@jayeisenhardt1337]

The first two are fun enough like gremlins. BNI, SC good movies. Close Encounters feels kinda strange to me. It's good but maybe more wow to it than fun. It has more amazing to it but some long slow build up? BNI it's more cute than the other two from what I remember. Gremlins 2, Critters, Short Circuit, Batteries Not Included. Then finally Close Encounter of the Third Kind. The Gate (1987) is another I want them to see, going a bit darker than Gremlins?

[@Travelinmatt1976]

I love that movie, it's so sweet and just kind of flew in under the radar

[@guitarman8462]

I was watching a classic Bug's Bunny cartoon from the very early days. And Bug's Bunny actually mentions what a Gremlin is. The cartoon is called " Falling Hare ". From 1943 around WW2. That's why in the movie the man with the tractor mentions Gremlins during WW2.

[@DKSean]

The sequel is great, especially with regards to some of the questions you had regarding the rules, it goes in such a fun direction.

[@CyberBeep_kenshi]

It's freaking hilarious

[@Baiko]

I like the sequel better.

[@SquigglyP]

Gremlins 2 is one of the best movie sequels of all time. It's both exactly the same premise but bigger, while also being completely different in tone and style. I like the first one, but I watch the sequel WAY more often.

[@acidrain92]

Yeah I think George in particular will like the sequel a lot more

[@jerodast]

Every time he asked a question about the rules I just thought "if you are interested in these details you gotta watch Gremlins 2". Not saying it will ANSWER those questions, but you gotta watch it :)

[@r4_broadcast]

Fun fact: the set for the town in this movie is the same set used for the clock tower in Back to the Future

[@shainewhite2781]

This movie was a lot darker and more violent in the original screenplay: Billy's mom was going to be decapitated by the gremlins then they would throw her head down a flight of stairs after he had come home. Another scene involved the gremlins attacking a McDonald's restaurant but instead of eating the hamburgers, they would kill and eat the customers. The original ending had Gizmo turn into a gremlin then he would kill Stripe to prevent more gremlins, but Spielberg didn't like this ending and had it changed into what it is now

[@toonami99]

I was about to comment about that too. I thought that that in the original, Gizmo and stripe were the same. I kind of wish I could read the original screen play.

[@UnlicensedOkie]

According to what I’ve learned, the McDonald’s scene was possibly changed due to the 1984 San Ysidro Mcdonalds massacre where one man shot up a McDonald’s in San Ysidro, California. Killing 21 people and wounding 19. Many of those killed were small children as well.

[@Cheepchipsable]

He originally wanted Stripe to eat an tank of compressed oxygen, then Billy would shoot it and it would explode, but decided that was too ridiculous...

[@chrisellus2655]

Cheers, good sir, Saved me the time to have to remark this knowledge

[@YorkshiremanReacts26]

He wanted the same ending as jaws? @@Cheepchipsable

[@CaptainAmercia]

1:58 He's got one of those self cleaning shirts my guy, brought up in the novelization of the film.

[@raydurz]

Whenever I see Phoebe Cates the first thing that pops in my head is "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" :)

[@putnonmypjs7550]

Perv. There is more to a woman than just her taking her bikini off while being sprinkled with water

[@richardrobbins387]

Also the first thing that pops into Judge Reinhold's head 😉

[@josephamoraz7990]

Moving in stereo

[@LordLOC]

First thing that comes to mind whenever I see Phoebe Cates is Abraham Lincoln.....

[@scotthewitt258]

Well, two things. That are moving in stereo.....

[@thetankgarage]

I got on the internet in 1996, my first handle, and my handle still is Gremmel. Because two Gremlins, one Gremmel, obviously :)

[@ChannelReuploads9451]

80's was a great time for cinema. 15 Years old, watching this, and the ENTIRE audience bursting in to hysterical laughter at the Microwave scene, And the timer "DING !" was the icing on the cake.

[@martinbraun1211]

GIZMO is even cuter in part two! Please watch it!

[@miriam8376]

This has to be one of the earliest horror-comedies. It hit at exactly the right age for me-all my friends could quote it word for word with me, and it’s not until adulthood that I realized just how unique the tone was for so long.

[@keithralston1133]

The term gremlin started in the early 20th century to "explain" malfunctions in aircraft and later other machinery. For instance there are some WW II cartoons with gremlins pictured.

[@jp3813]

28:15 Isn't it enough that Billy caused the explosion that took out all of the gremlins in the theater? BTW, you can balance out watching this movie in October by watching Gremlins 2 in December b/c that sequel doesn't take place on Christmas.

[@StCerberusEngel]

Simone now needs her own Gizmo doll. Also, I think it's generally accepted that the "after midnight" rule lasts until dawn.

[@Harv72b]

They'd get awful hungry during Northern Alaskan winters.

[@jayeisenhardt1337]

Time zones hmm? Flying toward sunrise or away from it. What about place's I've only heard about. Midnight sun and all that. Does make you wonder what rules you can bend with eating up north.

[@leovk5779]

Well, Gremlins is a parody of monsters movie and their weird rules (vampires, werewolves, etc), so the "after midnight" is, I think, intentionally vague and kinda nonsensical.

[@Anson_AKB]

@@jayeisenhardt1337 old joke/saying : there are people who never drink (alcohol) before 4pm ... ... but luckily for them, there always is some place on earth where it is after 4pm :-)

[@daveweston5158]

A couple of fun 'Easter Eggs'; At the beginning of the film, you may notice that the theater is playing a double feature of 'A Boys Life' and 'Watch the Skies' These were original working titles for 'E.T.' and Close Encounters of the Third Kind'. Rewatch the scene with the inventors convention, and you'll see Steven Spielberg riding around in an electric vehicle, Jerry Goldsmith on the phone (only to be replaced by Robby the Robot from 'Forbidden Planet', quoting some of his lines from that movie), and George Pal's Time Machine from the movie of the same name, that has vanished one scene later... Oh,. and the artist Billy is showing his work to in the bar early in the movie? Chuck Jones...🙂

[@stevencavanagh7990]

George watching this film is like a Norwegian watching the Thing, they know exactly what is meant, and it's so much fun Think of it like this, Gizmo is so cute he makes you drop your guard and then the real chaos starts, hence why he's the Mogwai

[@putnonmypjs7550]

As you read the comments you already see lots of people are recommending you watch Gremlins 2. I recommend it as well. It's a different tone. It's less serious and more funny. I bet the two of you will be laughing really hard and your fans will love it! 😀

[@genkigirl4859]

Gremlins 2 is one of the best movies ever made lol

[@Trowa71]

It's a perfect sequel, something to be studied.

[@bryancorrell3689]

As crazy as the first one is, the sequel is absolutely bat-shit bonkers. And awesome.

[@Arxane]

If you’re wondering about that out-of-nowhere scene referencing “Flashdance” at the bar, it’s because Michael Sembello, the guy who wrote and performed “Maniac” from that movie, composed the background music for the bar scene.

[@jamietaylor5570]

In the book of the film there's backstory on what the mogwai actually are. It doesn't actually make all that much sense, but it's there.

[@BRISK3T]

Great reaction guys, unsure if anyone has mentioned it but i love that the Dad has called him Gizmo, which is another word for gadget which is what his father makes a living on. Loved this film growing up, i remember my little brother crying his eyes out when he says bye bye Billy at the end haha And yeah a very subtle selling ploy by saying every kid would want one. Most 80's/early 90's cartoons and kids shows were basically 20 minute to half hour toy adverts

[@RonJomero]

RE: Thinking the mom was going to get killed. The original draft of the movie was straight-up horror, and the mom is the one that gets decapitated. The decision was made to tone down the pure-horror elements, though there's still some fairly disturbing stuff in there for a PG movie. I saw this in the theater when I was 5, and it was a bit much. But I still loved the Gremlins and Gizmo, and yes, I did have some toys that the movie made sure to sell me.

[@theeLonelyRedPanda]

was it the mom? I was told it was the old lady that was supposed to get decapitated then they were suppose to roll her head down the stairs, but that was to dark so they used the mobility chair lift device.

[@banditcroco9014]

@@theeLonelyRedPanda it was indeed the mom. Billy was supposed to come home to her head rolling down the stairs

[@michaelsheehan5559]

OMG! I just saw this and became unreasonably excited, then you uttered that timeless question, "To shreds you say?" And his wife?

[@FrozZzenFury]

My biggest issue with the movie is the snow...and the gremlins walking in the snow and somehow not getting wet.

[@whitediggity]

I never not once actually thought of that. And I’ve watched this movie probably 20 times in 35 years.

[@shanedoe3462]

I've heard that explained as the Gremlins being cold-blooded, so no body heat to melt the snow into water. A little far-fetched, but we're talking about little green monsters, so I'm all in.

[@doughbafett]

What about them drinking all that alcohol at the bar?

[@pvanukoff]

My head-canon supposes that they must have water-sensitive patches of skin only on their back. This would explain how they can drink liquids or walk on wet surfaces.

[@LordLOC]

I mean you can't really dive deep into the mechanics of the lore because it literally makes no sense (which is why they make fun of it themselves in Gremlins 2) but I always just took it as it has to be SPECIFICALLY water, alcohol doesn't count, frozen water doesn't count (but it should lol) etc. etc.

[@timothywhitfield8785]

Fun fact - Gremlins and Back To The Future with both shot in the same studio lot. They are actually the exact same buildings as both movies were filmed at Universal Studios, specifically the Courthouse Square set and movie theater. The lot was also used in a old Twilight Zone series and many other films and TV shows from 1949 till now.

[@maisiesummers42]

Much has been made of the rules, especially the "after midnight" one. I always took it to mean that a new day begins with the dawn, and with fresh sunlight it's safe to feed them. It's always local. It's still reasonably common, I think, that sunrise is regarded as the beginning of the new day.

[@robertrobinette1285]

Gremlins was released June, 08 1984. So, everyone one who saw originally saw it over the summer. For me in was in the back of a truck at the drive-in. Watch it when you want!

[@hanskneesun123]

As a kid I'd heard adults speak about Gremlins and knew they'd blame them for unexplained mechanical or electronic problems or faults, this was before the movie, apparently the RAF mentioned them as early as the 1920's but I 1st saw them on screen in a Bugs Bunny cartoon 'Falling Hare'.

[@FresnoCA93727]

“Bye, Billy.” 🥺 Gets me every time.

[@DanielKjeldal]

It was a bit of a tradition back in the 90's to tell younger relatives and neighbour kids that this was a fun chill Christmas film and await the phone calls from angry parents. One of my cousins is in his mid twenties and he still can't watch this film, it just freaked him out too much as a kid.

[@suprchickn7745]

Fun trivia: the voice of Gizmo is Howie Mandel and the older gentleman who is discussing the main character's artwork in the beginning is none other than the legendary Chuck Jones of Warner Brothers cartoon fame. Also, the younger brother is Corey Feldman.

[@michaelkonig530]

As some have already mentioned, the rules (e.g. what about time zones?) are made fun off in the sequel. The concept of Germlins is based on a story by Roald Dahl that is set in WW2, where they sabotage planes, which is why Futterman, who is a veteran, thinks Gremlins are loose when technology doesn‘t work as expected. Talking of Futterman; He‘s played by Dick Miller, who was director Joe Dante‘s good luck charm. He has at least a small role in almost all of Joe Dante‘s movies.

[@Madbandit77]

Dick Miller equals quality. I miss him.

[@Ghost8386]

RIP Dick Miller, Don Steele, Edward Andrews, Harry Carey Jr, Hoyt Axton, and Keye Luke.

[@PhatLayCes7825]

Gremlins had some kind of World War II folklore that I recognized when Twilight Zone had an episode about them. It was originally a short story featuring William Shatner, then the movie version had John Lithgow.

[@Acme1970]

Whenever a piece of equipment or vehicle wouldn't work for unknown reasons the servicemen would always blame Gremlins for the problem.

[@LordLOC]

Yeah, during (and after WW2) many soldiers would blame "gremlins" on mechanical failures and what not, and the "lore" just stuck around for decades and some people even still say it today (but it's quite rare I'm sure). I don't think they literally thought small monsters were doing it, but what do I know lol

[@jahrolo]

I had a little Gizmo-puppet as a kid and gave it to my baby brother. Last week his son was born and guess what sits in the nursing room, waiting for the little guy? :) The puppet is over 30 years old by now...

[@TReynard11]

PLEASE watch Gremlins 2. One of the best sequels ever.

[@tracyturner310]

fun fact the old man in the bar was chuck jones the guy who did the roadrunner cartoons and directed how the grinch stole christmas short and gremlins 2 is great

[@McPh1741]

My only problem with this movie is the huge plot hole of it being in winter time. Snow is water. Would the gremlins waking around in the snow just continuously multiply?

[@professornoir8114]

Does Cum count as well?

[@christinadoxstader3004]

Fun story When I was a kid I was watching this movie with my grandfather. He always had a bit of a weird sense of humor, it's why we connected so well, and when he saw that lady fly through that window he went into a rolling laughter. I never saw him laugh that hard before or after. It's a messed up scene but so so funny.

[@roadrunner3100]

Hoyt Axton, who played the dad, was actually a songwriter. He wrote 'Joy to the World' and 'I've Never Been to Spain,' both covered by Three Dog Night and 'The Pusher,' covered by Steppenwolf, among others.

[@auerstadt06]

And the "No, No, No" song.

[@CrocodilePile]

The DAD is country music star Hoyt Axton, who also wrote the hit song JOY TO THE WORLD for Three Dog Night. A song you might know better by its iconic opening line... "Jeremiah was a bullfrog! Was a good friend of mine."

[@DarthCrimsonDeath]

Gremlins 2: The New Batch is not only a sequel that is as good or in some ways better than the original great one, the sequel is a parody and satire of television and films and even itself. It's a lot of good humor and fun. THAT ONE would qualify definitely for Halloween viewing. I should really see it again before the month is up, this one is so awesome it put me in the mood for more Gremlins mayhem.

[@TheDancerMacabre]

The director only agreed to do a sequel if he was given FULL creative control. The Studio looked for someone else, couldn't find anyone to want to do the sequel so they caved. The special FX house signed up and just made whatever and then included into the story somehow. The Key and Peele sketch is shockingly close to what happened according to Joe Dante (Except he was the crazy director)

[@McPh1741]

The movie Billy was watching when he fed them after midnight was the original “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” it’s a great sci-fi movie and the 1978 remake with Donald Sutherland is even better. I recommend both.

[@MaikKellerhals]

If you want even more comedy, watch Gremlins 2 ;)

[@tracyoliver6648]

4:00. "And your little dog, too! *maniacal cackling*"

[@mikebrown7799]

George, the question about Time Zones does come up in "Gremlins 2: The New Batch" (1990). If you thought Gremlins was crazy, you should see Gremlins 2. Great reactions to the original Gremlins, Simone & George!!!🎬👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@ShinNorimaro]

Hope you guys watch the second one. It is so much fun. The thing about the Gremlins was they were so into having fun… like party animals.

[@RaGniToC30]

For me, this is definitely more a christmas movie then halloween.

[@Madbandit77]

I think it's a beautiful toss-up between the two holidays.

[@RaGniToC30]

@@Madbandit77 true ^^

[@fredcookerly9385]

Nothing says "Christmas movie" like an anecdote about dad breaking his neck in the chimney.

[@tylerfoster6267]

One of those two terrible cops is played by Jonathan Banks, who would shoot to TV immortality almost 30 years later as Mike Ehrmantraut on the TV shows "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul." Joe Dante has directed quite a few fun movies, including both Gremlins, the sci-fi comedy Innerspace, the Tom Hanks horror-comedy The 'Burbs, and segments of the cult sketch comedy classic Amazon Women on the Moon. My personal favorite, though, is the surprisingly sweet nostalgic comedy-drama Matinee.

[@tylerfoster6267]

@@John_Locke_108 Probably! I never saw it but he was a "that guy" character actor for a long time. Beverly Hills Cop would be another big '80s movie where he plays a prominent stooge.

[@WastedPo]

A couple points: I feel like the standout scene of Gremlins is the mom in the kitchen. In fact, it's so good, it outshines anything Billy does for the entirety of the movie. I also think that this scene never really got its "due" when the movie came out. People were reeling over how violent it was for what they expected, that it wasn't appreciated how subversive and ahead-of-its-time it was for Mom to turn into a killing machine. Billy: He's kind of a weird protagonist. It's like the original script wanted the main character to be around 12. So much of the story seems tailor-made for that age-range. The dad absolutely needing a special Christmas gift for his son. (A dad only really cares about that kind of thing for a young kid.) The whole bond between the son and the new pet. Billy being friends with a much younger Corey Feldman. Etc. ... I feel like at some point, a decision was made to turn Billy into a young adult, but the script wasn't fully adjusted, so some of those elements don't quite land the way they're supposed to.

[@CyberBeep_kenshi]

One of the best movies, also, Gremlins 2! I STILL use 'bright light' in the morning...... I just love it

[@cjpolett2055]

RIGHT INTO GREMLINS 2! IT'S INCREDIBLE! Joe Dante just let the puppeteers unleash their imaginations

[@TomVCunningham]

This movie is perfect to watch between Halloween and Christmas, or anytime! Classic!

[@TheNeonRabbit]

A gremlin is a mischievous folkloric creature invented at the beginning of the 20th century to originally explain malfunctions in aircraft and later in other machinery.

[@Ratatosk80]

Watched this movie alone one evening as a 7 year old kid. Gave me nightmares for years lol. Classic movie.

[@ridleysaria]

Gizmo making Simone's heart melt is exactly what I wanted to see out of this reaction. Did not disappoint. George, because of all the questions you were asking about the rules, you need to see the sequel for one scene in particular.

[@Annonymous0283745]

Gremlins is one of those magical movies that is acceptable for both Christmas and Halloween.

[@MartinBeerbom]

The dance movie was "Flashdance", which got a couple of songs composed for it by Michael Sembello, and Michael Sembello also provided the song here for the bar scene (titled "Gremlins...Mega Madness").

[@AlienDenzil85]

When Gremlins was originally released, it was given a 15 age rating here in the UK. The BBFC felt it was too much to be a PG, so had to go with a 15 rating. So much for all the merchandising selling Gizmo dolls, etc!

[@HerbSparks]

Gremlins and Temple of Doom were basically responsible for the creation of the PG-13 rating in the U.S.

[@AlienDenzil85]

@@HerbSparks I find it interesting that the UK introduced a 12 rating for Batman in 1989, but it wasn't until The Bourne Identity in 2002 that we got our PG-13 equivalent in the 12A rating.

[@HerbSparks]

@@Rocket1377 Hey. They sold tons of RoboCop toys and that was a hard R.

[@GrrrTurtle]

"What happens with Timezones is a running gag. There is so so so so much supplemental material to these two films.

[@shanewillis316]

I highly recommend the sequel. The New Batch is pretty good and funny. Definitely worth a watch.

[@jessharvell1022]

this was basically chris columbus and joe dante's love letter to the b-grade monster movies of the 1950s, so the "rules" should be taken about as seriously as anything in those movies (not at all). the modern obsession with lore/backstory and things "making sense" in a post cinema sins way rarely lines up with movies from before the 21st century, especially the further back you go.

[@smavtmb2196]

Love this movie I saw it in 84 when I was 9 At that age I was creeped out by the gremlins but not really scared. I was however very worried for the safety of adorable Gizmo. Gizmo the orginal baby Yoda in terms of cutest. Everything needs water to live so what can Gizmo drink? They based furbies on him but they are more weird looking than cute. The town is the same movie set used in "Back To The Future" and there is also connections between Back to the Future and "Its a wonderful life" but can't remember what they are at the moment. You can look it up. I though Kate's dads death story felt out of place/too dark. However apparently in an earlier script the Gremlins were even worse the dog was killed and Billy's mom was beheaded. It always seemed to me that evil Mrs Deagle believed the gremlins were little demons coming to take her to hell. She's even says something along the lines of They've come for me but I'm not ready yet. Watch the sequel?

[@anothervagabond]

I still maintain that for a movie to be a Christmas movie it has to be **about** Christmas, not just set during Christmas.

[@michaelwoods3651]

I think they meant from midnight to dawn. Such a great movie! Great reaction, as always!

[@Downtime-33]

Gemlins 2 answers a lot of the hypotheticals that came up in this review. It's a little more campy and it does well to keep the concept fresh without being a shot for shot remake.

[@Version0111]

As someone who was right at the kids wanting stuff age at the time, I am qualified to tell you that they didn't release toys with this movie. I think they started making them a few years later but by that time the hype for them died down. I especially remember because all the adults at the time were also saying the toys would have been the hot gift of the year. I also remember the exact same conversation came up with another movie (I'm not sure if you saw this one or not, so slight SPOILER just in case) Short Circuit 2. There were toy robots in the beginning of that movie and everyone was saying the movie was only made to sell those robots, but the toys never became available for sale.

[@Twiska]

Please react to Gremlins 2.

[@Aeonova]

4:09 The mug larger than her head makes a cameo.

[@tonyrossell832]

Great reaction! I just knew Simone's heart would melt when she saw Gizmo, also it seems like you missed when Gizmo said bye to the dog on the way out. He said "bye woof woof". Yes it's a Christmas movie but I won't blame you for watching it early, I'll blame your patrons, they should have told you. Keep up the great work and please watch the sequel it's a lot of fun.

[@TANKTREAD]

Had a great time seeing this when I was 10 years old in theaters back in 1984. AWESOME score composed and conducted by Jerry Goldsmith. Love that 'Gremlin Rag'. He made a cameo in the movie, as well as in the sequel("Gremlins 2: The New Batch"), which he also scored.

[@byron7583]

Gremlins is a perfect movie. it's timeless

[@lucasmelee]

This movie is from 1984, Furby was released in 1998. Lawsuits were involved but the details were never made public so this is not a furby propaganda. Tiger Toys and Hasbro had no ties with the movie studio. Most likely, they thought that 14 years later nobody would notice. AS for the Gremlin references, they stem from one of the most iconic twilight zone episodes: Nightmare at 20,000 Feet where a gremlin that only the protag could see, would mercilessly attempt to sabotage the airplane he was in. The story itself stems from a urban legend in the Royal Air Force, during WWII, where airplane and other machine malfuction were attributed to those creatures.

[@RemoraDFC343]

Gremlins. Great film. Part of anyone's Christmas playlist. Along with Die Hard 1, Die Hard 2, Lethal Weapon 1, and Fatman

[@guitarman8462]

Also in the origional script , the mother gets her head chopped off by a Gremlin. And all the gremlins go to a mcdonalds. Instead of eating the food , they eat all the customers & workers and kill everyone in town.

[@MovieDan1011]

Been looking forward to this reaction all week i think we all knew Simone would love Gizmo😂love Georges simpsons references too🤣

[@Jeff_Lichtman]

There was no CGI in 1984. The Gremlins were animatronic, and cost over $30,000 each. Security searched people's cars every day to make sure they weren't stolen. The original idea was to use stop motion animation for the gremlins. Special effects wizard Chris Walas wanted to use puppets. Someone at Warner Brothers thought it would be a good idea to use spider monkeys dressed in gremlin costumes. They tested this in director Joe Dante's office, and it didn't go well. For some reason, the test monkey didn't like being dressed as a gremlin, and it went nuts, destroying Dante's office. After the animal trainer got the monkey back under control, Walas said, "So, puppets?" When Warner Brothers received the first cut of the movie, they sent a note to Steven Spielberg and director Joe Dante complaining there were too many gremlins. Spielberg suggested cutting them all out and renaming the movie to "People." At least one of Phoebe Cates' screams was real. In one scene, a big cockroach crawled out in front of her, and they used her reaction in the movie. Gremlins and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom inspired the MPAA to create the PG-13 rating. These two movies were too violent for PG, but not enough for R. The original script was very violent, but Joe Dante and Steven Spielberg wanted to make it family friendly, so they changed the more violent scenes. Contrary to popular belief, there is no secret R-rated version of this movie. Near the beginning of the movie you can see a wrecked AMC Gremlin (back then, "AMC" stood for "American Motors Corporation," not "American Movie Classics.") These cars are scarce and collectible today, and are now seen as the beginning of the end for AMC. The company renamed itself "Jeep Eagle Corporation" in 1988, and merged with Chrysler in 1990, six years after the release of this movie. The dog's reaction on seeing Gizmo for the first time was genuine. It was truly startled by the appearance of the puppet. Keye Luke was 78 years old when filming began, but he looked so good they had to rely on makeup to make him look old.

[@PhatLayCes7825]

I literally seen this when I was 8 or 9 and it didn't phase me.. watching this now with some of the death scenes is pretty brutal I must say!

[@misterkite]

This came out when I was in second grade, and we all saw this in the theater. I remember drawing the microwave scene with my friend in class.

[@lucidiously]

Kids aren't that easily fazed, and as a kid you just don't think about it that way and are just enjoying all the crazy antics. In a way it's like watching a Looney Tunes cartoon. But an adult understands the implications of the violence that's happening.

[@van8ryan]

This movie also came out in theaters the same weekend GHOSTBUSTERS was released, and did as well as GB (although the latter made more money), but Joe Dante always joked that, "In New York City, where NY traffic was always interrupted by their filming, WE ALWAYS did better than GHOSTBUSTERS."

[@gabedamien]

"But it's always after midnight." THANK YOU. Even as a kid this bugged me.

[@jculver1674]

I always saw it as between midnight and dawn.

[@kurtdebaillie5589]

FYI : in the original script - which was still straight up horror - the mom did get killed

[@TheDemonicPenguin]

Watch the sequel! It's a cult classic and completely bananas.

[@meadmaker4525]

I wonder if they've ever seen Police Academy (1984)? I think they'd be crying laughing the whole time, and Simone's expression during the podium scene would be priceless!!

[@jamietaylor5570]

Excellent! Hope you watch Gremlins 2 soon, too. (If it isn't soon, suggest you re-watch this one before seeing the sequel.)

[@biguy617]

Howie Mandel does the voice of Gizmo. The voices of the other Gremlins are Michael Winslow, Mark Dodson, Peter Cullen, Bob Bergen, Michael Sheehan and Bob Holt.

[@Chicklo11]

Gremlins 2 is a little bit polarising, but personally I love it. It basically removes the darker aspect of the film and just goes full out chaotic comedy.

[@TheMarcHicks]

Its an awesome sequel.

[@Notepad37]

The gremlin is a creature made up to explain malfunctions in, at first, aircraft in 1900's and then basically machines in general. If it had a problem that couldn't be explained, it had a "gremlin" in it. There is even an old Bugs Bunny cartoon where he is fighting a gremlin in a plane that is trying to crash it, can find it here on youtube. This plays into what the guy was saying about foreigners putting gremlins in machines and the fact that the dads inventions never work properly.

[@Bartlebycs]

If Die Hard is a christmas movie, then Gremlins can be a Christmas movie. Also, this is one of my favorite series. Gremlins 3 confirmed for 2023!

[@Bartlebycs]

@@Rocket1377 Yup! Can't wait!

[@jamesstringer5170]

This movie was the last appearance of Robby the Robot from "Forbidden Planet" (the robot next to the dad, Hoyt Axton at the inventors conveniton). When the director said "cut", one of the arms fell out of the torso - the fiberglass it was made of was really deterating.

[@Rancorous_Ryan]

After Die Hard, I consider this to be the second best Christmas movie of all time!

[@MrStGeorgeIllawarra]

Warner Bros tried a few times to pressure the director Joe Dante to get the Phoebe Cates speech about her father cut from the film. Until Spielberg heard and just said "NO, it stays" and it did.

[@richellewatts1562]

With George's deep deep dive and Simone's huge mug, made this reaction to a favorite movie of mine even better!! 🤣🤣🤣 Much love 💜💜💜

[@silentjay01]

There will be talk about which movies you should watch for Halloween or which movies you should watch for Christmas, but I am here to say that there are other Holidays and movies to watch where the Holiday is key to the plot. Chief among these should be "Planes, Trains, & Automobiles" (1987) for Thanksgiving and "The Thin Man" (1934) for New Years Day.

[@richardb6260]

Definitely a Christmas movie. Even more so than Die Hard. Even though Gremlins, like Die Hard, came out in the Summer. BTW, the guy commenting on Billy's drawing is famed Looney Tunes director, Chuck Jones. He directed some of the best Bugs Bunny and Roadrunner cartoons. He also directed the animated How the Grinch stole Christmas. Jones and director Joe Dante were good friends. Dante named a high school after him in his film, Explorers. The mechanic who hates foreign cars is Dick Miller. He started out in Roger Corman films, including Little Shop of Horrors. Dante has put him in most of his movies.