The Gate Review - Off The Shelf Reviews

Join Gary and Iain for a review and discussion of, The Gate (1987) by Director, Tibor Takács. Starring, Stephen Dorff, Christa Denton and Louis Tripp.
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[@robertallen2109]

Caught this at a hotel on a trip with my sister and parents while they were at a conference when I was a little kid. I was into rockets too and actually owned the black one they shoot off about midway through the film. Scared the hell out of me but I loved it and still do today! Made my wife watch it for the first time this Halloween and she loved it. Iain hits the nail on the head, fantastic gateway horror film for kids.

[@FireTiger941]

31:20 The parents come back at the end and once they see that the house is destroyed they say...."YOU'VE...BEEN... BAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!!" LOL

[@JezzebellaLu]

OHHHH MYYYY GADDDDDD!!!!!! THE GATE!!!!!!!!!!!! This was my first horror movie!!!! YOU JUST KEEP KNOCKING THEM OUT OF THE FUCKING PARK, OFF THE SHELF!!!! (Just to clarify... ^ that was a Red Letter Media reference... I haven't lost my mind...)

[@willmcgill5742]

I actually found Off the Shelf through a YT suggestion, since I watched a lot of RLM.

[@AlexaExtraordinaire]

I saw The Gate in the cinema back in the day and I had a blast! Along with Hellraiser, Elm Street 3, The Kindred, House II, The Lost Boys and Near Dark it made my 1987 :-) A great year for horror.

[@user-dt3rj8qm3k]

I was 11 years old when this film was made. An absolute classic

[@AarenJable]

Awesome review guys, this is definitely an 80's classic.

[@pho3nixinflight]

This movie scared the shit out of me as a kid. I’d have nightmares for years but could never remember where the images in my dreams came from.

[@DrRockso79]

As a kid this movie was my gateway (no pun intended haha) into horror movies.

[@ZephusVargr]

Dude, those minions scared the shit out of me as a kid. This movie gave me (and probably still gives me) nightmares! Lol

[@waynesWyrdWorld]

You've been BAAAAAAAAAD!! Amazing movie, I remember watching this late on ITV as a horror double bill!

[@thecinematicmind]

Manage to see The Gate in the cinema very recently at the BFI Southbank and I only recognise the poster prior to watching it. I really enjoyed it. Wished this came out on Blu-ray in the UK.

[@Tailsofthecryptid]

It has now

[@Giantshredder]

Hi guys...can you do Creepshow, and Creepshow 2? Would look forward to seeing those reviews and your comments on them. Thanks.

[@FrancisXLord]

I remember watching this film and thinking the whole time, while watching the demons, 'That's very good stop-motion.' Then I thought maybe they'd outsourced the final sequence because it didn't seem as good. That was actually scaled down live action? WTF?!!! Me thinks me best watch this again, right now.

[@johnnymcauliffe1289]

I thought my introduction to Stephen Dorff was his portrayal as Stuart Sutcliffe in 1994's "Backbeat." However, I did see this movie earlier on, when I was younger, I just never knew that it was him.

[@pauljamieson4210]

Saw it as a kid in the 80's on tv and bought it on vhs in the early 90's and recently needing to re-fall in love with the movie again and have 👍👍

[@averagechadlegionary5824]

I absolutely loved The Gate it was a fun and enjoyable adventure!

[@FrancisXLord]

That was actually a much better film than I remember. I once thought this to be quite a silly premise of a film. I thought the effects were the only thing that was any good but actually the production standards are quite high. Even the hokiest part of this (that sunrise shot) doesn't look half as hokey as some of the stuff they're putting out in films these days. It doesn't draw attention to itself as a superimposed background so much because there is no 'wobble'. I hate wobble. Wobble is supposed to further trick the brain into thinking two composited images are the same image by having them move in unison, and are inserted just to trick the brain but without any motivation for the camera. Camera movement should be motivated by movement of characters or it draws attention to itself. It is either a cry of, 'Ooh look what camera movement I can do,' or 'Even though this is obviously a composite shot, we're so clever we don't have to keep the camera still,' which is pretty much how I read it now. Move the composited images just make those movements motivated by the characters else I'm always going to think some effects guy hit the 'wobble' key thus it is fake, and so it defeats the whole point of having an effect. An effect shouldn't draw attention to itself. Maybe there shouldn't be an Oscar for effects because that just encourages the effects people to draw attention to their effects, and they can be really good at that. Unfortunately that behaviour often doesn't serve the film best.

[@bluefirefly4073]

I love this film. It was the first "horror" movie I let my son see and he loved it, too. Really enjoy your reviews. Would you consider doing Return of the Living Dead, Night of the Demons, Re-animator, The Brood, The Howling, Critters, Ghoulies (just to name a few), or any of those cheesy horror films from the 80s?

[@pamliconero]

Fun fact: sometimes film titles are being translated in very funny ways here in Italy. The Texas chainsaw massacre became Non aprite quella porta (meaning "don't open that door"). The Gate, in order to profit somehow of the success of The Texas chainsaw massacre, became Non aprite quel cancello (meaning "don't open that gate").

[@JasonHawk]

Love the reviews, guys! Keep up the good work.

[@joshuatunis6732]

I still find this movie creepy as hell even today simply because so much of it doesn't make sense. There's no rhyme or reason to much of it, but not in a bad way, in a scary and unpredictable way.

[@pyrodiscoflash6115]

The Gate is like The Explorer's in that Explorers is Aliens and building a Space Ship, the Gate is Demons and Playing Records Backwards to Unlock the Spell by the Stranger Things Kids, with Some House and House 2, great 80s magic, now quickly get a Ouija Board play that Record backwards and find the Crystal Frequency Enhancer and everything will be Just Fine

[@joshuatunis6732]

The phone melting and the little minions part always creeps me right thr fuck out.

[@BrookeEvangelineWinter]

When I was a kid I was so creeped out by the eye in the hand 😬

[@cristerowarrior1450]

I first heard of this movie form the movie The Burbs when Cory Feldman's character mentions the movie by name

[@75Desmondo]

The scene at 24.00 was brilliant

[@disturbedpyro4511]

I had vauge memories of watching this movie as a child. Especially the part when Glenn stabs the eye in his hand. Now I know why I buried most of this movie into my subconscious. This movie was scary as fuck for children. Thanks to your review I remeber all of this now! Now I know why I love horror movies so much!

[@casperdaghost7836]

Man I remember having this on vhs. This was so great. U know what I with about ur video, "you've been bad!!!" Lol thanks for the review

[@Newjourney14]

i think i saw gate II in the theatre. might have been a very very limited release. (America). Gate always terrified me as a kid and still can freak me out if I'm in the house alone at night watching it haha.

[@TheBatrahian]

One of my favourites movies as a kid. Perfect film for sleepovers.

[@YOUANDME527]

This is a are you afraid of the dark episode where a kid finds he can feed humans to this demon behind a celler in the basement

[@LoneWolf81684]

I first saw this film in 1989. I was 4, and terrified of it lol. Great review!

[@soldierofchaos84]

Holy crap I was waiting for you guys to do this one.yes!

[@Stevo-to2go]

Loved this movie as a kid. Not seen it since. Must find it on blu ray.

[@josephsawyer3982]

I forgot there was a sequel I know I saw it once but don't remember a thing about it

[@pablogracia305]

Awesome review! you 2 are doing a great job! ;) keep it up boys

[@alexives9274]

80s knew how to make a horror movie what the fk happend man

[@azraelswrd]

more PG-13 focused found footage trope over reliance on jump-scares reboots/remakes that feel like cashgrabs looks and feels cheaply produced -- see SyFy films for examples

[@alexives9274]

lol yep

[@MainframeTM]

Another great review guys of an awesome movie. Every since this one when I was a kid the eyeball in the hand always made me want one. lol

[@RevDooDatt]

@31:47 - what about Time Bandits ? " mom, dad, don't touch it ! It's EVIL ! ".

[@alexjacobsen8487]

Id love you guys to do a QA video

[@briefcasetaco]

that Children of Bodom shirt is sick love that band

[@jacksmith3189]

Another great review

[@bt3978]

Can you do review of Arizona dream (1993) no one on KZbin ever did review on this film :D

[@MrLorenzovanmatterho]

Did you ever watch Subspecies, it has a lot of minion action very similar to this. What I liked about this was the brother/sister relationship, they were obviously thick as thieves but as she's now a teenager she's growing beyond him, it's well played. Interesting to watch this after seeing Cabin in the Woods. I've no problem with the Christian bible defeating ancient demons, remember it superseded them. Amazing violence for a PG13, both the eye-stabbing and self harm are look away moments. I think they'll be okay with their parents, they can't be blamed for a tornado messing up the neighbourhood?

[@NoirTech83]

Unless I'm missing something, I dont think these are true forced perspective shots in camera, I think they are cut together like they would a matte painting

[@georgetaylor2024]

Awesome interesting review

[@MrMattycourt]

Me and my bro watched this film on rental when I was about 8, it definitly opened my eyes to horror from a young age. Although we both cracked up at the bit with the boy dancing with the dead dog, looked fake as shit

[@jasondouglas152]

Do " The Crow Wicked Prayer" It's a guilty pleasure of mine. It's so bad it's good. Actually has an amazing cast .... Edward Furlong , David Bortez , Dennis Hopper , Tara Reid , Tito Ortiz , and it's so over the top and so over acted that it makes a great comedy. Just watch it as a comedy .. Not a drama... Enjoy

[@mikeaube8172]

Nice Children Of Bodom shirt!

[@Howard_the_Duck]

COB! Gary's a metal fan? Noice.

[@jacketman420]

children of bodem shirt.... nice bro lol.

[@107g]

I love you guys swear 🙏

[@_JoJo83_]

Im so rapt you guys reviewed this movie!! 😆

[@haramberoth117]

Live action ed edd and eddy the movie

[@jacobsteele7138]

I loved that movie. Doesn't hold up as well now.

[@estebanacevedo9826]

Guys, I love your reviews, but.. pleeeease... pump the volume a little bit more...

[@OffTheShelfReviews]

Hi Esteban. Its a recurring problem we have. Those responsible have been sacked. If it continues then those responsible for the sacking of those responsible will be sacked. :) - Iain

[@estebanacevedo9826]

Good to know you have your hands on the bussiness. Thanks for the reply :D

[@Legs05]

Love the first one gate 2 is.....okay.....

[@limaanzadegi5397]

Good review - would have been better without the comments about 'the Christian Bible', which were ignorant and irrelevant.

[@M85619]

The Gate>>>Monster Squad

[@chaz9808]

"Stephen Dorff can act" umm....

[@porkflaps4717]

Just because the Bible was written later in history doesn't mean that there was a history BEFORE God.

[@travellingshoes5241]

Off The Shelf Refuse?

[@lectornox]

Cool a hell mouth lol

[@billclay2678]

What do you mean demons were around before Christianity? You know Christianity dates right back to the creation, right?

[@AlphaOmega503]

christianity was before Jesus Christ?

[@cultofthorn]

Children of Bodom \m/ \m/