Gremlins (1984)

Country of Origin: USA
Year of Production: 1984
Running Times: 106 mins
Length: 2912 metres
Format: Technicolour     35mm
Ratio: 1.85:1
Sound: Dolby (35mm prints)     70mm 6-Track (70mm prints)

CREDITS

PRODUCTION
Production Companies: Amblin Entertainment / Warner Bros.
Executive Producers: Steven Spielberg, Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy
Producer: Michael Finnell
Unit Production Manager: Phil Rawlins

SCRIPT
Script: Chris Columbus

DIRECTION
Director: Joe Dante
1st Assistant Director: James Quinn
2nd Assistant Director: Carol Green

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: John Hora
Camera Operator: Michael Jones
1st Assistant Camera: Norman Cattell
2nd Assistant Camera: Lex Rawlins
Additional Photography Assistant Camera: John Burnett
Gaffer: Norman Harris
Electrical Best Boy: Ron Kenyon
Key Grip: Richard Moran
Dolly Grip: William Kenney
Best Boy Grip: Robert Miller
Stills: Ralph Nelson Jr
Colour Timer: Robert Raring
Lab: Technicolour

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Editor: Tina Hirsch
Assistant Editor: Tom Finan
Negative Cutter: Donah Bassett

MUSIC
Music: Jerry Goldsmith, Noel Regney
Orchestrator: Arthur Morton
Songs: Peter Gabriel (Out Out); Michael Sembello, Mark Hudson, Don Freeman (Gremlins... Mega-Madness)
Songs Performed By: Darlene Love (Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)); Quarterflash (Make It Shine); Johnny Mathis (Do You Hear What I Hear?); Peter Gabriel (Out Out); Michael Sembello (Gremlins... Mega-Madness)
Songs Produced By: Phil Spector (Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)); Nile Rodgers, Peter Gabriel (Out Out); Michael Sembello, Mark Hudson (Gremlins... Mega-Madness)
Music Re-Recording Mixers: Bruce Botnick, Robert Fernandez
Music Editor: Kenneth Hall

SOUND
Production Sound Mixer: Ken King
Boom Operator: Douglas Vaughan
Re-Recording Mixers: Bill Varney, Kevin O'Connell, Rick Kline, Steve Maslow
Supervising Sound Editors: Mark A. Mangini, Richard L. Anderson
Sound Editors: David E. Stone, Warren Hamilton Jr
Sound Effects Editor: Nicholas James
Foley Artists: Joan Rowe, John Roesch
Technical Director of Sound: Donald C. Rogers

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Make Up: Greg LaCava
Hair: Cheri Ruff
Men's Costume Supervisor: Norman A. Burza
Women's Costume Supervisor: Linda Matthews

SPECIAL MAKE UP EFFECTS
Special Make Up Effects Artist: Chris Walas

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Effects / Gizmo and Creatures Designers: Chris Walas Inc
Stop Motion: Fantasy II Film Effects
Special Effects: Bob MacDonald Jr, Robert MacDonald
Special Effects Foreman: Richard Ratliff
Creature Effects: Chris Walas
Creature Consultant: Jon Berg
Creature Technician: Ethan Wiley
Creature Crew: Bill Buttfield, Brent Baker, Carol Walas, Chris Rand, David Sosalla, Eben Stromquist, Gary Platek, Gregg Olsson, Harold Weed, James Isaac, Jay Davis, Kelly Lepkowsky, Marghi McMahon, Mark Walas, N. Theodore Shell, Pete Kleinow, Randy Dutra, Randy Ottenberg, Robert Cooper, Thaine Morris, Tom St. Amand, Tony McVey, Valerie Sofranko
Mechanical Effects: Thaine Morris
Puppeteer: Blair Clark

VISUAL EFFECTS
Animation: Visual Concept Engineering
Model Shop Supervisor: Michael Joyce
Model Maker: Harold Weed
Matte Artist: Rocco Gioffre
Process Photographer: Bill Hansard
Titles and Opticals: Cinema Research Corporation
Matte Paintings: Dream Quest Images

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: James H. Spencer
Set Designer: William F. Matthews
Set Decorator: Jackie Carr
Property Master: Marty Wunderlich
Assistant Property Master: Bruce Edwin Gregory
Construction Coordinator: Michael Muscarella
Practical Fixtures Electrician: Paul Jacobsen

MISCELLANEOUS
Script Supervisor: Kenneth Gilbert
Production Secretary: Karen Shaw
Assistant to Joe Dante: Michelle Zeisel
Assistant to Mike Finnell: Helene Harris
Project Coordinator: E. Eric Jensen
Transportation Coordinator: Robert Neilson
Transportation Captain: Dave Robling
Machinist: Blair Clark
Unit Publicist: Rob Harris

STUNTS
Stunt Coordinator: Terry Leonard
Stunts: Rudy Doucette, Rosemary Johnston, Mike H. McGaughy, Gene McLaughlin

CASTING
Casting: Susan Arnold

CAST
Zach Galligan (Billy Peltzer)
Phoebe Cates (Kate Beringer)
Hoyt Axton (Randall Peltzer)
Frances Lee McCain (Lynn Peltzer)
Polly Holliday (Ruby Deagle)
Glynn Turman (Roy Hanson)
Dick Miller (Murray Futterman)
Keye Luke (Mr Wing)
Scott Brady (Sheriff Frank)
John Louie (Chinese boy)
Judge Reinhold (Gerald)
Jackie Joseph (June Futterman)
Harry Carey Jr (Mr Anderson)
Corey Feldman (Pete F.)
Don Steele (Rockin' Ricky Rialto)
Susan Burgess (little girl)
Arnie Moore (Alex)
Donald Elson (man on street)
Belinda Balaski (Mrs Joe Harris)
Daniel Llewelyn (hungry Harris child)
Edward Andrews (Mr Corben)
Lois Foraker (bank teller)
Chuck Jones (Mr Jones)
Kenny Davis (Dorry's Tavern owner)
Nicky Katt, Tracy Wells (schoolchildren)
John C. Becher (Dr Molinaro)
Gwen Willson (Mrs Molinaro)
Jonathan Banks (Deputy Brent)
Joe Brooks (Dave Meyers)
Jim McKrell (Lew Landers)
Frank Welker (voices of Stripe and other Mogwai / Gremlins)
Howie Mandel (voice of Gizmo)
Fred Newman, Mark Dodson, Michael Winslow, Peter Cullen, Bob Berger, Michael Sheehan, Bob Holt (voices of Mogwai / Gremlins)
Mushroom (Barney)
Jerry Goldsmith (uncredited)
Marvin Miller (voice of Robbie The Robot (uncredited))
William Schallert (uncredited)
Steven Spielberg (uncredited)
Kenneth Tobey (uncredited)

PLOT SUMMARY

Billy Pelzer's Christmas present from his parents is a cute pet, a Mogwai named Gizmo bought from a mysterious shop in Chinatown. But Gizmo has a terrible secret – get him wet and feed him after midnight and he spawns a small army of vicious monsters, Gremlins who are soon rampaging through the small town of Kingston Falls causing mayhem and giving locals a Christmas they'll never forget.

CAPSULE REVIEW

It's amazing how they got away with this. Disguised as a family film, this is an anarchic, vicious and brilliantly dark satire that no doubt traumatised any unsuspecting child lured into a false sense of security by the cute first half. You'll never be able to watch It's a Wonderful Life (1946) in the same way again and Christmas will probably be ruined for the rest of your life. Wonderful stuff.

AVAILABILITY

Argentina
Video Distributors: Argentina Video Home

Brazil
Video Distributors: Warner Home Vídeo
DVD Distributors: Warner Home Vídeo

Germany
Laserdisc Distributors: Warner Home Video (11388 LD)
DVD Distributors: Warner Home Video (11388)

Japan
DVD Distributors: Warner Home Video (DL-12169)

UK
Theatrical Distributors: Columbia-EMI-Warner
Laserdisc Distributors: Warner Home Video (PEL 11388)

USA
Theatrical Distributors: Warner Bros.
Video Distributors: Warner Home Video
Laserdisc Distributors: Warner Home Video (11388 LV); Warner Home Video (12169)
DVD Distributors: Warner Home Video (11388); Warner Home Video (Special Edition 22826)

CENSORSHIP HISTORY

Argentina
Rating: 13

Australia
Rating: PG

Canada
Rating: 14A

Chile
Rating: 18

Finland
Rating: K-14

France
Rating: U

Netherlands
Rating: AL

Norway
Rating: 15

Sweden
Rating: 15

UK
Rating: 15

USA
Rating: PG

West Germany
Rating: 16

AWARDS

1985
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, USA (Saturn Awards)
Best Director (Joe Dante) - winner
Best Horror Film - winner
Best Music (Jerry Goldsmith) - winner
Best Special Effects (Chris Walas) - winner
Best Supporting Actress (Polly Holliday) - winner

Golden Screen, Germany
Golden Screen - winner

Young Artist Awards, USA
Best Family Motion Picture: Adventure - winner
Best Young Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture Musical, Comedy, Adventure or Drama (Corey Feldman) - nominated

TIMELINE

1984
June
8: USA – theatrical release

August
23: Argentina – theatrical release
28: Spain – theatrical release

October
26: West Germany – theatrical release

December
5: France – theatrical release
14: Sweden – theatrical release
21: Finland – theatrical release
26: Norway – theatrical release

1991
December
5: USA – laserdisc release (Warner Home Video (12169))

1997
April
Day Unknown: Japan - DVD release (Warner Home Video (DL-12169))

September
30: USA - DVD release (Warner Home Video (11388))

2000
March
29: Germany - DVD release (Warner Home Video (11388))

2002
August
20: USA – DVD release (Warner Home Video (Special Edition 22826))

POSTER TAGS

Cute. Clever. Mischievous. Intelligent. Dangerous. We're Here!

What you see... isn't always what you get.

The Gremlins Are Coming!

Don't get him wet, keep him out of bright light, and never feed him after midnight.

They didn't obey the rules

ALTERNATIVE TITLES

Gremlins - Kleine Monster - West German title
Gremlinsy rozrabiaja - Polish title
Riiviöt - Finnish title

LINKS

SEQUELS
Gremlins (1985)
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)

INCLUDES FOOTAGE FROM
Donkey Kong (1981)
For Scent-imental Reasons (1949)
Hemo the Magnificent (1957)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
Star Wars (1983)
Star Wars: The Arcade Game (1984)

FOOTAGE INCLUDED IN
2003 MTV Movie Awards (2003)
I Love the '80s Strikes Back (2003)

SEE ALSO
Bambi (1942)
The Blob (1958)
Braindead (1992)
Cast a Deadly Spell (1991)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
Critters (1986)
Critters 2: The Main Course (1988)
Critters 3 (1991)
Critters 4 (1991) (V)
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Eight Legged Freaks (2002)
Evil Ed (1997)
Explorers (1985)
Flashdance (1983)
Forbidden Planet (1956)
Freaked (1993)
The Goonies (1985)
Hobgoblins (1987)
The Howling (1981)
Kamillions (1989)
Lilo and Stitch (2002)
Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003)
Mac and Me (1988)
Mars Attacks! (1996)
The Mummy Returns (2001)
Munchies (1987)
Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens (1922)
One Magic Christmas (1985)
Prehysteria! (1993)
The Puppetoon Movie (1987)
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Small Soldiers (1998)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
Star Wars (1977)
The Time Machine (1960)
Time Machine: The Journey Back (1993)
True Lies (1994)
Unleashing the Beast: Making The Howling (2003)
Wizard of Oz, The (1939)
The Wrong Trousers (1993)

REFERENCES

MAGAZINES

Première December 1984 p.13 (France)
review (by Philippe Salanches)

KEYWORDS

banks, chainsaws, cinemas, chinatown, christmas, crossbows, department stores, flashers, fountains, gremlins, inventors, microwave ovens, monsters, snowmen, suburbia, swimming pools, teachers

Last Updated: 1 January, 2009