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Gremlins (1984)

Director:
Joe Dante

COUNTRY
USA

Genre
Horror/Comedy
NORWEGIAN TITLE
Gremlins

RUNNING TIME
106 minutes

Producer:
Michael Finnell

Screenwriter:
Chris Colombus


Cast includes:

CHARACTER ACTOR/ACTRESS RATING
Billy Peltzer Zach Galligan
Kate Beringer Phoebe Cates
Randall "Rand" Peltzer Hoyt Axton ½
Ruby Deagle Polly Holliday ½
Lynn Peltzer Frances Lee McCain -
Gerald Hopkins Judge Reinhold -
Murray Futterman Dick Miller -
Roy Hanson Glynn Turman -
Mr. Wing Keye Luke -
Frank Reilly Scott Brady -
Pete Fountaine Corey Feldman -
Brent Frye Jonathan Banks -

 

Review

Written by Chris Columbus, executive produced by Steven Spielberg, directed by horror-comedy semi-master Joe Dante (Piranha, The Howling), and with groundbreaking special effects by Chris Walas (who had previously worked on E.T.) – Gremlins was more or less doomed for success in the crossover-segment of 1980s youth-culture where mainstreamers and the new geek generation could find middle ground. The frame narrative involves a couple of cute, kind-hearted youngsters, a struggling inventor and a xenophobic alcoholic, but none of that really matters, because this is all about the show put on by the "mogwai" Gizmo and his more mischievous relatives. The special effects are incredibly impressive considering the technical methods used; Gremlins is probably some sort of zenith in puppet-based SFX. Just a few years later, this would have been done with CGI, but what would probably have been lost in the process is the organic, timeless feel this film has retained. Granted, the filmmakers seem to have been just a tad too enamoured with their creations, resulting in a film that is more adorable and silly than it is enjoyable, but then again, that may have been the entire point.

Copyright © 24.10.2020 Fredrik Gunerius Fevang

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