Gremlins

UPC: 085391163152

Studio: Warner Home Video

MPAA Rating: PG   Contains:[Violence, Adult Situations, Not For Children, Profanity, Suitable for Teens]

Summary: "Don't expose him to bright light. Don't ever get him wet. And don't ever, ever feed him after midnight." This sage advice is ignored midway through Gremlins, with devastating results. This comic Joe Dante effort is set in a Norman Rockwell-esque small town at Christmastime. Seeking a unique gift for his son an erstwhile inventor (Hoyt Axton) purchases a cute, fuzzy little "Mogwai" from a Chinatown shopkeeper's (Keye Luke) grandson (John Louie), who dispenses the above-mentioned warning before closing the deal. Meanwhile, young bank clerk Billy Peltzer (Zach Galligan) must suffer such antagonists as rich-bitch Mrs. Deagle (Polly Holliday) and priggish Gerald (Judge Reinhold) while pursuing his romance with Kate (Phoebe Cates). These and a variety of other plot strands are tied together when the lovable mogwai (named Gizmo) is exposed to bright light and gotten wet. In short order, the town is invaded by nasty, predatory Gremlins, who lay waste to everything in sight as Billy and Kate try to contain the destruction. Like most of Joe Dante's works, Gremlins is chock-full of significant cameo appearances: in this instance, such pop-culture icons as Dick Miller, Jackie Joseph, Chuck Jones, Scott Brady, Harry Carey Jr., Steven Spielberg (the film's executive producer) and even Robby the Robot all show up briefly on screen. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Category: Horror

Features: Over 10 minutes of never-before-seen footage
2 commentaries: #1 - Director Joe Dante, Zack Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Dick Miller and Howie Mandel; #2 - Director Joe Dante, producer Michael Finnell and special effects artist Chris Walas
Behind-the-scenes documentary
Photo/storyboard gallery
Cast/crew film highlights
Theatrical trailer
Languages & subtitles: English (2 tracks), Fran�ais & Espa�ol (feature film only)

Gremlins

Format: DVD

Release Date: 08/20/2002

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Alternate Wide Screen

Audio: DD5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1, DD2 Dolby Digital Stereo

Runtime: 106 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English,French,Spanish

Subtitles: English,French,Spanish

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Chapters: Disc #1 -- Gremlins [Special Edition]
1. Three Rules [5:35]
2. Wintry White [2:52]
3. Mrs. Deagle's [4:53]
4. With Gerald [1:38]
5. "Gonna Like This" [4:43]
6. Bedtime Buddies [3:01]
7. Instant Menagerie [9:53]
8. Closing the Bar [5:16]
9. Hungry Mogwai [2:58]
10. Pupal States [3:37]
11. Hanson Gets Needle [6:39]
12. Under Siege [2:57]
13. Kitchen Carnage [4:56]
14. Stripe's Plunge [2:30]
15. Skeptics [1:09]
16. Remodeling [2:24]
17. Mailbox Mischief [2:22]
18. Carolers [2:22]
19. Mayhem [3:10]
20. Hot Time @ Dorry's [5:01]
21. Sad Yuletide Story [2:54]
22. Hi-ho... to Movies! [6:21]
23. Store Showdown [5:46]
24. Gizmo to Rescue [1:54]
25. Stripe's Last Stand [3:05]
26. Grandpa Knows Best [3:54]
27. You Never Can Tell [4:06]

Derek Armstrong

Chock full of wide-eyed furry creatures that were being aggressively marketed as stuffed animals, Gremlins undoubtedly sent a misleading message to a lot of parents. The affiliation of executive producer Steven Spielberg, who was fresh off the success of E.T., surely encouraged parents further, but many were left shielding their children's eyes as a gaggle of reptilian gnomes burst forth from a swimming pool and began smoking cigarettes, wielding chainsaws, and killing off townspeople. Gremlins is not appropriate for kids, and it drew a lot of complaints, but it has some jokey pleasures and plenty of satirical bite, as a Capra-esque small town is turned inside out on Christmas Eve. The film was a box-office smash and a cultural touch point, with the viewing public quickly learning the three steps to avoid transforming the impossibly precious Mogwais into the all-id gremlins. The violence against humans is mostly cartoonish and bloodless, but the gremlins don't get off so easy; in a memorable kitchen sequence, featuring a terrified Frances Lee McCain, a pair of pursuing baddies get offed in a microwave and a blender, their orange guts splattered hither and non. Although directed by Joe Dante, the film features the undeniably Spielberg-ian theme of imperiled innocence in middle America, as well as his love for imaginative creatures. And the special effects crew has a grand time bringing it all together, making for a taut horror fantasy with lasting appeal. ~ Derek Armstrong, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Joe Dante  Director 
Chris Columbus  Screenwriter 
Michael Finnell  Producer 
Jerry Goldsmith  Composer (Music Score) 
Kathleen Kennedy  Executive Producer 
Frank Marshall  Executive Producer 
Steven Spielberg  Executive Producer 
Zach Galligan  Actor 
Hoyt Axton  Actor 
Frances Lee McCain  Actor 
Phoebe Cates  Actor 
Polly Holliday  Actor 
Scott Brady  Actor 
Glynn Turman  Actor 
Corey Feldman  Actor 
Keye Luke  Actor 
Judge Reinhold  Actor 
Jonathan Banks  Actor 
Edward Andrews  Actor 
Susan Arnold  Actor 
James MacKrell  Actor 
Mushroom  Actor 
John Louie  Actor 
Don Steele  Actor 
Dick Miller  Actor 
Arnie Moore  Actor 
Harry Carey, Jr.  Actor 
Donald Elson  Actor 
Belinda Balaski  Actor 
Lois Foraker  Actor 
Chuck Jones  Actor 
Kenny Davis  Actor 
Nicky Katt  Actor 
John C. Becher  Actor 
Jackie Joseph  Actor 
Joe Brooks  Actor 
Frank Welker  Actor 
Howie Mandel  Actor 
Fred Newman  Actor 
Mark Dodson  Actor 
Michael Winslow  Actor 
Peter Cullen  Actor 
Michael Sheehan  Actor 
Bob Holt  Actor 
Steven Spielberg  Actor 
Jim McKrell  Actor 

Country: USA