Christmas Drinks
You’ve got to love any horror film in which the villains can’t resist a good old Christmas booze-up.
Witness Stripe and his boys as they take over a local watering hole, drinking and smoking their troubles away.
Here’s to you, chaps!
Gremlins vs. Jones
Cynical cash-in it might have been, but it would take a very cold heart indeed to resist the charms of the BT ad in which Peter Jones found himself terrorised by a mob of angry Gremlins.
Particularly when one of said Gremlins took the time to photocopy his arse…
The Simpsons Parodies
Gremlins has the notable distinction of informing a number of Treehouse Of Horror episodes, from the Gremlin that attacks Bart’s school bus (although that was first and foremost a lift from The Twilight Zone ), to the Chinese shopkeeper who sells him a cursed Krusty doll.
Praise indeed.
Carollers
Just before Mrs. Deagle meets her end, a batch of Gremlins pitch up on her doorstep in order to torment her with some discordant carolling.
It’s this subversive mockery of the season of goodwill that makes Gremlins such an awesome antidote to traditional Christmas schmaltz.
Howie Mandel
Gizmo wouldn’t be half as appealing were it not for the superlative voice work of Howie Mandel.
“Gizmo was cute and naive, so, you know, I got in touch with that,” explains Mandel. “I couldn't envision going any other way or do something different with it.”
Stripe
The consummate badass, Stripe is the opposite side of Gizmo’s coin, as sadistic as his counterpart is sweet.
Witness the way he menaces Billy with a crossbow, snarkily quipping “bye-bye” as he prepares to pull the trigger.
Oh, and his hairdo rocks, obviously.
Gizmo
Arguably the cutest, cuddliest most loveable movie critter of all time.
Sorry ET, but our hearts belong to Gizmo.
Just look at those puppy-dog eyes!
Ho Ho Ho
Billy’s poor old mother comes in for another attack from the Gremlins, who this time have concealed themselves within the boughs of the Christmas tree.
The moment at which they make themselves known provides a genuine jump!
Hi Ho
The Gremlins pack out a movie theatre and are happily trashing the place until Snow White comes on, leaving them spellbound.
“What are they doing?” asks Kate. “They’re watching Snow White ,” answers Billy, incredulously. “And they love it.”
Reining It In
Sensibly, the filmmakers stopped short of making the film really horrific.
The original script had Billy’s dog buying it, his mum decapitated and a batch of Gremlins bursting into McDonalds, rejecting the burgers, but eating the customers.
On second thought, that last one would have been great…
