Gremlins is a comedy directed by Joe Dante starring Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates and some peculiar creatures that would end up creating a saga of films imitating them but none as good as this film.
Gremlins is one of those movies that is endearing in a very special way. It is probably not the best movie in the History of Cinema, not possibly the best comedy nor the best horror film, but I´m giving it my five best stars and here´s the reason why.
Storyline
Billy is a good boy that lives with his parents and works in a bank in sa more or less miserable way, but Christmas has a very special present for him given to him from his excentric father (an inventor): a little creature that cannot be gotten wet or fed after midnight.
The reasons why are already part of Film History.
Critique: A prank that goes against the grain and is at the same time a commercial product that I would let my children watch.
Gremlins is the movie an entire generation loves because, in one way or another, it represents a generation that grew up watching movies from video-clubs and who were lucky to be witnesses of the rise of Amblin (Spielberg’s production company), the author of this film as well as so many good movies.
The film plays with our candidness all the time, with that need of having a dog or a special pet: well, here goes a pet. It also plays with pranks, in Bart Simpson style and the anti-Christmas idea that some people like so miuch. It pranks is a good natured way the great Christmas classic (It´s a Wonderful Life) and in some way, invents the anti-genre (if this has not been invented yet, please someone give me credit).
Yet Gremlins is a deeply intelligent film, because in its purely prankish way, reflects on pulchritude, commercialism, and clichés, in order to use anti-culture in the creation of a product that is as commercial as it is enjoyable.
A blockbuster that taught us to be irreverent even within the system during the Eighties.
Although, of course, in the Nineties it looks like this was over and the Salvation Army appeared again in order to exterminate our dear Gremlins forever.
This is why it is always a good idea to remember that, when we were small, our parents took us to see these movies instead of the idiotic things that kids watch today, which is making them as idiotic as they are today.
Our opinion
A deeply marvelous prank that I would make my kids watch if I had any.
People that know me say they agree.