Product Details

• Actors: Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Hoyt Axton, Polly Holliday, Frances Lee McCain
• Directors: Joe Dante
• Writers: Chris Columbus
• Producers: Michael Finnell, Steven Spielberg, Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Subtitles: French, Portuguese, English, Spanish
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• DVD Release Date: May 15, 2007
• Run Time: 106 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (298 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000P0J0A6
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,165 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • #15 in Movies & TV > DVD > Horror
  • #66 in Movies & TV > DVD > Comedy

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Gremlins is a whee of a film (if you don't mind the occasional gross-out) from producer Steven Spielberg, writer Chris Columbus, and director Joe Dante. Zach Galligan is the young man whose inventor father (Hoyt Axton) gives him an odd Christmas present: a tiny, furry creature that comes with a set of rules: don't get him wet, don't feed him after midnight, and keep him away from direct sunlight. But Galligan breaks the first rule and the damp little critter pops out a dozen little offspring. Then the offspring break the second rule and, overnight, turn from cute furry guys to malevolent scaly guys with world domination on their mind. The only way to stop them: rule three. But it's an anxious (and extremely funny) battle to make it to daylight--and the bad gremlins find ways to multiply over and over. Great special effects and a gruesome sense of humor make this a wild (if occasionally dark and scary) ride. --Marshall Fine

Product Description

A man buys a Mogwai as a Christmas present for his son. The young boy is told to keep the pet away from water, out of the light and never to feed it after midnight. Inadvertently, the creature is dampened and almost instantly, produces half a dozen furry replicas of itself --which continue to multiply and turn the small town upside-down.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 37 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The best Horror/Comedy of all time! February 23, 2005

By James Rolfe

Format:DVD

It follows a somewhat conventional monster movie plot. An ordinary guy witnesses his unusual but cute cuddly pet spawn a horde of evil Gremlins. He tries to warn the authorities, but they don't believe him until the creatures show up and go on a rampage throughout the town. Like in many monster movies, a plan is devised to destroy them, which works, but then there's still one left which needs to be defeated.

Every monster movie convention in the book is used, including all the famous shocks such as something jumping out in the foreground and something jumping out in the background, but what makes this film original is the Gremlins' silly personalities. They don't eat people or kill them in order to survive in any way. They just want to have fun and cause chaos! Their personalities are almost human and seem to represent a side of us that has no morals and just wants to let loose in a world without regulations. At times, you are cheering for the monsters, which makes this movie so unique.

Two major highlights are the bar scene and the movie theater scene where all the gremlins gather together and have a great time!

27 of 33 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars timeless fun January 9, 2005

By Andre 2015

Format:DVD

How can something so sweet and cuddly as a Gremlin become so mean and angry like your own kids when they don't get what they want. The ideas behind this hilarious transformation are so marvellous you'd want to watch this one again and again - with or without your own kids present (who knows, they might get ideas). Gremlins is one of the funniest movies ever. A cult-classic.

20 of 24 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A comical horror christmas classic! December 13, 2007

By John Lindsey VINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD

Inventor Randy Peltzer (Hoyt Axton) has bought a special gift for his son Billy (Zack Gallaghan) and it's a furry Chinese creature called a Mogwai (voiced by Howie Mandall). But there are three important rules that must be followed if he wants to keep the creature such as number 1 which means to keep him away from bright light especially sunlight cause it will kill him, number 2 is to never get him wet and number 3 which is the most important rule of them all which is never feed them after midnight. But Billy does what he can but he accidently gets him wet one day and it makes him mutiply other Mogwaii like him and he accidently feed the Mogwaii except Gizmo after midnight as it makes them into ghastly reptilian ghouls that cause havok in the town of Kingston Falls.

Brilliant and highly original Horror fantasy comedy from executive producer Steven Spielburg, director Joe Dante ("The Howling") and writer Chris Columbus. This movie became one of the biggest box-office hits of 1984 and of all time, this movie has a great sense of charm and of course black humor thrown into it with gruesomeness. The film co-stars Corey Feldman, Phoebe Cates and Dick Miller and special appearences by Robby the Robot and Chuck Jones, this movie did caused some controversy when it came out because parents thought it was too violent for small children even around the same time "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" came out. So the MPAA created the "PG-13" rating was created that year, i love how make-up artist Chris Walas did the lovable furballs and the hideous beasts and made them some of the most memorable creatures to hit the screen.... The film has often been imitated much with films like "Critters 1 & 2" (Which are great movies in their own rights), "Ghoulies", "Munchies", "Beasites", "Elves", "Evil Toons", "Troll" and the worst one of them all "Hobgoblins", this one is a true must see even around the holidays.

This special edition DVD has excellent sound and picture with nice extras like deleted scenes, Trailers, 2 audio commentaries, behind the scenes featurette, photo and storyboard gallery and filmmaker and cast highlights.

Also recommended: "Gremlins 2 : The New Batch", "Black Christmas (1974)", "Small Soldiers", "Critters", "Critters 2", "C.H.U.D.", "The Pit", "Evil Dead II", "It's a Wonderful Life", "Grindhouse", "Silent Night Deadly Night", "E.T.", "Troll", "Dead Alive (a.k.a. Braindead)", "The Witches of Eastwick", "Cat's Eye" and "Monsters Inc." Read more ›

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars delicious mischief April 6, 2008

By JGC

Format:DVD

"Gremlins" is a heartwarming Christmas movie that your entire family will enjoy! When I think of classic Christmas movies such as "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Miracle on 34th Street" I always fondly recall "Gremlins." Because isn't it such a great Christmas movie that all the kids will love. Afterall, "Gremlins" has snow, and decorations and Christmas music and even those cute, furry little pe(s)ts!

Seriously though, I do love "Gremlins" because it's such a great example of a totally 80's movie! Beware if you were not a child of the 80's you may find this movie dated, corny and incredibly hokum. Come to think of it, even if you were a child of the 80's you may think that as well! But it doesn't matter because "Gremlins" is all good! When this movie first came out my parents absolutely forbid my brother and I from watching it. Of course we didn't listen to them though.

"Gremlins" was such a huge sensation; telling a kid that they couldn't see it would certainly constitute cruel and usual punishment! We even had our Gizmo stuffed animals and a few other things. Keep in mind that this movie spawned an entire genre of pseudo-horror flicks ("Ghoulies," and "Goonies " come to mind.)

"Gremlins" tells the hilarious story of what happens when you don't follow the rules and let your Mogwai run wild! Billy Peltzer (played by one-hit wonder, Zach Galligan) receives an early Christmas gift, courtesy of his father Randall (played by Hoyt Axton.) Billy is warned not to ever expose Giz to bright lights or water and never to give him food after midnight (just a side note, if the Mogwai is from Asia, how exactly would he know that it was midnight?) Suffice it to say, the little critter soon multiples, courtesy of Billy's friend Pete (a very young Corey Feldman....)

I especially enjoyed some of the special effects. It was so odd watching Gizmo as he multiplied because the others literally popped out of him. It looked so realistic. Speaking of realistic, I also enjoyed watching the Gremlins hatch from the cocoons. They looked so disgusting and evil.

There're so many lucicrisly hilarious scenes. I could not stop laughing when the Christmas tree "came alive" and started attacking Mrs. Peltzer (Frances Lee McCain.) Actually it had one of the little denomic Gremlins hiding in it! The poor thing was badly stabbed in her face before the malicious Gremlin took off to spread some more Christmas cheer!

Ruby Deagle! She was a Super (starts with a Capital-B & rhymes with) Wiiiiiiiiiiiiitch. Mrs. Deagle was sure a far cry from Polly Holliday's days as Flo, the man-hungry waitress. Actually I'm not sure which was more terrifying, the entire pack of Gremlins or Mrs. Deagle! Her voice was entirely filled with hate and her eyes looked at Billy the way a king-cobra stares at her trapped prey! She was a bitter, old woman, that hated all people and dogs and any other sentient being with a smile (much like my mother-in-law.) Did you catch the part when Deagle went flying the hell out of her house! OMG so funny when that she-dog took off like that!! Polly played that role perfectly!! Because she managed to make Mrs. Deagle appear just as mean-spirited and vicious as any violent monster, even Naomi Campbell!

Here's some fun facts and trivia about "Gremlins" and the people who were in it:
* The voice of Gizmo was voiced by Howie Mandell.
* As a result of the controversy that erupted, the MPAA formed a new rating (PG-13.)
* The scene with Mrs. Peltzer killing one of the Gremlins in the microwave caused the most controversy.
* There really is a mythical creature called a Mogwai (keep in mind, it is mythical.)
* Because of its huge worldwide, unprecedented popularity, Warner Bros. decided to re-release "Gremlins" to theaters the following summer after its initial success.
* Zach Galligan guest stared on one ep of "Melrose Place" during the first season.
* Phoebe Cates stared in another cult-favorite, 1991's "Drop Dead Fred."
* Since taking the role of Mrs. Deagle, Polly Holliday has never been able to shake the image of a homely old lady, and has been typecast ever since.
* Zach Galligan has often been confused with Randall Batinkoff (who stared in Molly Ringwald's "For Keeps.")
* There was a little-known horror movie from 1987, "Munchies," which had very similar-looking creatures.
* There was actually one Mogwai (from the first batch, before any of them morphed into those destructive Gremlins) who actually showed kindness towards Gizmo; he was named Earl.

Why do I consider this the granddaddy of all 80's comedy/horror movies? Just because it's the whole good over evil saga; you know, the David and Goliath Story. And of course there's a sexy girl to keep Billy company, Kate Beringer (Phoebe Cates) who is always eager to help fight the good cause. And the entire movie is so implausible, you just can't help but laugh at the blatant and utter foolishness.

Over the years there's been a lot of speculation on the true meaning of "Gremlins." I've heard so many different stories. To me, the moral of the story is that not everything is the way it seems. Take this movie for instance, when it came out 24 years ago, everyone got their p@nties all knotted up because it was only PG. But most of these people probably never even watched the movie. Because it wasn't scary or vulgar or offensive in the least bit. It was a comedy mixed with satire. Often, people are most afraid of things that they never even look at. Read more ›