Gremlins

1984 Directed by Joe Dante

Don't get him wet, keep him out of bright light, and never feed him after midnight.

When Billy Peltzer is given a strange but adorable pet named Gizmo for Christmas, he inadvertently breaks the three important rules of caring for a Mogwai, and unleashes a horde of mischievous gremlins on a small town.

Zach Galligan Phoebe Cates Hoyt Axton Frances Lee McCain Corey Feldman Keye Luke John Louie Dick Miller Jackie Joseph Polly Holliday Judge Reinhold Edward Andrews Belinda Balaski Scott Brady Don Steele Susan Burgess Harry Carey, Jr. Donald Elson Howie Mandel Jonathan Banks Bob Bergen Frank Welker Glynn Turman Chuck Jones Michael Winslow

Alternative Titles

Gremlins - riiviöt, 그렘린

horror fantasy comedy

106 mins More details at IMDb TMDb Report this film

Popular reviews

Review by katie ★★★★ 5

I love how little shits anyone gave in the 80's. and honestly, more children need to die in movies
Review by Willow Maclay ★★★★½ 1

All Gizmo ever wanted to do was chill out and watch movies. Gizmo spends basically all of his time in Gremlins being so captured in what was on screen during the various movies he decided to watch. So in a way everyone on this site is Gizmo. I'd wager a good deal of us react the same way to sunlight as well, and that makes Gizmo the most relatable movie character of all time for cinephiles.
We are all Gizmo
Review by DirkH ★★★★ 12

I was going to write a lengthy, misty eyed, nostalgia tainted review about how amazing Gremlins is.
But we all know this, right? We all know it's mischief on film, perfect kiddie horror and so much fun.
So I'll just shut up and leave you with two words:
Dick Miller.
That is all.
Review by 🎃🔥Mr. Like🔥🎃 ★★★★½ 28

Rotten Tomatoes: 85%
Metacritic Metascore: 70
IMDb: 7.3
91/100
Release Date: 08 June 1984
Distributor: Warner Brothers
Budget: $11M
Worldwide Gross: $153.6M
Viewing Platform: Alamo Drafthouse Theater
Total Film Awards: 8
Chinese Boy: ”First of all, keep him out of the light, he hates bright light, especially sunlight, it'll kill him. Second, don't give him any water, not even to drink. But the most important rule, the rule you can never forget, no matter how much he cries, no matter how much he begs, never feed him after midnight.”
SYNOPSIS: A boy inadvertently breaks three important rules concerning his new pet and unleashes a horde of malevolently mischievous monsters on a small town.
Director Joe Dante’s impact on the horror…
Review by my 6 year old niece 12

“it was sad”
Review by SilentDawn ★★★★★

95
It doesn't feel like Christmas until you watch Mrs. Deagle being sent flying out of a second-story window via a "malfunctioning" stair lift. Absolute insanity.
Recorded a commentary track for this classic holiday favorite:
www.patreon.com/posts/45295295
Review by single white femalien ★★★½ 53

does anyone else think it's more than a little f*cked up that the mom literally throws a gremlin into a blender, stabs one in the head, and microwaves one more to death and then her horrible son throws one into the fireplace and they rejoice as it roasts to death?? GREMLINS NEVER ASKED FOR THIS!! like excuse me but if took care of your pet with the super easy instructions that were provided to you this never would've happened and now ur punishing them for it?? this movie is all about white + male entitlement tbh. like this guy just wandering into chinatown and demanding that mogwai as if it's owed to him.. get over it! it's not yours! you…
Review by matt lynch ★★★★½

"Patriotic little fella, ain't he?"
"Careful, Frank. He might tear your arm off."
Not breaking any new ground to call this quintessential Dante, a perfect smirking Looney Tunes subversion of Americana that suggests that the splintering of some vague, idealized-but-never-really-there way of life is basically our own stupid fault. Its internal logic is so elastic; the "rules" barely make sense to begin with, and so the cartoon anarchy seems inevitable from the start, and you just savor the merry-go-round breaking down. What I'd forgotten in the dozen or so years since I last saw this is what a phenomenal analog technical achievement it is. The animatronic work is almost completely seamless and entirely convincing. Somehow it's more amusingly unpleasant as an asshole adult than it was to me as an asshole kid.
Review by Coolnilk ★★★★½ 10

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

Gremlins is certainly a Christmas classic from the 80s and it definitely lives up to the hype as people have said all over as it being one of those perfect kid horror films. It has more comedy than horror, and it's very much a cheesy film in essence which I don't mind that at all since I absolutely had a blast with it.
The way the Gremlins were used throughout was freaking hilarious. If the sequel is similar to this in the way Gremlins are used, I'm in. Watch this if you want to have an entertaining time, but I'm sure you all have by now as I am very late in the game and a first-timer on this one.
Review by Lulu ★★★★

║\
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║░▒║ with this blade
║░▒║ i cut those who
║░▒║ disrespect
║░▒║ gizmo
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▓▓▓▓
[█▓]
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Review by CJ Probst ★★★★½ 25

Every time that I watch Gremlins I am deeply conflicted because I am always rooting for the gremlins even though I know the inevitable outcome.
They are so cute and hilarious and far more interesting and loveable than any of the human characters. I do like Gizmo because he is even more adorable and funny but I would rather that he just joined the side of the gremlins and stopped acting like such a pussy although it is pretty awesome when he hijacks a pink Barbie Corvette during the climax, my 2nd favorite part.
My favorite part is when all of the gremlins are having the time of their short little lives watching Snow White and the Seven Dwarves not…
Review by SilentDawn ★★★★½ 11

It's hard to put into words how astonishingly perfect Joe Dante's Gremlins is. There is simply no horror-comedy that has even come close, except maybe Gremlins 2: The New Batch or The Howling; also directed by Joe Dante. He just understands how to craft a film, plain and simple. He understands that you need to show and not tell, he understands that unnecessary exposition is UNNECESSARY, and he understands that it doesn't hurt to scare the child audience. Truly, this is mean't for kids who want and can take a good scare, because some moments still freak me out.
Man, this review is messy. I mean, It's just so hard to talk about this utter masterpiece without going into endless…

Recent reviews

Review by Daddy Sam ★★

I hate gremlins 😡😡😡 they are dirty! And bad!!!! No gremlins!!!
Review by Gae Allen ½ 1

Fuck you letterboxd with your creepy little Gremlins jumpscare I hate you. Never fucking using this app past midnight again.
Review by N3rdW0lf ★★★★

Es gibt drei Regeln: kein Sonnenlicht, kein Kontakt und mit Wasser und nicht nach Mitternacht füttern. Wer kennt sie nicht? Dir drei Grundregeln wenn man einen Mogwai, ein chinesisches Fabelwesen, hat.
Als Billy so ein Tier geschenkt kriegt, hält er sich eine Weile dran. Dann kommt der kleine Gizmo, so hat er ihn getauft, mit Wasser in Kontakt. Das Unheil nimmt seinen Lauf und die Gremlins entstehen und terrorisieren die Stadt.
Gremlins aus dem Jahr 1984 war bestimmt einer meiner ersten Horrorfilme. Auch wenn man vielleicht Horrorkomödie sagen kann. Denn das anarchistische Chaos, was die Gremlins anrichten, ist eher witzig als gruselig. Dabei muss man die Spezialeffekte echt loben. Die Gremlins und Gizmo sehen auch fast vierzig Jahre später immer…
Review by BossMoz ★★★★

Its not Gizmo's fault. Poor lil dude.
Review by Fael ★★★★

O começo do filme é pouco chato mas quando os Gremlins é maravilhoso, o fofo já te ganha e os do mal são um grande problema mas ainda sim engraçados e divertidos de mais.
Review by sensitivecreep

the gremlins are the best
Review by Grace ★★½

QUENTIN TARANTINO SAW THE MOVIE THEATER SCENE IN GREMLINS AND SAID... I HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.
No but in all honesty the movie theater scenes in this movie and Inglourious Basterds are the exact same and I will never ever get over it.
Review by liquoricesucks ★★½

gremlin in a blender, because one man couldn't follow simple instructions.
Review by Harrison ★★★½

First time watching Gremlins so no nostalgia going in and I can definitely see why people loved this as a kid. Dark tone, with great creatures that make for a pretty memorable experience. However, I find it to be a bit lacking as a whole, as it is pretty slow and dull at times. But there are absolutely brilliant moments like the kitchen scene which is just terrific, the old lady on her motorized seat, the giant club set piece, and the fountain ending. Definitely a fun ride, just not the terrific classic others say it is if you don't have nostalgia for it.
Review by Ethan ★★★★

gizmo is my son and i love him
Review by mcheerios ★★★½

Hearing Phoebe Cates tell the story of how her dad died on xmas eve is how I learned santa isnt real
Review by DocMidnite ★★★★

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

I really do love how the movie ends with Billy actually facing consequences for his actions. Its great.
This entire movie feels like an Ode to the Horror comics of old, like Vampirella, and Tales from the Crypt. I love its use of colors, and the insane Karma horror of it.