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* IdiotBall: Gizmo just had to get out of the drawer Billy left him in and wander around an unfamiliar building (especcially after the residents of said building '''had already tried to dissect him'''), instead of just waiting for his owner and friend to come and take him home.
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* IdiotBall: Gizmo just had to get out of the drawer Billy left him in and wander around an unfamiliar building (especcially (especially after the residents of said building '''had already tried to dissect him'''), instead of just waiting for his owner and friend to come and take him home.
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** And another when he's lying on the ground gasping in pain from Stripe shooting a crossbow bolt into his arm, and then he hears [[ItGotWorse the sound of an eletric chainsaw whirring to life]].
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* GroinAttack: Kate delivers a very hard and swift kick to a gremlin's crotch after he flashes her!
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* GroinAttack: Kate delivers a very hard and swift kick to a gremlin's crotch after he flashes her!her, sending him flying.
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Changed line(s) 70 (click to see context) from:
* DisneyDeath: It appears that the Futtermans are crushed and killed by a snowplow-driving gremlin, but at the very end of the movie we hear a news reporter mentioning that he'd just spoken with the lovable old couple. Viewers who missed that often mistake their reappearance in the sequel as an UnexplainedRecovery (although how they survived the encounter isn't shown, either).
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* DisneyDeath: It appears that the Futtermans are crushed and killed by a snowplow-driving gremlin, but at the very end of the movie we hear a news reporter mentioning that he'd just spoken with the lovable old couple.couple, who are still alive and well. Viewers who missed that often mistake their reappearance in the sequel as an UnexplainedRecovery (although how they survived the encounter isn't shown, either).
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* DrowningMySorrows: Mr. Putterman is put out of a job, and then finds out his beloved Kentucky Harvester has foreign-made parts in it.
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* DisneyDeath: It appears that the Futtermans are crushed and killed by a snowplow-driving gremlin, but at the very end of the movie we hear a news reporter mentioning that he'd just spoken with the lovable old couple. Viewers who missed that often mistake their reappearance in the sequel as an UnexplainedRecovery (although how they survived the encounter isn't shown, either).
* DrowningMySorrows: Mr.Putterman Futterman is put out of a job, and then finds out his beloved Kentucky Harvester has foreign-made parts in it.
* DrowningMySorrows: Mr.
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Not a trope, and clearly misunderstanding what is meant.
Deleted line(s) 32 (click to see context) :
* FridgeHorror: The Mogwai turn into Gremlins when fed after midnight, right? So basically keeping them looking cute and fuzzy means starving them to the point that their life cycle remains incomplete. That would be like keeping a child malnourished so that they never go through puberty.
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* FridgeHorror: The Mogwai turn into Gremlins when fed right? So in order to keep them looking cute and fuzzy, you have to starve them to the point that their life cycle remains incomplete. That would be like keeping a child malnourished so that they never go through puberty.
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* FridgeHorror: The Mogwai turn into Gremlins when fed after midnight, right? So in order to keep basically keeping them looking cute and fuzzy, you have to starve fuzzy means starving them to the point that their life cycle remains incomplete. That would be like keeping a child malnourished so that they never go through puberty.
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* FridgeHorror: The Mogwai turn into Gremlins when fed right? So in order to keep them looking cute and fuzzy, you have to starve them to the point that their life cycle remains incomplete. That would be like keeping a child malnourished so that they never go through puberty.
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Namespace Fixed, yeah... - also, sorted a bit
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* [[WeakenedByTheLight Don't let it near bright light]]
* [[ExplosiveBreeder Don't give it water]]
* [[ExplosiveBreeder Don't give it water]]
* [[ExplosiveBreeder Don't give it water]]
* [[WeakenedByTheLight Don't let it near bright light]]
* [[WeakenedByTheLight Don't let it near bright light]]
* TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou: While no one seems to make a big deal out of who kills what gremlin, it always seems to be Gizmo's destiny to be the one to destroy the lead gremlin which seems to be his main rival.
** For that matter, while some manage to kill at least one gremlin, it always seems to be Billy's plan that exterminates the entire horde of gremlins except the leader.
** For that matter, while some manage to kill at least one gremlin, it always seems to be Billy's plan that exterminates the entire horde of gremlins except the leader.
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* TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou: While no one seems to make a big deal out of who kills what gremlin, it always seems to be Gizmo's destiny to be the one to destroy the lead gremlin which seems to be his main rival.
** For that matter, while some manage to kill at least one gremlin, it always seems to be Billy's plan that exterminates the entire horde of gremlins except the leader.
** For that matter, while some manage to kill at least one gremlin, it always seems to be Billy's plan that exterminates the entire horde of gremlins except the leader.
* LighterAndSofter -- at least, compared to the original script draft.
Deleted line(s) 76 (click to see context) :
* LighterAndSofter -- at least, compared to the original script draft.
Deleted line(s) 88 (click to see context) :
* SoftGlass combined with SuperWindowJump
* SoftGlass combined with SuperWindowJump
* ContinuityNod: In the first film, Kate is flashed by a Gremlin in a trenchcoat while at the bar. In this film, the same thing happens... but [[GroinAttack she doesn't just take it]].
Deleted line(s) 133 (click to see context) :
* ContinuityNod: In the first film, Kate is flashed by a Gremlin in a trenchcoat while at the bar. In this film, the same thing happens... but [[GroinAttack she doesn't just take it]].
* KillItWithFire combined with YouHaveToBurnTheWeb.
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* KillItWithFire combined with YouHaveToBurnTheWeb.
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* ShoutOut: This ''is'' a Joe Dante film, after all, so you ''will'' be getting LooneyTunes and ''InvasionOfTheBodySnatchers'' references (including the pod from the original film!), not to mention all of the referential gags to ''Film/{{Batman}}'', ''ThePhantomOfTheOpera'', and other WarnerBrothers properties. Look fast for a pair of DC Comics (another Warners company) on the cabinet behind Billy's desk.
to:
* ShoutOut: This ''is'' a Joe Dante film, after all, so you ''will'' be getting LooneyTunes WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes and ''InvasionOfTheBodySnatchers'' references (including the pod from the original film!), not to mention all of the referential gags to ''Film/{{Batman}}'', ''ThePhantomOfTheOpera'', and other WarnerBrothers properties. Look fast for a pair of DC Comics (another Warners company) on the cabinet behind Billy's desk.
* TakenForGranite: The bat Gremlin ends up [[AndIMustScream covered in quick-drying cement as a gargoyle atop a cathedral]].
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* TakenForGranite: The bat Gremlin ends up [[AndIMustScream covered in quick-drying cement as a gargoyle atop a cathedral]].
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** Subverted. Billy takes this rule seriously, even though he doesn't know what exactly is going to happen, and honestly intends to follow it. The evil Mogwai had to trick him into breaking it.
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** Subverted. Billy takes this rule seriously, even though he doesn't know what exactly is going to happen, and honestly intends to follow it. The evil Mogwai had to trick him into breaking it. [[spoiler: To be specific, he thought it was safe to feed them as it wasn't midnight yet. His clock had been tampered with.]]
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-->"[[Film/{{Rambo}} To fight war... you gotta become war.]]"
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*** The Bat Gremlin flew towards the Fluttermans.
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*** The Bat Gremlin flew towards the Fluttermans.Fluttermans and attacked them.
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* CuteIsEvil: The cuteness of the Mogwai/Gremlins blinds people to the fact that they could possibly be dangerous.
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Not a trope, and moving Fridge Horror to YMMV.
Deleted line(s) 39 (click to see context) :
* JerryGoldsmith
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* FridgeHorror: What would he have been like if ''Gizmo'' had become a Gremlin?
** Possibly shown with "Earl". The novel states that even good Mogwai are converted into murderous sadists upon transforming into a Gremlin.
** In one draft, wasn't Gizmo turned into Stripe?
** Possibly shown with "Earl". The novel states that even good Mogwai are converted into murderous sadists upon transforming into a Gremlin.
** In one draft, wasn't Gizmo turned into Stripe?
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fixed Namespace
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''Gremlins'' is a 1984 dark comedy/horror film directed by Joe Dante, and executive produced by StevenSpielberg. The film kicks off with an inventor, Randall Peltzer, stopping by Chinatown in New York City to pick up a gift for his son, Billy. He ends up getting a mysterious, yet undeniably adorable critter called a mogwai. The creature comes [[SchmuckBait with instructions]] though, namely:
to:
''Gremlins'' is a 1984 dark comedy/horror film directed by Joe Dante, and executive produced by StevenSpielberg.Creator/StevenSpielberg. The film kicks off with an inventor, Randall Peltzer, stopping by Chinatown in New York City to pick up a gift for his son, Billy. He ends up getting a mysterious, yet undeniably adorable critter called a mogwai. The creature comes [[SchmuckBait with instructions]] though, namely:
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* LighterAndSofter: The first film compared to the original script, where the gremlins usually killed people in exceedingly horrific ways. Also the second film to the first, which set out to be much sillier and slapsticky rendition than the occasionally dark first one (compare Kate's santa monologue with the way a similar one is treated in the sequel).
to:
* LighterAndSofter: The first film compared to the original script, where the gremlins usually killed people in exceedingly horrific ways. Also the second film to the first, which set out to be much sillier and slapsticky rendition than the occasionally dark first one (compare Kate's santa monologue with the way a similar one is treated in the sequel).
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* TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou: While no one seems to make a big deal out of who kills what gremlin, it always seems to be Gizmo's destiny to be the one to destroy the lead gremlin which seems to be his main rival.
to:
* TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou: While no one seems to make a big deal out of who kills what gremlin, it always seems to be Gizmo's destiny to be the one to destroy the lead gremlin which seems to be his main rival.
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*** [[spoiler: WordOfGod says that it met up with Stripe's gang and joined in the fun of terrorizing the town before being blown up in the theater with the rest of the army]].
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*** [[spoiler: WordOfGod says that it met up with Stripe's gang and joined in the fun of terrorizing the town before being blown up in the theater with the rest of the army]].
Changed line(s) 88 (click to see context) from:
* SchmuckBait: "And the most important rule of all, the one you must never forget: no matter how much he cries, no matter how much he begs, never, EVER feed him after midnight."
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* SchmuckBait: "And the most important rule of all, the one you must never forget: no matter how much he cries, no matter how much he begs, never, EVER feed him after midnight." "
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** [[ForbiddenPlanet Robbie the Robot]] and {{the Time Machine}} appear (or disappear, in the latter's case) in the inventor convention attended by Mr. Peltzer.
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** [[ForbiddenPlanet Robbie the Robot]] and {{the Time Machine}} TheTimeMachine appear (or disappear, in the latter's case) in the inventor convention attended by Mr. Peltzer.
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* ThemeNaming: All of Ms. Deagle's cats are named after different currencies: Dollar, Kopeck, Drachma, etc.
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* ThemeNaming: All of Ms. Deagle's cats are named after different currencies: Dollar, Kopeck, Drachma, etc.
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* XMeetsY: WordOfGod calls the first film ''ItsAWonderfulLife'' meets ''InvasionOfTheBodySnatchers''; it has plenty of Thematic ShoutOut to both films.
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* XMeetsY: WordOfGod calls the first film ''ItsAWonderfulLife'' meets ''InvasionOfTheBodySnatchers''; it has plenty of Thematic ShoutOut to both films.
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* CaptainErsatz:
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* CaptainErsatz: CaptainErsatz:
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* EvilRedhead: A scheming female boss who tries to seduce Billy and is a JerkAss to Kate. She ends up being trapped in Spider Gremlin's web! Guess who saves her bacon...
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* EvilRedhead: A scheming female boss who tries to seduce Billy and is a JerkAss to Kate. She ends up being trapped in Spider Gremlin's web! Guess who saves her bacon...
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* LampshadeHanging:
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* LampshadeHanging: LampshadeHanging:
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* MadScientist: Doctor [[PunnyName Catheter]], played to the hilt by ChristopherLee. Interestingly he subverts it later on when he rejects his experiments as immoral, and vows that he will not commit cruel genetic experiments on animals again.
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* MadScientist: Doctor [[PunnyName Catheter]], played to the hilt by ChristopherLee. Interestingly he subverts it later on when he rejects his experiments as immoral, and vows that he will not commit cruel genetic experiments on animals again.
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* ShoutOut: This ''is'' a Joe Dante film, after all, so you ''will'' be getting LooneyTunes and ''InvasionOfTheBodySnatchers'' references (including the pod from the original film!), not to mention all of the referential gags to ''{{Film/Batman}}'', ''ThePhantomOfTheOpera'', and other WarnerBrothers properties. Look fast for a pair of DC Comics (another Warners company) on the cabinet behind Billy's desk.
to:
* ShoutOut: This ''is'' a Joe Dante film, after all, so you ''will'' be getting LooneyTunes and ''InvasionOfTheBodySnatchers'' references (including the pod from the original film!), not to mention all of the referential gags to ''{{Film/Batman}}'', ''Film/{{Batman}}'', ''ThePhantomOfTheOpera'', and other WarnerBrothers properties. Look fast for a pair of DC Comics (another Warners company) on the cabinet behind Billy's desk.
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-->'''Daffy Duck:''' ''Oh no you don't!''
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-->'''Daffy Duck:''' ''Oh no you don't!'' don't!''
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* YouHaveToBurnTheWeb: when Gizmo shoots the spider gremlin with flaming arrows.
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* YouHaveToBurnTheWeb: when Gizmo shoots the spider gremlin with flaming arrows.
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* BornInTheTheatre, NoFourthWall, and PaintingTheFourthWall all at once!
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* BornInTheTheatre, NoFourthWall, and PaintingTheFourthWall PaintingTheMedium all at once!
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* FromNobodyToNightmare: Before the Brain gremlin drank the brain serum, he was just a cannon fodder.
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*** And another one in this movie.
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* DoingItForTheArt: Legendary Oscar-winning special effects artist RickBaker was convinced to work on the film by letting him completely redesign the mogwai/gremlins, including making the new hybrids.
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* DoingItForTheArt: Legendary Oscar-winning special effects artist RickBaker Rick Baker was convinced to work on the film by letting him completely redesign the mogwai/gremlins, including making the new hybrids.
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* DoingItForTheArt: Legendary Oscar-winning special effects artist RickBaker was convinced to work on the film by letting him completely redesign the mogwai/gremlins, including making the new hybrids.
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* HybridMonster: Several of the Gremlins become these during the course of the film. One even turns into ''a bolt of electricity'' by dunking one of the potions in the lab.
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* HybridMonster: Several of the Gremlins become these during the course of the film. One even turns into ''a bolt of electricity'' by dunking drinking one of the potions in the lab.
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Changing trope name per TRS
Deleted line(s) 137 (click to see context) :
* EfficientDisplacement: Parodied; when the Bat Gremlin flies through a wall, the hole he leaves behind is shaped like the {{Batman}} logo.
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* ImpactSilhouette: Parodied; when the Bat Gremlin flies through a wall, the hole he leaves behind is shaped like the {{Batman}} logo.
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** Judge Reinhold's character Gerald is seemingly introduced as an (unsuccessful) rival for Kate's affections, and disappears from the movie after appearing in two scenes. A deleted scene shows that he was hiding out in the bank vault while the Gremlins ran wild, and is losing his sanity.
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*** DVD commentary confirms he was based upon Al Lewis' Munsters character.
** According to the DVD commentary Clamp ''was'' originally intended to be a more evil character, but John Glover's kind-hearted portrayal resulted in the character being adjusted accordingly.
** Forster gets his share too.
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* EvilRedhead: A scheming female boss who tries to seduce Billy and is a JerkAss to Kate She ends up being trapped in Spider Gremlin's web! Guess who saves her bacon...
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* EvilRedhead: A scheming female boss who tries to seduce Billy and is a JerkAss to Kate Kate. She ends up being trapped in Spider Gremlin's web! Guess who saves her bacon...
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* LighterAndSofter
to:
* LighterAndSofterLighterAndSofter: While the first film was (somewhat) more serious in tone, the sequel is played more for laughs. Possibly lampshaded by incorporating footage from the second Rambo film, a gonzo action flick sequel to a rather serious film about a man's difficulty coping with adjusting to normal life after fighting in Vietnam.
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* SelfParody: This film often parodies itself, the previous film and audience reactions to the film.
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* SelfParody: This film often parodies itself, the previous film and audience (and critics') reactions to the film.
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* ShoutOut: This ''is'' a Joe Dante film, after all, so you ''will'' be getting LooneyTunes and ''InvasionOfTheBodySnatchers'' references (including the pod from the original film!), not to mention all of the referential gags to ''{{Film/Batman}}'', ''ThePhantomOfTheOpera'', and other WarnerBrothers properties.
* SlidingScaleOfComedyAndHorror: Definaly further over into comedy.
* SlidingScaleOfComedyAndHorror: Definaly further over into comedy.
to:
* ShoutOut: This ''is'' a Joe Dante film, after all, so you ''will'' be getting LooneyTunes and ''InvasionOfTheBodySnatchers'' references (including the pod from the original film!), not to mention all of the referential gags to ''{{Film/Batman}}'', ''ThePhantomOfTheOpera'', and other WarnerBrothers properties. Look fast for a pair of DC Comics (another Warners company) on the cabinet behind Billy's desk.
* SlidingScaleOfComedyAndHorror:Definaly Definitely further over into comedy.
* SlidingScaleOfComedyAndHorror:
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* StrappedToAnOperatingTable: The ''Marathon Man'' version is spoofed
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* StrappedToAnOperatingTable: The ''Marathon Man'' version is spoofedspoofed.
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* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: It shows how it's a 1990 film with references to ''Film/{{Batman}}'', ''ThePhantomOfTheOpera'', DonaldTrump and Marla Maples' affair, and so on.
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* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: It shows how it's a 1990 film with references to ''Film/{{Batman}}'', ''ThePhantomOfTheOpera'', DonaldTrump and Marla Maples' affair, colorization jokes and so on.
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* BlackComedyRape: Forster, although he strangely decides to give in at the end.
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* RapeAsComedy: Forster, although he strangely decides to give in at the end.
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** When Billy is hunting down Stripe in the department store, he walks past a row of plush dolls. Not only is Stripe hiding amongst them (a direct reference to ''ETTheExtraTerrestrial'') he pushes away an ''actual'' doll of E.T. while poking his head out.
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** When Billy is hunting down Stripe in the department store, he walks past a row of plush dolls. Not only is Stripe hiding amongst them (a direct reference to ''ETTheExtraTerrestrial'') ''Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial'') he pushes away an ''actual'' doll of E.T. while poking his head out.
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* WhatCouldHaveBeen: The entire concept of these movies was brought about from Spielberg's unproduced script loosely based on [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelly-Hopkinsville_encounter the ''Kelly-Hopkinsville Encounter'']]. The idea was eventually seperated into three movie. This one being the third. The other two? ''ETTheExtraTerrestrial'' and ''CloseEncountersOfTheThirdKind''.
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* WhatCouldHaveBeen: The entire concept of these movies was brought about from Spielberg's unproduced script loosely based on [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelly-Hopkinsville_encounter the ''Kelly-Hopkinsville Encounter'']]. The idea was eventually seperated into three movie. This one being the third. The other two? ''ETTheExtraTerrestrial'' ''Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial'' and ''CloseEncountersOfTheThirdKind''.
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*** One of the theaters is showing ''A Boy's Life'', which was the working title of ''E.T.''
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*** The Bat Gremlin flew towards the Fluttermans.
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[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gremlins.jpg]]
''For the trope, see GripingAboutGremlins.''
''Gremlins'' is a 1984 dark comedy/horror film directed by Joe Dante, and executive produced by StevenSpielberg. The film kicks off with an inventor, Randall Peltzer, stopping by Chinatown in New York City to pick up a gift for his son, Billy. He ends up getting a mysterious, yet undeniably adorable critter called a mogwai. The creature comes [[SchmuckBait with instructions]] though, namely:
* [[WeakenedByTheLight Don't let it near bright light]]
* [[ExplosiveBreeder Don't give it water]]
* [[WhenTheClockStrikesTwelve Don't feed it after midnight]]
The little critter, named Gizmo, is gentle and well behaved, but after he accidentally gets splashed with water, more mogwai suddenly are formed, and this new, mean-spirited batch tricks Billy into feeding them after midnight. They all form cocoons, and then turn into ugly, frightening gremlins, who cause havoc and terrorize the town.
Followed by 1990 sequel, ''Gremlins 2: The New Batch''. This one relocates the main characters to New York City, and features a parody of moguls such as Donald Trump and Ted Turner, as well as references to films like ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'' and the ''{{Rambo}}'' series.
----
!!This film and its sequel provide examples of:
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Both movies]]
* ActorAllusion: The Puttermans are played by Dick Miller and Jackie Joseph, cast as a married couple specifically because of their frequent acting collaborations in RogerCorman movies.
* AllThereInTheManual: The Novelization has a prologue that explains that [[spoiler:Mogwais were genetically engineered by an alien race called the Mogturmen as the perfect companion. However, the vast majority of Mogwais turned out to be dangerous, not to mention the unforseen Gremlin problem. Gizmo is one of the few Mogwais to turn out right.]]
* AlwaysChaoticEvil: Any of the Mogwai/Gremlins who aren't Gizmo.
* ApeShallNeverKillApe: Averted. The Gremlins aren't even safe from each other.
* BilingualBonus: The first Mogwai is bought from a Chinese shop. "Mo-Gwai" is Cantonese for "devil"
* CelestialDeadline: Mogwai shall not be fed "after midnight", lest they turn into Gremlins. Nothing is said about when you can feed them again. Sunrise, maybe?
** Lampshaded in the second movie, when the security crew mocks Billy by coming up with various scenarios, such as eating on a plane and passing into another time zone.
* ExplosiveBreeder: The mogwai/gremlins
* FamilyUnfriendlyDeath
* FollowTheLeader: There were oodles of gremlins-like creature features in between the two films, including ''{{Ghoulies}}'' and unfortunately ''{{Hobgoblins}}''. (The movie ''{{Critters}}'' was ''not'' following the lead of ''Gremlins'', as it had been in the works before ''Gremlins'' went into production.)
* GeneticMemory: Gremlins, as part of their nature, are born with the capacity to understand the interworkings of machinery and how to sabotage it.
* TheGenieKnowsJackNicholson: In spades; both Gizmo and the Gremlins are ''huge'' pop culture junkies. This quality is exaggerated and highlighted in the second film.
* GreenAesop: "You have done with mogwai what your society has done with all of nature's gift!" Forced as forced can be, as the causes of the whole incident were 1: an innocent accident, and 2: Billy having no idea that the mogwai would trick him into feeding them after midnight by sabotaging his clock.
** Though he ''does'' acknowledge that Billy has the potential to be a worthy caretaker of Gizmo someday. He just screwed up too badly for that day to be today.
** This may have had more to do with the father stealing the mogwai and the family not treating it as seriously as it deserved.
* GripingAboutGremlins
* HeyItsThatVoice: [[DealOrNoDeal Howie Mandel]] is the voice of Gizmo.
** Not to mention FrankWelker as Stripe and most of the other Gremlins.
* KillerRabbit: The mogwai, save for Gizmo.
** Gizmo himself qualifies when he models himself after {{Rambo}}.
* LighterAndSofter: The first film compared to the original script, where the gremlins usually killed people in exceedingly horrific ways. Also the second film to the first, which set out to be much sillier and slapsticky rendition than the occasionally dark first one (compare Kate's santa monologue with the way a similar one is treated in the sequel).
* MagicAIsMagicA: Sunlight kills mogwai and gremlins who are also afraid of bright lights. Water splashed onto either of the two produces more creatures spawned from their backs. Feeding a mogwai after midnight causes it to metamorphosize into a gremlin. This gets played with in the second movie.
* MetamorphosisMonster: The Mogwai transform if fed after midnight.
* RestrainingBolt: In the novelization, Stripe tells Gizmo right to his face that he wants to kill him but can't for some reason. Gizmo explains that [[spoiler:their alien creators]] made sure that Mogwai could never kill each other. That RestrainingBolt vanishes after Stripe becomes a Gremlin since he isn't a Mogwai anymore.
* RidiculouslyCuteCritter: The mogwai, particularly Gizmo. At least before they have an after-midnight snack..
* TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou: While no one seems to make a big deal out of who kills what gremlin, it always seems to be Gizmo's destiny to be the one to destroy the lead gremlin which seems to be his main rival.
** For that matter, while some manage to kill at least one gremlin, it always seems to be Billy's plan that exterminates the entire horde of gremlins except the leader.
* TookALevelInBadass: Gizmo goes from harmless furby to sharp-shooting Rambo-clone over the course of the two films.
* TransformationTrauma - The death of Stripe in the first movie is a particularly grotesque example
** Not to mention the intense pain caused by reproduction via water.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: The entire concept of these movies was brought about from Spielberg's unproduced script loosely based on [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelly-Hopkinsville_encounter the ''Kelly-Hopkinsville Encounter'']]. The idea was eventually seperated into three movie. This one being the third. The other two? ''ETTheExtraTerrestrial'' and ''CloseEncountersOfTheThirdKind''.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Gremlins]]
* ActionMom: Mrs. Peltzer in a sense, as she kills three (pre-gremlin army) gremlins in one scene alone. Her weapons of choice: Blender, kitchen knife, and ''microwave''.
* ArtisticLicenseEconomics: As soon as Randall Peltzer finds out that Gizmo reproduced upon getting wet, he thinks that selling mogwai could be his big break. Yeeeeeeeeah... because a species that [[ExplosiveBreeder reproduces]] when exposed to a little water [[SarcasmMode is sure going to stay in demand for awhile.]]
* AssholeVictim: Mrs. Deagle was SUCH a bitch, especially in the deleted scenes that reveal she was forcing people out of their homes to put down a strip mall, effectively destroying Kingston Falls.
** In the novelization, she was selling their land to a chemical company (named "[[MeaningfulName Hitox]]" of all things), so one can assume she was going to turn the town into a toxic waste dump.
** Even in the onscreen version, she is a heartless ice-bitch who casually evicts poor widows with children on Christmas Eve, and gleefully threatens to kill helpless little dogs by throwing them in the drying machine.
*** Almost lampshaded herself after seeing the Gremlins for the first time, convinced "they're" coming for her. Her [[VillainousBreakdown breakdown]] into delusional sobbing before she activates her tampered stairlift and her own demise [[strike: almost makes you feel sorry for her]] makes you cheer as she ''literally'' flies down to Hell where she belongs.
--->'''Mrs. Deagle:''' I'm not ready!!!
* BlackDudeDiesFirst
* BunglingInventor: Rand
* ChekhovsGun: At the beginning of the movie, the first rule explains that Gizmo's species hates bright lights and that sunlight in particular is lethal to them. At first, this just seemed like a necessary rule to care for Gizmo, but it ends up being the most important weapon in the fight against the gremlins, the former part allowing them to drive them off while Gizmo ends up using the latter half to destroy the gremlin leader. Seeing as how they already (unintentionally) broke the other two rules, they may as well have decided to go for a trifecta.
** Perhaps they should add a Rule 4: In the event that Rules 2 and 3 are broken, you are permitted to break Rule 1.
** The ornamental swords hanging next to the door (and which keep falling off every time someone comes into the house) are actually pretty deadly when put to good use.
* CrazyCatLady: Mrs Deagle again. She is shown to adore her numerous cats and nurture them in a disturbingly affectionate manner. Not that the heartless old hag showed '''any''' of the same kindness to ''children'' who can be made homeless by one word from her, mind you. The fact that the cats are all named after various pieces of currency from around the world plainly shows [[OnlyInItForTheMoney what she REALLY cares about]]
* DeadlineNews
* DrowningMySorrows: Mr. Putterman is put out of a job, and then finds out his beloved Kentucky Harvester has foreign-made parts in it.
* FridgeHorror: What would he have been like if ''Gizmo'' had become a Gremlin?
** Possibly shown with "Earl". The novel states that even good Mogwai are converted into murderous sadists upon transforming into a Gremlin.
** In one draft, wasn't Gizmo turned into Stripe?
* HorrorDoesntSettleForSimpleTuesday
* IndecisiveParody: The second one, on the other hand...
* KickTheDog: In the DarkerAndEdgier original script, the gremlins killed the Peltzers' pet dog.
** In the final version they just dangle him up with Christmas lights.
* TheLittleShopThatWasntThereYesterday
* LighterAndSofter -- at least, compared to the original script draft.
* MyCarHatesMe: Played with. In the beginning, Billy's car refuses to start, forcing him to walk to work. In the middle of the Gremlin attack, it actually starts for him, indicating a Gremlin messed with it. But later, when he tries to drive it again, it won't start. Indicating that it got fiddled with ''again''.
* OffWithHisHead: In the DarkerAndEdgier original script, Billy returned home to see his mother's head rolling down the stairs.
** In the film itself Billy decapitates a gremlin with a sword and kicks the severed head in the fire place.
* OhCrap (Billy's reaction after the last gremlin, Stripe, jumps into a public swimming pool. Gremlin Army ensues.)
* OutOfFocus: Mrs. Peltzer has one [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome awesome]] ActionMom scene and then disappears for most of the movie. Possibly because in the original script the gremlins killed her.
** There was also the mogwai/gremlin (named Earl in the novel) Billy left with a teacher to study. During the test, the teacher took a sample of its blood. Afterwards they made a dramatic scene out of it getting a hold of a sandwich and eating after midnight. After completing its transformation, it took its revenge on the teacher for the blood test before scratching Billy and escaping into the school's ventilation system. It briefly appeared and attacked Billy in the nurse's office before escaping. After that, it disappeared and Billy didn't give it any thought when he went to tracking down Stripe.
*** [[spoiler: WordOfGod says that it met up with Stripe's gang and joined in the fun of terrorizing the town before being blown up in the theater with the rest of the army]].
**** [[spoiler: Perhaps left out for a reason, considering the potentially tragic setup Earl had, his death being directly shown may have come off as kinda sad.]]
* PoliceAreUseless
* SchmuckBait: "And the most important rule of all, the one you must never forget: no matter how much he cries, no matter how much he begs, never, EVER feed him after midnight."
** Subverted. Billy takes this rule seriously, even though he doesn't know what exactly is going to happen, and honestly intends to follow it. The evil Mogwai had to trick him into breaking it.
* SoftGlass combined with SuperWindowJump
* ShoutOut: "Hi, [[TheIslandOfDoctorMoreau Doctor Moreau]]."
** When Billy is hunting down Stripe in the department store, he walks past a row of plush dolls. Not only is Stripe hiding amongst them (a direct reference to ''ETTheExtraTerrestrial'') he pushes away an ''actual'' doll of E.T. while poking his head out.
** [[ForbiddenPlanet Robbie the Robot]] and {{the Time Machine}} appear (or disappear, in the latter's case) in the inventor convention attended by Mr. Peltzer.
* TechnicolorDeath: It's not enough for sunlight to just kill Gremlins. [[spoiler: It has to melt them alive]].
* ThemeNaming: All of Ms. Deagle's cats are named after different currencies: Dollar, Kopeck, Drachma, etc.
* TheVoice: The DJ at the town radio station, "Rockin' Ricky Rialto". Gremlins are heard breaking into his studio, but he survives.
--->'''Rockin' Ricky:''' Hey wait a minute, you're not Rockin' Ricky fans!...
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Billy's friend Pete is last seen firing his slingshot at a few gremlins. Then later we hear him calling into the radio station trying to give a warning out about them, and then [[FridgeHorror he gets cut off]]. Pete doesn't appear in the sequel (Corey Feldman was in rehab at the time), nor is he even mentioned.
* WhenTheClockStrikesTwelve: Do not feed Gizmo after midnight.
* XMeetsY: WordOfGod calls the first film ''ItsAWonderfulLife'' meets ''InvasionOfTheBodySnatchers''; it has plenty of Thematic ShoutOut to both films.
* YouAreNotReady (although it is hinted that Billy may be one day.)
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Gremlins 2]]
* ActorAllusion: During the Bat Gremlin's transformation, stereotypical vampire music starts playing while the camera zooms in on ChristopherLee's reaction shot.
* AffablyEvil: The Brain Gremlin.
* AllThereInTheScript: Official merchandise for the film has revealed that the other mogwai/gremlins are named Daffy (The hyperactive one), [[OfMiceAndMen George (the big-lipped one), Lenny (The bucktoothed one)]], and Mohawk (the one that becomes the [[spoiler:Spider Gremlin]]).
* BigApplesauce
* BornInTheTheatre, NoFourthWall, and PaintingTheFourthWall all at once!
* BunnyEarsLawyer: Daniel Clamp
* CaptainErsatz:
** Daniel Clamp is Donald Trump, who falls in love in love with a woman named Marla. [[DeaderThanDisco Well, it was funny at the time.]]
** The character Fred plays on TV appears to be a CaptainErsatz of Grandpa from TheMunsters.
* TheCavalryArrivesLate: Clamp and the police storming building at the end.
* ChainedToARailway: Parodied
* ChekhovsGunman: The electric Gremlin.
* CloudCuckoolander / LaughingMad: Even for a gremlin, Daffy is weird.
** [[DaffyDuck Considering who he is a]] ShoutOut to, what do you expect?
-->'''Daffy:''' [[MarathonMan Is it ''safe''?!?!]]
* CobwebJungle
* ContinuityNod: George causes an explosion using a microwave, a ShoutOut to the infamous "Exploding Gremlin" scene in the first movie.
** Kate starts to go into detail about a traumatic event that happened to her on the occurring holiday (here, Lincoln's birthday), but this time Billy tries to shut her up before she can finish (she does anyway while dragged away).
* CorruptCorporateExecutive: Subverted. Early in the film Clamp Enterprises had been suggested to be the typical evil (or at least amoral) corporation but when we finally meet Daniel Clamp he turns out to be a loveable ManChild who actually wants to use his massive resources to make the world a ''nicer'' place.
** Clamp's oily assistant comes as close to being corrupt as you can without actually going over the line.
* CoveredInKisses: The [[TheSmurfettePrinciple female gremlin]] does this to a human security guard.
* CrazyPrepared: Daniel Clamp has a video for his cable network to play in the unlikely event Clamp has to shut down due to the end of the world.
** [[WordOfGod According to Joe Dante]], he once toured the CNN main headquarters, where they have just such a video waiting to be played when the final hour comes.
* CreditsGag - Daffy Duck appears during and after the end credits commenting on them ("You're ''THTILL'' lurking about? Don't you people have HOMETH?!?").
* ContinuityNod: In the first film, Kate is flashed by a Gremlin in a trenchcoat while at the bar. In this film, the same thing happens... but [[GroinAttack she doesn't just take it]].
* [[spoiler:DiscOneFinalBoss: Mohawk, who's been pretty non-interested in leading the other gremlins throughout much of the film, gets killed while the greater part of the gremlins are still creating mayhem. The Brain gremlin effectively assumed his place beforehand.]]
* EfficientDisplacement: Parodied; when the Bat Gremlin flies through a wall, the hole he leaves behind is shaped like the {{Batman}} logo.
* EvilElevator: The Gremlins commandeer one of the Clamp building's elevators with Kate inside it.
* EvilRedhead: A scheming female boss who tries to seduce Billy and is a JerkAss to Kate She ends up being trapped in Spider Gremlin's web! Guess who saves her bacon...
* GeneticMemory: The Gremlins have an instinctive hatred of Gizmo. This seems to be passed down from George, Lenny, and Daffy (whom were born from Gizmo and helped Mohawk push him into an air vent) to the ''numerous'' gremlins that spawn from the aforementioned trio. How they know Gizmo by name is pretty much RuleOfFunny.
** Or they can sense what they perceive to be weakness.
** Also, remember they did come out of him, so it's possible they share memories (which would also explain why Mohawk is so determined in his tormenting this time: he remembers that Gizmo killed him).
** Alternately, they inherit Gizmo's memories and know that he would attempt to take them out from those.
* GotTheWholeWorldInMyHand: The Clamp corporate logo.
* GroinAttack: Kate delivers a very hard and swift kick to a gremlin's crotch after he flashes her!
* {{Hammerspace}}: Where the Brains Gremlin gets his glasses from.
* HollywoodAcid: Complete with the [[PhantomOfTheOpera sadly ignored]] warning label "Do Not Throw In Face".
* HybridMonster: Several of the Gremlins become these during the course of the film. One even turns into ''a bolt of electricity'' by dunking one of the potions in the lab.
* IdiotBall: Gizmo just had to get out of the drawer Billy left him in and wander around an unfamiliar building (especcially after the residents of said building '''had already tried to dissect him'''), instead of just waiting for his owner and friend to come and take him home.
* ImpossibleShadowPuppets: During the theater takeover, one of the gremlins manages to create AbrahamLincoln with shadow puppets.
* IncurableCoughOfDeath: Gizmo's owner, Mr. Wing. Justified and lampshaded in-story by the fact that he is particularly old (think 90-plus), having reached the type of age where even a seemingly innocuous cold could be life-threatening.
* InterspeciesRomance: The very last scene.
* ItAmusedMe: As Brain points out, shooting one of his less mature brethren in the face with a pistol is fun, "but in no sense civilized".
* JapaneseTourist: Mr. Kazuchi.
* JerkassHasAPoint: Used in-universe with this exchange:
-->'''Clamp:''' That thing that was in here a minute ago, that's dangerous! This guy's from the art department.
-->'''Forster:''' Well, ask him how he knows so much about these "green things".
-->'''Clamp:''' That's a good question Bill – how do you know so much about them?
* LampshadeHanging:
** Some of Clamp's incredulous minions snarkily question Billy about the vagueness of the Gremlin rules.
* LargeHam: Both of these were probably intentional, considering the enforced campy nature of the film.
** ChristopherLee hams it up as the MadScientist running the genetics lab.
** To a lesser extent, Robert Picardo as the Head of Security, who seems to relish in playing an Orwellian, conformist CorruptCorporateExecutive.
* LegoGenetics: How a number of the gremlins managed to turn into hybrids after raiding the genetics lab for {{Applied Phlebotinum}}s.
* LetsGetDangerous: Gizmo has one of these moments.
* LighterAndSofter
* KillItWithFire combined with YouHaveToBurnTheWeb.
* MadScientist: Doctor [[PunnyName Catheter]], played to the hilt by ChristopherLee. Interestingly he subverts it later on when he rejects his experiments as immoral, and vows that he will not commit cruel genetic experiments on animals again.
* MookPromotion: A random Gremlin drinks a brain-enhancing formula and becomes the swarm's leader/spokesgremlin. (While the original leader becomes a skulking half-spider monstrosity.)
* MyInstinctsAreShowing: Brain Gremlin's intelligence doesn't stop him from having the same sociopathic tendencies as the other gremlins.
-->'''Brain Gremlin:''' Now, was that civilized? No, clearly not. [[ItAmusedMe Fun]], but in no sense civilized.
* OneSteveLimit: Somewhat averted. There are two characters with the name "Daffy" in this film. One of the gremlins, and of course DaffyDuck appears at the beginning and end.
* {{Planimal}}: A gremlin drinks a potion from the science lab and becomes a gremlin/vegetable hybrid.
* PostModernism
* PragmaticVillainy: When Mr. Wing holds up development on Clamp's latest business venture, Forster realizes how old and sick he is, and just waits for him to die.
* RapeAsComedy: Forster, although he strangely decides to give in at the end.
* RedemptionEqualsDeath: [[spoiler:Not long after Dr. Catheter decides to dedicate his life to good, he gets killed by the Electric Gremlin.]]
* {{Reincarnation}}: WordOfGod states that Mohawk, the new leader of the gremlins, was Stripe, the primary antagonist from the first film reborn. Fortunately, Gizmo sends him back to the grave for good. Whether this is a literal reincarnation or figurative (as in, they fulfill similar archetypes) is unclear.
* RichBoredom: Mr. Clamp
* SealedEvilInACan
* SelfParody: This film often parodies itself, the previous film and audience reactions to the film.
* SexualKarma: In the sequel with a newly [[TheSmurfettePrinciple girlified gremlin]] "attacking" a hapless human male!
* ShoutOut: This ''is'' a Joe Dante film, after all, so you ''will'' be getting LooneyTunes and ''InvasionOfTheBodySnatchers'' references (including the pod from the original film!), not to mention all of the referential gags to ''{{Film/Batman}}'', ''ThePhantomOfTheOpera'', and other WarnerBrothers properties.
* SlidingScaleOfComedyAndHorror: Definaly further over into comedy.
* SmartPeopleSpeakTheQueensEnglish: The Brain Gremlin in the sequel.
* TheSmurfettePrinciple: There's only one girl gremlin, and that's entirely due to gene splicing.
** Well there was the crossdressing Gremlin briefly seen in the bar scene of the first film.
* SoLastSeason: They try to get every Gremlin into the lobby by fooling them into thinking it's nighttime, then fry them with sunlight. Then come the thunderclouds. Cue OhCrap moment.
* SpikesOfVillainy: Mohawk.
* StealthPun: George and Lenny are named after the main characters from ''OfMiceAndMen''.
* StrappedToAnOperatingTable: The ''Marathon Man'' version is spoofed
* TakeThatCritics: Surprisingly, one of the least bitter "Take That"s. Leonard Maltin, who gave the original ''Gremlins'' a negative review, appears as himself and is promptly mocked and attacked by the rampaging army.
--> '''Maltin:''' I was just kidding! Ow! A ten! ''It's a ten!''
* TakenForGranite: The bat Gremlin ends up [[AndIMustScream covered in quick-drying cement as a gargoyle atop a cathedral]].
* ThatsAllFolks
-->'''Daffy Duck:''' ''Oh no you don't!''
* TookALevelInBadass: Gizmo, at the same time doing a Rambo spoof.
* UnexplainedRecovery: The Futtermans sure seem to have recovered well from that whole snow plow thing in the first movie (it is mentioned in the first movie that they survived, but you have to listen carefully to hear it).
* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: It shows how it's a 1990 film with references to ''Film/{{Batman}}'', ''ThePhantomOfTheOpera'', DonaldTrump and Marla Maples' affair, and so on.
* VillainSong: Frank Sinatra's ''New York, New York'' no less. And amazingly well-coordinated!
-->'''Grandpa Fred:''' Incredible as it seems, ladies and gentlemen, after their bizarre, bloodcurdling rampage of destruction, these strange creatures now appear to be mounting what seems to be... a musical number.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: "Daffy", "George" and "Lenny" disappear during the latter half of the movie (though deleted scenes depict them "helping" with Grandpa Fred's show and their FamilyUnfriendlyDeath with the rest of the Gremlins).
* TheWonka: Daniel Clamp.
* YouGetMeCoffee
* YouHaveToBurnTheWeb: when Gizmo shoots the spider gremlin with flaming arrows.
[[/folder]]
----
''For the trope, see GripingAboutGremlins.''
''Gremlins'' is a 1984 dark comedy/horror film directed by Joe Dante, and executive produced by StevenSpielberg. The film kicks off with an inventor, Randall Peltzer, stopping by Chinatown in New York City to pick up a gift for his son, Billy. He ends up getting a mysterious, yet undeniably adorable critter called a mogwai. The creature comes [[SchmuckBait with instructions]] though, namely:
* [[WeakenedByTheLight Don't let it near bright light]]
* [[ExplosiveBreeder Don't give it water]]
* [[WhenTheClockStrikesTwelve Don't feed it after midnight]]
The little critter, named Gizmo, is gentle and well behaved, but after he accidentally gets splashed with water, more mogwai suddenly are formed, and this new, mean-spirited batch tricks Billy into feeding them after midnight. They all form cocoons, and then turn into ugly, frightening gremlins, who cause havoc and terrorize the town.
Followed by 1990 sequel, ''Gremlins 2: The New Batch''. This one relocates the main characters to New York City, and features a parody of moguls such as Donald Trump and Ted Turner, as well as references to films like ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'' and the ''{{Rambo}}'' series.
----
!!This film and its sequel provide examples of:
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Both movies]]
* ActorAllusion: The Puttermans are played by Dick Miller and Jackie Joseph, cast as a married couple specifically because of their frequent acting collaborations in RogerCorman movies.
* AllThereInTheManual: The Novelization has a prologue that explains that [[spoiler:Mogwais were genetically engineered by an alien race called the Mogturmen as the perfect companion. However, the vast majority of Mogwais turned out to be dangerous, not to mention the unforseen Gremlin problem. Gizmo is one of the few Mogwais to turn out right.]]
* AlwaysChaoticEvil: Any of the Mogwai/Gremlins who aren't Gizmo.
* ApeShallNeverKillApe: Averted. The Gremlins aren't even safe from each other.
* BilingualBonus: The first Mogwai is bought from a Chinese shop. "Mo-Gwai" is Cantonese for "devil"
* CelestialDeadline: Mogwai shall not be fed "after midnight", lest they turn into Gremlins. Nothing is said about when you can feed them again. Sunrise, maybe?
** Lampshaded in the second movie, when the security crew mocks Billy by coming up with various scenarios, such as eating on a plane and passing into another time zone.
* ExplosiveBreeder: The mogwai/gremlins
* FamilyUnfriendlyDeath
* FollowTheLeader: There were oodles of gremlins-like creature features in between the two films, including ''{{Ghoulies}}'' and unfortunately ''{{Hobgoblins}}''. (The movie ''{{Critters}}'' was ''not'' following the lead of ''Gremlins'', as it had been in the works before ''Gremlins'' went into production.)
* GeneticMemory: Gremlins, as part of their nature, are born with the capacity to understand the interworkings of machinery and how to sabotage it.
* TheGenieKnowsJackNicholson: In spades; both Gizmo and the Gremlins are ''huge'' pop culture junkies. This quality is exaggerated and highlighted in the second film.
* GreenAesop: "You have done with mogwai what your society has done with all of nature's gift!" Forced as forced can be, as the causes of the whole incident were 1: an innocent accident, and 2: Billy having no idea that the mogwai would trick him into feeding them after midnight by sabotaging his clock.
** Though he ''does'' acknowledge that Billy has the potential to be a worthy caretaker of Gizmo someday. He just screwed up too badly for that day to be today.
** This may have had more to do with the father stealing the mogwai and the family not treating it as seriously as it deserved.
* GripingAboutGremlins
* HeyItsThatVoice: [[DealOrNoDeal Howie Mandel]] is the voice of Gizmo.
** Not to mention FrankWelker as Stripe and most of the other Gremlins.
* KillerRabbit: The mogwai, save for Gizmo.
** Gizmo himself qualifies when he models himself after {{Rambo}}.
* LighterAndSofter: The first film compared to the original script, where the gremlins usually killed people in exceedingly horrific ways. Also the second film to the first, which set out to be much sillier and slapsticky rendition than the occasionally dark first one (compare Kate's santa monologue with the way a similar one is treated in the sequel).
* MagicAIsMagicA: Sunlight kills mogwai and gremlins who are also afraid of bright lights. Water splashed onto either of the two produces more creatures spawned from their backs. Feeding a mogwai after midnight causes it to metamorphosize into a gremlin. This gets played with in the second movie.
* MetamorphosisMonster: The Mogwai transform if fed after midnight.
* RestrainingBolt: In the novelization, Stripe tells Gizmo right to his face that he wants to kill him but can't for some reason. Gizmo explains that [[spoiler:their alien creators]] made sure that Mogwai could never kill each other. That RestrainingBolt vanishes after Stripe becomes a Gremlin since he isn't a Mogwai anymore.
* RidiculouslyCuteCritter: The mogwai, particularly Gizmo. At least before they have an after-midnight snack..
* TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou: While no one seems to make a big deal out of who kills what gremlin, it always seems to be Gizmo's destiny to be the one to destroy the lead gremlin which seems to be his main rival.
** For that matter, while some manage to kill at least one gremlin, it always seems to be Billy's plan that exterminates the entire horde of gremlins except the leader.
* TookALevelInBadass: Gizmo goes from harmless furby to sharp-shooting Rambo-clone over the course of the two films.
* TransformationTrauma - The death of Stripe in the first movie is a particularly grotesque example
** Not to mention the intense pain caused by reproduction via water.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: The entire concept of these movies was brought about from Spielberg's unproduced script loosely based on [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelly-Hopkinsville_encounter the ''Kelly-Hopkinsville Encounter'']]. The idea was eventually seperated into three movie. This one being the third. The other two? ''ETTheExtraTerrestrial'' and ''CloseEncountersOfTheThirdKind''.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Gremlins]]
* ActionMom: Mrs. Peltzer in a sense, as she kills three (pre-gremlin army) gremlins in one scene alone. Her weapons of choice: Blender, kitchen knife, and ''microwave''.
* ArtisticLicenseEconomics: As soon as Randall Peltzer finds out that Gizmo reproduced upon getting wet, he thinks that selling mogwai could be his big break. Yeeeeeeeeah... because a species that [[ExplosiveBreeder reproduces]] when exposed to a little water [[SarcasmMode is sure going to stay in demand for awhile.]]
* AssholeVictim: Mrs. Deagle was SUCH a bitch, especially in the deleted scenes that reveal she was forcing people out of their homes to put down a strip mall, effectively destroying Kingston Falls.
** In the novelization, she was selling their land to a chemical company (named "[[MeaningfulName Hitox]]" of all things), so one can assume she was going to turn the town into a toxic waste dump.
** Even in the onscreen version, she is a heartless ice-bitch who casually evicts poor widows with children on Christmas Eve, and gleefully threatens to kill helpless little dogs by throwing them in the drying machine.
*** Almost lampshaded herself after seeing the Gremlins for the first time, convinced "they're" coming for her. Her [[VillainousBreakdown breakdown]] into delusional sobbing before she activates her tampered stairlift and her own demise [[strike: almost makes you feel sorry for her]] makes you cheer as she ''literally'' flies down to Hell where she belongs.
--->'''Mrs. Deagle:''' I'm not ready!!!
* BlackDudeDiesFirst
* BunglingInventor: Rand
* ChekhovsGun: At the beginning of the movie, the first rule explains that Gizmo's species hates bright lights and that sunlight in particular is lethal to them. At first, this just seemed like a necessary rule to care for Gizmo, but it ends up being the most important weapon in the fight against the gremlins, the former part allowing them to drive them off while Gizmo ends up using the latter half to destroy the gremlin leader. Seeing as how they already (unintentionally) broke the other two rules, they may as well have decided to go for a trifecta.
** Perhaps they should add a Rule 4: In the event that Rules 2 and 3 are broken, you are permitted to break Rule 1.
** The ornamental swords hanging next to the door (and which keep falling off every time someone comes into the house) are actually pretty deadly when put to good use.
* CrazyCatLady: Mrs Deagle again. She is shown to adore her numerous cats and nurture them in a disturbingly affectionate manner. Not that the heartless old hag showed '''any''' of the same kindness to ''children'' who can be made homeless by one word from her, mind you. The fact that the cats are all named after various pieces of currency from around the world plainly shows [[OnlyInItForTheMoney what she REALLY cares about]]
* DeadlineNews
* DrowningMySorrows: Mr. Putterman is put out of a job, and then finds out his beloved Kentucky Harvester has foreign-made parts in it.
* FridgeHorror: What would he have been like if ''Gizmo'' had become a Gremlin?
** Possibly shown with "Earl". The novel states that even good Mogwai are converted into murderous sadists upon transforming into a Gremlin.
** In one draft, wasn't Gizmo turned into Stripe?
* HorrorDoesntSettleForSimpleTuesday
* IndecisiveParody: The second one, on the other hand...
* KickTheDog: In the DarkerAndEdgier original script, the gremlins killed the Peltzers' pet dog.
** In the final version they just dangle him up with Christmas lights.
* TheLittleShopThatWasntThereYesterday
* LighterAndSofter -- at least, compared to the original script draft.
* MyCarHatesMe: Played with. In the beginning, Billy's car refuses to start, forcing him to walk to work. In the middle of the Gremlin attack, it actually starts for him, indicating a Gremlin messed with it. But later, when he tries to drive it again, it won't start. Indicating that it got fiddled with ''again''.
* OffWithHisHead: In the DarkerAndEdgier original script, Billy returned home to see his mother's head rolling down the stairs.
** In the film itself Billy decapitates a gremlin with a sword and kicks the severed head in the fire place.
* OhCrap (Billy's reaction after the last gremlin, Stripe, jumps into a public swimming pool. Gremlin Army ensues.)
* OutOfFocus: Mrs. Peltzer has one [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome awesome]] ActionMom scene and then disappears for most of the movie. Possibly because in the original script the gremlins killed her.
** There was also the mogwai/gremlin (named Earl in the novel) Billy left with a teacher to study. During the test, the teacher took a sample of its blood. Afterwards they made a dramatic scene out of it getting a hold of a sandwich and eating after midnight. After completing its transformation, it took its revenge on the teacher for the blood test before scratching Billy and escaping into the school's ventilation system. It briefly appeared and attacked Billy in the nurse's office before escaping. After that, it disappeared and Billy didn't give it any thought when he went to tracking down Stripe.
*** [[spoiler: WordOfGod says that it met up with Stripe's gang and joined in the fun of terrorizing the town before being blown up in the theater with the rest of the army]].
**** [[spoiler: Perhaps left out for a reason, considering the potentially tragic setup Earl had, his death being directly shown may have come off as kinda sad.]]
* PoliceAreUseless
* SchmuckBait: "And the most important rule of all, the one you must never forget: no matter how much he cries, no matter how much he begs, never, EVER feed him after midnight."
** Subverted. Billy takes this rule seriously, even though he doesn't know what exactly is going to happen, and honestly intends to follow it. The evil Mogwai had to trick him into breaking it.
* SoftGlass combined with SuperWindowJump
* ShoutOut: "Hi, [[TheIslandOfDoctorMoreau Doctor Moreau]]."
** When Billy is hunting down Stripe in the department store, he walks past a row of plush dolls. Not only is Stripe hiding amongst them (a direct reference to ''ETTheExtraTerrestrial'') he pushes away an ''actual'' doll of E.T. while poking his head out.
** [[ForbiddenPlanet Robbie the Robot]] and {{the Time Machine}} appear (or disappear, in the latter's case) in the inventor convention attended by Mr. Peltzer.
* TechnicolorDeath: It's not enough for sunlight to just kill Gremlins. [[spoiler: It has to melt them alive]].
* ThemeNaming: All of Ms. Deagle's cats are named after different currencies: Dollar, Kopeck, Drachma, etc.
* TheVoice: The DJ at the town radio station, "Rockin' Ricky Rialto". Gremlins are heard breaking into his studio, but he survives.
--->'''Rockin' Ricky:''' Hey wait a minute, you're not Rockin' Ricky fans!...
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Billy's friend Pete is last seen firing his slingshot at a few gremlins. Then later we hear him calling into the radio station trying to give a warning out about them, and then [[FridgeHorror he gets cut off]]. Pete doesn't appear in the sequel (Corey Feldman was in rehab at the time), nor is he even mentioned.
* WhenTheClockStrikesTwelve: Do not feed Gizmo after midnight.
* XMeetsY: WordOfGod calls the first film ''ItsAWonderfulLife'' meets ''InvasionOfTheBodySnatchers''; it has plenty of Thematic ShoutOut to both films.
* YouAreNotReady (although it is hinted that Billy may be one day.)
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Gremlins 2]]
* ActorAllusion: During the Bat Gremlin's transformation, stereotypical vampire music starts playing while the camera zooms in on ChristopherLee's reaction shot.
* AffablyEvil: The Brain Gremlin.
* AllThereInTheScript: Official merchandise for the film has revealed that the other mogwai/gremlins are named Daffy (The hyperactive one), [[OfMiceAndMen George (the big-lipped one), Lenny (The bucktoothed one)]], and Mohawk (the one that becomes the [[spoiler:Spider Gremlin]]).
* BigApplesauce
* BornInTheTheatre, NoFourthWall, and PaintingTheFourthWall all at once!
* BunnyEarsLawyer: Daniel Clamp
* CaptainErsatz:
** Daniel Clamp is Donald Trump, who falls in love in love with a woman named Marla. [[DeaderThanDisco Well, it was funny at the time.]]
** The character Fred plays on TV appears to be a CaptainErsatz of Grandpa from TheMunsters.
* TheCavalryArrivesLate: Clamp and the police storming building at the end.
* ChainedToARailway: Parodied
* ChekhovsGunman: The electric Gremlin.
* CloudCuckoolander / LaughingMad: Even for a gremlin, Daffy is weird.
** [[DaffyDuck Considering who he is a]] ShoutOut to, what do you expect?
-->'''Daffy:''' [[MarathonMan Is it ''safe''?!?!]]
* CobwebJungle
* ContinuityNod: George causes an explosion using a microwave, a ShoutOut to the infamous "Exploding Gremlin" scene in the first movie.
** Kate starts to go into detail about a traumatic event that happened to her on the occurring holiday (here, Lincoln's birthday), but this time Billy tries to shut her up before she can finish (she does anyway while dragged away).
* CorruptCorporateExecutive: Subverted. Early in the film Clamp Enterprises had been suggested to be the typical evil (or at least amoral) corporation but when we finally meet Daniel Clamp he turns out to be a loveable ManChild who actually wants to use his massive resources to make the world a ''nicer'' place.
** Clamp's oily assistant comes as close to being corrupt as you can without actually going over the line.
* CoveredInKisses: The [[TheSmurfettePrinciple female gremlin]] does this to a human security guard.
* CrazyPrepared: Daniel Clamp has a video for his cable network to play in the unlikely event Clamp has to shut down due to the end of the world.
** [[WordOfGod According to Joe Dante]], he once toured the CNN main headquarters, where they have just such a video waiting to be played when the final hour comes.
* CreditsGag - Daffy Duck appears during and after the end credits commenting on them ("You're ''THTILL'' lurking about? Don't you people have HOMETH?!?").
* ContinuityNod: In the first film, Kate is flashed by a Gremlin in a trenchcoat while at the bar. In this film, the same thing happens... but [[GroinAttack she doesn't just take it]].
* [[spoiler:DiscOneFinalBoss: Mohawk, who's been pretty non-interested in leading the other gremlins throughout much of the film, gets killed while the greater part of the gremlins are still creating mayhem. The Brain gremlin effectively assumed his place beforehand.]]
* EfficientDisplacement: Parodied; when the Bat Gremlin flies through a wall, the hole he leaves behind is shaped like the {{Batman}} logo.
* EvilElevator: The Gremlins commandeer one of the Clamp building's elevators with Kate inside it.
* EvilRedhead: A scheming female boss who tries to seduce Billy and is a JerkAss to Kate She ends up being trapped in Spider Gremlin's web! Guess who saves her bacon...
* GeneticMemory: The Gremlins have an instinctive hatred of Gizmo. This seems to be passed down from George, Lenny, and Daffy (whom were born from Gizmo and helped Mohawk push him into an air vent) to the ''numerous'' gremlins that spawn from the aforementioned trio. How they know Gizmo by name is pretty much RuleOfFunny.
** Or they can sense what they perceive to be weakness.
** Also, remember they did come out of him, so it's possible they share memories (which would also explain why Mohawk is so determined in his tormenting this time: he remembers that Gizmo killed him).
** Alternately, they inherit Gizmo's memories and know that he would attempt to take them out from those.
* GotTheWholeWorldInMyHand: The Clamp corporate logo.
* GroinAttack: Kate delivers a very hard and swift kick to a gremlin's crotch after he flashes her!
* {{Hammerspace}}: Where the Brains Gremlin gets his glasses from.
* HollywoodAcid: Complete with the [[PhantomOfTheOpera sadly ignored]] warning label "Do Not Throw In Face".
* HybridMonster: Several of the Gremlins become these during the course of the film. One even turns into ''a bolt of electricity'' by dunking one of the potions in the lab.
* IdiotBall: Gizmo just had to get out of the drawer Billy left him in and wander around an unfamiliar building (especcially after the residents of said building '''had already tried to dissect him'''), instead of just waiting for his owner and friend to come and take him home.
* ImpossibleShadowPuppets: During the theater takeover, one of the gremlins manages to create AbrahamLincoln with shadow puppets.
* IncurableCoughOfDeath: Gizmo's owner, Mr. Wing. Justified and lampshaded in-story by the fact that he is particularly old (think 90-plus), having reached the type of age where even a seemingly innocuous cold could be life-threatening.
* InterspeciesRomance: The very last scene.
* ItAmusedMe: As Brain points out, shooting one of his less mature brethren in the face with a pistol is fun, "but in no sense civilized".
* JapaneseTourist: Mr. Kazuchi.
* JerkassHasAPoint: Used in-universe with this exchange:
-->'''Clamp:''' That thing that was in here a minute ago, that's dangerous! This guy's from the art department.
-->'''Forster:''' Well, ask him how he knows so much about these "green things".
-->'''Clamp:''' That's a good question Bill – how do you know so much about them?
* LampshadeHanging:
** Some of Clamp's incredulous minions snarkily question Billy about the vagueness of the Gremlin rules.
* LargeHam: Both of these were probably intentional, considering the enforced campy nature of the film.
** ChristopherLee hams it up as the MadScientist running the genetics lab.
** To a lesser extent, Robert Picardo as the Head of Security, who seems to relish in playing an Orwellian, conformist CorruptCorporateExecutive.
* LegoGenetics: How a number of the gremlins managed to turn into hybrids after raiding the genetics lab for {{Applied Phlebotinum}}s.
* LetsGetDangerous: Gizmo has one of these moments.
* LighterAndSofter
* KillItWithFire combined with YouHaveToBurnTheWeb.
* MadScientist: Doctor [[PunnyName Catheter]], played to the hilt by ChristopherLee. Interestingly he subverts it later on when he rejects his experiments as immoral, and vows that he will not commit cruel genetic experiments on animals again.
* MookPromotion: A random Gremlin drinks a brain-enhancing formula and becomes the swarm's leader/spokesgremlin. (While the original leader becomes a skulking half-spider monstrosity.)
* MyInstinctsAreShowing: Brain Gremlin's intelligence doesn't stop him from having the same sociopathic tendencies as the other gremlins.
-->'''Brain Gremlin:''' Now, was that civilized? No, clearly not. [[ItAmusedMe Fun]], but in no sense civilized.
* OneSteveLimit: Somewhat averted. There are two characters with the name "Daffy" in this film. One of the gremlins, and of course DaffyDuck appears at the beginning and end.
* {{Planimal}}: A gremlin drinks a potion from the science lab and becomes a gremlin/vegetable hybrid.
* PostModernism
* PragmaticVillainy: When Mr. Wing holds up development on Clamp's latest business venture, Forster realizes how old and sick he is, and just waits for him to die.
* RapeAsComedy: Forster, although he strangely decides to give in at the end.
* RedemptionEqualsDeath: [[spoiler:Not long after Dr. Catheter decides to dedicate his life to good, he gets killed by the Electric Gremlin.]]
* {{Reincarnation}}: WordOfGod states that Mohawk, the new leader of the gremlins, was Stripe, the primary antagonist from the first film reborn. Fortunately, Gizmo sends him back to the grave for good. Whether this is a literal reincarnation or figurative (as in, they fulfill similar archetypes) is unclear.
* RichBoredom: Mr. Clamp
* SealedEvilInACan
* SelfParody: This film often parodies itself, the previous film and audience reactions to the film.
* SexualKarma: In the sequel with a newly [[TheSmurfettePrinciple girlified gremlin]] "attacking" a hapless human male!
* ShoutOut: This ''is'' a Joe Dante film, after all, so you ''will'' be getting LooneyTunes and ''InvasionOfTheBodySnatchers'' references (including the pod from the original film!), not to mention all of the referential gags to ''{{Film/Batman}}'', ''ThePhantomOfTheOpera'', and other WarnerBrothers properties.
* SlidingScaleOfComedyAndHorror: Definaly further over into comedy.
* SmartPeopleSpeakTheQueensEnglish: The Brain Gremlin in the sequel.
* TheSmurfettePrinciple: There's only one girl gremlin, and that's entirely due to gene splicing.
** Well there was the crossdressing Gremlin briefly seen in the bar scene of the first film.
* SoLastSeason: They try to get every Gremlin into the lobby by fooling them into thinking it's nighttime, then fry them with sunlight. Then come the thunderclouds. Cue OhCrap moment.
* SpikesOfVillainy: Mohawk.
* StealthPun: George and Lenny are named after the main characters from ''OfMiceAndMen''.
* StrappedToAnOperatingTable: The ''Marathon Man'' version is spoofed
* TakeThatCritics: Surprisingly, one of the least bitter "Take That"s. Leonard Maltin, who gave the original ''Gremlins'' a negative review, appears as himself and is promptly mocked and attacked by the rampaging army.
--> '''Maltin:''' I was just kidding! Ow! A ten! ''It's a ten!''
* TakenForGranite: The bat Gremlin ends up [[AndIMustScream covered in quick-drying cement as a gargoyle atop a cathedral]].
* ThatsAllFolks
-->'''Daffy Duck:''' ''Oh no you don't!''
* TookALevelInBadass: Gizmo, at the same time doing a Rambo spoof.
* UnexplainedRecovery: The Futtermans sure seem to have recovered well from that whole snow plow thing in the first movie (it is mentioned in the first movie that they survived, but you have to listen carefully to hear it).
* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: It shows how it's a 1990 film with references to ''Film/{{Batman}}'', ''ThePhantomOfTheOpera'', DonaldTrump and Marla Maples' affair, and so on.
* VillainSong: Frank Sinatra's ''New York, New York'' no less. And amazingly well-coordinated!
-->'''Grandpa Fred:''' Incredible as it seems, ladies and gentlemen, after their bizarre, bloodcurdling rampage of destruction, these strange creatures now appear to be mounting what seems to be... a musical number.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: "Daffy", "George" and "Lenny" disappear during the latter half of the movie (though deleted scenes depict them "helping" with Grandpa Fred's show and their FamilyUnfriendlyDeath with the rest of the Gremlins).
* TheWonka: Daniel Clamp.
* YouGetMeCoffee
* YouHaveToBurnTheWeb: when Gizmo shoots the spider gremlin with flaming arrows.
[[/folder]]
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