“Gremlins” (1984), is often regarded as a Christmas movie. But is it?
Halloween Countdown – 31 Scary Moments – Oct. 26
Shining a bright light on a scary Halloween classic . . . or is it a Christmas classic?
October officials marks the beginning of Scary Season. With this in mind, the Pepper Bough is celebrating with a daily dose of creepy moments sure to make your hairs stand on end. Come celebrate with us… if you dare.
Depending on your feelings about the upcoming holiday season, “Gremlins” may or may not be a Christmas movie. After all, it is about a Christmas gift gone awry.
Billy (Zach Galligan) receives a very special present for Christmas from his inventor father: a tiny pet he comes to call Gizmo that’s actually part of a species known as Mogwai that live by a very important set of rules. Rule no. 1: no bright lights; no. 2: no water, ever; and no. 3: no feeding after midnight. When Billy violates two of these rules, Gizmo breeds an entirely new type of Mogwai . . . gremlins!
The gremlins are a nasty group of monsters that soon take over the Billy’s entire community. They are terrors primed for destruction. Especially their leader, Stryper.
Whether or not anyone believes “Gremlins” is a Christmas film, it is a truly scary movie. It is also gory, and packed with suspenseful set pieces. Regardless of whether this one gets appreciated at Halloween or Christmas, it deserves it all.