Many kids of the ‘80s can point to Gremlins as their first “scary” movie; it is quintessential suburban horror that helped introduce the PG-13 rating for movies that were too violent or intense for children, but not enough to justify an R rating. Gremlins is full of homages and sendups of old movies and Christmas consumerism; it still works as a funny parody of ‘50s horror/sci-fi directed with a B-movie sensibility and written with a sick sense of humor a la MAD magazine. Dad wants to bring something unique home to his son for Christmas and finds an exotic new pet that will do the trick. This cute little critter comes with some responsibility though—no exposure to sunlight or water and definitely no food after midnight. What happens next is a result of two of those guidelines being broken and dozens of tiny mean-spirited monsters lay siege to a picturesque upstate New York town on Christmas Eve. Gremlins inspired a number of imitators—Critters, Ghoulies, and Munchies to name a few—and while some of them are good, none has had the impact on pop culture like this one. Although it is not actually a Christmas movie—it was inexplicably released in the summer—Gremlins will continue to be holiday viewing for years to come.
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