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Let's Talk - Movies
A true movie lovers podcast celebrating great films worth revisiting or seeing for the first time. Host: Jason Connell, award-winning documentary producer & film/tv expert.
Let's Talk - Movies
Gremlins (1984) - Just Rewatched
Let's Talk - Movies
Episode 42: Gremlins (1984) - Just Rewatched
Jason Connell and Sal Rodriguez revisit the classic movie and talk about Steven Spielberg's genius, wanting a mogwai, and not eating after midnight.
Synopsis: A young man inadvertently breaks three important rules concerning his new pet and unleashes a horde of malevolently mischievous monsters on a small town.
Director: Joe Dante
Writer: Chris Columbus
Cinematographer: John Hora
Composer: Jerry Goldsmith
Creature Designer: Chris Walas
Cast: Hoyt Axton, Frances Lee McCain, Keye Luke, Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Dick Miller, Corey Feldman, Judge Reinhold
Recorded: 04-18-23
Studio: Just Curious Media
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Whoa, just curious. Welcome to Just curious media. This is let's talk movies. And I'm Jason Connell, on the show. Today I'm joined by special guest, Sal Rodriguez.
Sal Rodriguez:Hello there, Jason. Thanks for having me.
Jason Connell:Hey, you're very welcome, Sal. It's good to have you back. It's been a while. Not really
Sal Rodriguez:hasn't been? No.
Jason Connell:We just did back to back to back episode. No. Now, it's been a little while we've done a few episodes. You know, a lot of solo episodes, but it's good to have you back. We talked about this a week ago. Because today, we're talking about gremlins. 1984. Just rewatched Well,
Sal Rodriguez:yeah, nice. 1984. Yeah. It was a good year. A good year.
Jason Connell:Yes, it was. Let me bring the poster up for those on YouTube. Yes. Oh my gosh, the classic poster. Yeah. So there it is. There it is a thing of beauty. You see hands coming out a Mogwai. And let me just say as I did some research, I've watched this movie, we've revisited the movie. loved loved it all over again. I gotta say. But when I was watching it, and it had been a while. It's like, oh, wait, are they gremlins? Are they Mogh wise? Well, here's what I've learned from the dialect of Chinese Cantonese. The Mogwai means devil or demon, or Gremlin. Oh, so they're a little devils. He's a little guys. Not so much our main Mogwai but we'll save that for the episode as we delve in. But let me give this synopsis and we'll ping pong back and forth. We're also gonna play the trailer we have a special feature. We kind of have another special guest in this episode over your left shoulder. But oh yes, it will introduce him shortly. But here's the synopsis for Gremlins, a young man inadvertently breaks three important rules concerning his new pet and unleashes a horde of malevolently. mischievious monsters on a small town. Wow, that's really well said. And that's right to the point. And we'll get into the three important rules shortly, which are hilarious.
Sal Rodriguez:Jason, I just imagined being that guy who does that? Who does wonder that guy that that unleashes the Oh, yeah, who did this? Yeah.
Jason Connell:Well, I can't blame him entirely. giving him the responsibility is a whole other thing. You know, he is a high schooler. And then he's friends with a younger kid who puts this thing in motion. But again, let's not get ahead of ourselves. So the release date, June 8 1984. Genre comedy fantasy horror. Yeah, I guess that covers it. I first saw this on VHS, or it could have been HBO. But in the mid 80s. I didn't see it in the theater. But I saw it like right when it came on either VHS or HBO. How about you? So
Sal Rodriguez:I think this was a big movie time for me and my family or even just me because I would catch the bus to the movie theater on my own at least once a week. And I'm pretty certain that I saw this in its original release in 84. Wow, were you scared? No, no, no. Yeah. Jason by that time. Rosemary's Baby, by that time I seen it, oh, no, I thought of Gremlins is more silly. It was more of a, you know, fun, a fun, silly movie. I didn't I was never afraid or scared of gremlins. It's a classic
Jason Connell:though. And it's also a Christmas movie. And the way that diehard is I would say it's definitely during the holidays. I mean, this Mogwai is a Christmas present. Let's not forget that. So let's delve into who put this together because there's some factoids here then, then we'll get into the movie more. So we're not doing a scene by scene breakdown. We're doing broad strokes, memorable scenes takeaways meeting our guest, but I want to start at the top. And that is Steven Spielberg. Yeah, there you go. You start there. God, I forgot doom. That's why we're talking about this movie Sal because this is who was behind it. He didn't have time to direct it. He was off doing one of the Indiana Jones has sought out the director who is Joe Dante. And that's you know, because Spielberg that's what happens. He was so on demand. It's like, Hey, can you do poltergeist? No, but I'll get this guy to do that. He couldn't do it all so he was producing and obviously directly but when he was producing, he still had a play in things. So he helped get Joe Dante Now Joe Dante did the burbs interspace explores Twilight Zone he had one of the scenes in the movie was Spielberg the Howleen and those are in reverse most recent Well, Lady nine the burps but all the way back to Halloween help get him this job. Because that's a horror movie and then this is really a fun it says more comedy horror I would say great.
Sal Rodriguez:Yeah. laying was not comedy at all. No, no, no, no, not at all. No, wait a second, though. Hang on. I did think that last scene in the howling even as a kid, where you know she's a newscaster and right becomes like a cute fluffy werewolf. I always thought that was kind of funny actually. Yeah,
Jason Connell:no, he's got he can do that he can kind of intermingle the to him. That's why he was on the scene to make this movie. Now, not only that, I watched the movie in the last week, I listened to two different director commentaries. He's on there with the producer and the create, you know, who created the Mogh Wise, who I'll save that as well. And then he's on there with the cast. And I got some more factoids. It was really interesting to hear Joe Dante is well spoken has his own podcast, really, really good stuff. But the writer, Chris Columbus. Now you may remember the name maybe not. He also wrote nine months young Sherlock Holmes. The Goonies went on to become a big time director. He did two of the Harry Potter movies. He also directed nine months. Mrs. Doubtfire, Home Alone. Adventures in babysitting. This guy is legit. So sometimes you want to like, oh, yeah, that was a really good movie. You call it silly, but it's memorable. It's held up? Well, because look who's behind it already. This isn't a fly by night operation. These are legit heavyweights in the film industry.
Sal Rodriguez:Jason when I say silly. I mean, that word fantasy. Yeah. Like the Harry Potter movies like Lord of the Rings. Yeah, I would say that that realm is not really my favorite. Gotcha. So I think that you know why? Because there's literally no rules. You can just do whatever,
Jason Connell:right Sal Rodriguez has just been replaced in.
Sal Rodriguez:No, but no. But Jason, I love horror and I love comedy. Yeah. So I always saw Gremlins as a comedy and a horror. Never really in the fantasy category. Even though it categorizes. It's, I agree.
Jason Connell:And that's IMDb genres I grew through. When I saw it again, I forgot that, hey, there are some scenes here that really pushed the envelope. And I in a good way to me like, Oh, this is great. It's not a kid's movie. In fact, when I saw when I was a kid, I'm sure there was moments I thought, Wow, these guys well, a the main Gremlins are really just too much. Like you said no rules. But this isn't like your normal run of the mill G or PG movie either. It crosses over that people die in this movie.
Sal Rodriguez:Well, Jason, that's what I was going to ask you one thing you never talk about, and let's talk movies. I don't ever hear you get into the rating system. But we
Jason Connell:do get into it on this episode. Okay. And that's a good point. And maybe we should do it more often. Because we've been a little desensitized to things. There was a time where the rating meant Are you going to see this movie? Can you get into this movie? Right when we were younger, but that's a really good point. And but we do get into it here for obvious reasons. And it's kind of historic. So
Sal Rodriguez:what, Jason I just want to be clear. I don't think my mother cared about the rain,
Jason Connell:either. Who's this guy's guardian? Me? All right. This is rated x. This is midnight, Midnight Cowboy. That's okay. Let's go. Alright, so the composer Jerry Goldsmith, rest in peace. We lost him July 21 2004 75. But let me tell you, so, this man, Goldsmith 18 Oscar nominations. Well, one win, which seems like that's completely out of whack, but she won for the Omen in 1976. A movie right up your alley? Well, you
Sal Rodriguez:know, because because I like, Damian. Yeah, I like the evil. You do. That's what makes it scary. Is the evil email.
Jason Connell:I agree. I totally agree. Now, some of the movies that he was nominated for LA Confidential, Basic Instinct, Hoosiers Poltergeist, which I just talked about. Star Trek, the movie, actually the first Star Trek movie, Chinatown, Patton, Planet of the Apes, some classic classic movies, and so many more. Those are just some of the ones he was nominated for. So again, great score, go back and watch this movie. It's like oh my gosh, it's just they got all the workings here. It's like a great thing. It's something that
Sal Rodriguez:you might not appreciate the score of a movie like Gremlins,
Jason Connell:you may not well go back and watch it again and I noticed it right away like oh my gosh, now the creature designer Chris weightless. That may ring a bell to you Sal because we've talked about Chris weightless before because he won an Oscar for creating the fly. Well, you know who that we know what that's called right? Oh Brundlefly Randolph fly. He created it won the Oscar he also created you know creatures for enemy mine. Raiders of the Lost Ark many more. Did the Gremlins what He's amazing. And he was on one of the commentary tracks and he was phenomenal to hear how they were doing it because this this movie, it works. But these puppets were animatronic and only could do so much. So there would they would do things. It's like the old Texas switch, I guess they call it, they'd have one of the Mogwai is at a scene and the scenes going on, and they put it down into a switch where one could move an ear or something because that's how limited they were. But when you're dealing with those limitations, sometimes you make better films. You can't just make it all CG. Right Jason, did
Sal Rodriguez:I hear about the Texas switch in a Tarantino commentary or turn? You could
Jason Connell:have a lot of people do it. It comes up a lot.
Sal Rodriguez:No, no, but I've never heard it before. Until now. You reminded me. I've only heard it once before.
Jason Connell:Yeah. Well, I've heard it on lots of commentaries. Yeah, they put them down weightless. So grab it and swap out with the one that can do something else and seeing what's out of camera. Really cool stuff. So I was getting all these little nuggets. Now I'll quickly bang out the cast so we can delve into more but we have Hoyt Axton, and he plays Randall Peltzer rest in peace first of all to Hoyt Axton passed away October 26 1999 at 61. He plays the dad who gets the Mogwai initially and really puts this thing into motion, but quickly about Hoyt great voice great presence. He was in the Black Stallion he played the father and the Black Stallion he popped up on so many shows Sal one that stood out different strokes. He played Sam's father and two episodes.
Sal Rodriguez:Remember saying Sam was Sam was the little redhead and
Jason Connell:Mr. D's it only Kimberly was his like, biologically Sam was son to Hoyt Axton?
Sal Rodriguez:Well, that's what yeah, I didn't remember that Sam had a father besides Drummond.
Jason Connell:He did have a biological father was the actress and check that up his one of his other claim to fame is one of his big claim to fame was he wrote never been dismayed and Joy to the world for three dog night. Nice. He was like a legendary songwriter who knew? Then the wife, the mother, Frances Lee McCain, she played Len Peltzer. She's in movies like stand by me. She's the mother to law chance to John KU, Zach. Well, we're marshals wife bit part a small Back to the Future. She plays Lorraine's mother. So like like 50s mom, and she anyway, it's she's like, I didn't realize she's in the since she's in Footloose. And she's phenomenal in this role as his Hoyt so far.
Sal Rodriguez:Jason, the reason I was shaking my head is because I was thinking if I if my resume, if Sal Rodriguez's resume only had Stand By Me Back to the Future, and Footloose. I would ride that to the moon. Oh my god.
Jason Connell:I stand corrected. And sorry, it's damn I missed out. Well, more Marshall. It's Marshall Bell. Apologies, Marshall. I've met Marshall. I know Marshall. He plays the dad. I always got a jerk bad. Well, she's the wife to him. Marshall Bell.
Sal Rodriguez:Okay, I said wife. Key. Luke,
Jason Connell:is the grandfather, the Asian actor. He's phenomenal. Yes, we lost him January 12 1991 and 86. I was rewatching the Woody Allen movie Alice a few months ago. And there he was. And I even stopped and said, Who is this guy? He's incredible in this movie. And it was this actor. He looked. He also played Charlie chan a lot in so many movies and on tons of TV shows. But he's really good. He is the owner of the Mogwai but he doesn't even sell them aguaje To Hoyt to Randall, I should say his grandson sneaks him around and sells him on the side. So so there's that he did not want to sell him. Last couple here. Zach Galligan plays Billy Peltzer. He's also in Gremlins secrets of the Mogwai The Animated Series doing one of the voices that's currently on now. So it's another one of these spin offs right happening later. Thanks to Cobra Kai Gremlins to the new batch. He's also in that and he was in waxwork, which I thought you might know horror movie thought it might be up your alley.
Sal Rodriguez:Not sure was that from the early 90s? I think either 80s or 90s. I'd have to look and see it sounds familiar. Yeah, I think it might have been a reboot of the old Vincent Price movie. 8888 Okay, there was a Vincent Price movie. I think there might have been a reboot of it.
Jason Connell:There's also sequels to this. So then there is Phoebe Cates. We love Phoebe Cates. She plays Kate Behringer. She's in movies like The anniversary party Gremlins to the new batch that got the cast back together. Shag bright lights big city, one of my personal faves Fast Times at Ridgemont High legendary, and she is of course married to Kevin Kline. I'm not Yeah, I
Sal Rodriguez:just learned At like the other day I just learned I never knew. I never knew. Wow. Okay now, Kevin Kline, lucky guy.
Jason Connell:Lucky guy. Dick Miller plays Mr Futterman. He's great rest in peace lost him January 30 2019 at 90 at a great run. He's also on Gremlins to the new batch the burbs, which I mentioned earlier, and the Terminator. He's the guy in the pawn shop. I know the gun shop. When Arnold goes in there and gets the guns and starts loading up the ammo is like, Hey, you can't load that up in here. And he blows him away. That's this Derek Miller. I remember which we covered on Let's Talk movies.
Sal Rodriguez:Wasn't Nick Miller also in? Oh, isn't that tons of things so but like way back in the what's the plant that comes alive Little Shop of Horrors. I think he was the original Little Shop of Horrors I think.
Jason Connell:So then we have Corey Feldman. Yes. Of the two Coreys he plays Pete The Lost Boys Stand By Me that Goonies actually I think it's his last boys. I like to throw the on there. What's funny is that him and Billy are friends. And it's like they're not brothers. He's like, you know, high school junior senior. Here's a middle schooler or maybe he's a freshman but they're just worlds apart. And then Judge Reinhold in this movie plays Gerald Hopkins also worked at the bank where Billy works. And of course, Kate works here as well. Beverly Hills Cop. Also Fast Times at Ridgemont High. All right, how will turn a call at the end of the movie would Hamilton throws the coffee on the there would be assailant but it's also a great sell scene. Judge Reinhold and Phoebe Cates together again, because they have that classic. Wow, I'd say famous scene from Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Oh, yeah. The Yeah, it's a dream sequence. But that in that wild that they got these two together here, love it.
Sal Rodriguez:And then Judge Reinhold judge
Jason Connell:lucky. And now let's get into the characters. Okay, and we can introduce who's behind your shoulder, but there is one named gizmo and he is everyone's darling. And he is the main he's on the poster. It's his little hands coming out. Everybody wants a gizmo. Gizmo is a Mogwai. And then there is the who voices gizmo you might ask. Well, that is one Howie Mandel.
Sal Rodriguez:I just learned that in the last few months to why am I just learning about this?
Jason Connell:So and then there is stripe and stripe is a bad Mogwai and the voiceover is Frank Welker, who has done so many voices look at his IMDb it's like oh my gosh. Well, Sal, I believe stripe is in studio with you, Sal. So let's, let's introduce ourselves to stripe.
Sal Rodriguez:Yeah, I feel like I've adopted a small child here. Wow. Now what makes this extra exciting is not just the fact that he's a beautiful I will say action figure. Yeah. Some may say doll but I wouldn't. Yeah, no, no. Is that this vintage he's vintage because from 1984 This is probably one of the original releases that they licensed in this instance to L J. N. Mainly for from a collectible store used to be in Burbank called creature features. Unfortunately, creature features is no longer but I do have this remember to remember a creature features and of course, gremlins.
Jason Connell:Wow, that is stunning likeness. I must say strive. You're looking pretty good there, pal. Now I have a question for you. So I know you have some other Mogwai 's around the gizmo and some others. But you said they're very, very small and you couldn't get to them not because they're small and you need like tweezers to get to them but they're in another room. You have tons of toys and collectibles figures. But they're very small. So he is like the big Grimm on life size.
Sal Rodriguez:I think he's about life size. Yeah. Do we know how tall Gremlins are?
Jason Connell:I mean, I could probably get that information.
Sal Rodriguez:I think he's about lifesite Let's
Jason Connell:go with that. Yeah. If you had gizmo I would just help. I would do the voice I would fill in for him. But I can't do stripes, but I was always curious. Just curious. Yeah. How come he's not called spike it spiked hair. It's a spike. And when I saw the movie again, I was like oh, it's spike all that caught him stripe. Okay, and I thought spike also fit his personality more. He's a little rough around the edges so I was just surprised he wasn't called spike.
Sal Rodriguez:Yeah stripe I guess like a pinstripe I guess. It's it
Jason Connell:is a mohawk right but it's a mohawk and it stands up. It's not just like a stripe. That's the same height. Anyway, just my thought. Well, I'm gonna play the trailer. We won't talk. We'll just take it in because of the audio. And then we'll delve into more. Okay, sounds good. Sounds good stretch drive for you. Okay with that
Sal Rodriguez:stripe is gonna watch too. Yep, please, please.
Media:Steven Spielberg presents gremlins. Billy Pelzer has a nice Billy's not you. Yeah, no, it's me. A nice job. Nice girl. If you're not doing anything this Thursday night, maybe you'd like to go out on a date with me. had left him and loving parents. Who were about to give them they're gonna like this. No, no, no, don't shake. We're gonna have to open that one way to Christmas. The most unusual gift he ever got. What is it? It's your new best. Mom Barney be a good duck. My dad gave it to me. But there are a few things to keep in mind. If you expose it to the light, you may hurt it. If you get it wet. It will multiply all that from water. We got wet. Plain water. And most important no matter how much they bake. Never. We never let them after midnight, because when they do they change and become clever. Mischievous. Dangerous little monsters? Right. Well, I don't know. Maybe 1000s do we what are these things? Where did they come from? Look, I know it sounds crazy. I know. But in a few hours, you could have a major disaster on your hands directed by Joe Dante. They'll be expecting you.
Sal Rodriguez:Well, Stripe, loved that. Stripe loved that trailer.
Jason Connell:He made an appearance. So
Sal Rodriguez:Jason, that lady who gets shot up the stairs. I never forget. I went I remember I saw the movie. And I remember thinking that's flow from Mel's diner. You
Jason Connell:go yes, it is. Yes, indeed. Very good trailer. And so So delving into the movie again. I was really surprised how it held up. Yeah, there's silliness at play. But it's a well told story. I love the setup. It's innocent. Here's a Mogwai and seen it again. I just thought gizmo was incredibly cute. You know, I hadn't I put this movie in the rear view. I guess I was guilty thinking, Oh, it's a kid's movie. Right? But it's more than that. It's not just a kid's movie. It works for adults as well. And it's I love movies in the 80s and 90s and see the periods and of course then you start to like look at the cast and crew who put it together. I'm like, Oh my gosh, you know, and, and yeah, I had some issues with some things and listen to the commentary. I learned other things. For instance, before we get into some of the memorable scenes, Judge Reinhold is in the movie, I really liked Judge Reinhold. And at one point in the movie, he's gone. He works at the bank with Billy and Kate. He's trying to hit on Kate, Phoebe Cates, his assistant to the bank head and he's trying to move up the ladder and they go, they all go to a bar after work and they're talking, but she's got her eyes on Billy, and then all sudden, Judge Ron holds his written out of the movie. There could have been more epic. There were more scenes but he was cut out of the movie because the movie became more and more about this storyline for the Gremlins and supporting pieces were gone. Corey Feldman, like I said, young friend to Billy. They're hanging out. Cory Feldman's the one that knocks water over on gizmo accidentally, and we see that transformation. And that's a great that is a great scene the first time he gets water and guess most just so darn cute. Like he's laying on the bad watch movies with Billy watching racing movies. Making little noise. He's like, Oh, this everyone wants a pet gizmo. But a minute water gets knocked on him. And you see him transform his little balls that bounce off like bang, bang, bang bang, and they become well they become Gremlins like him. Mogwai is just like him, but they weren't they were they were a little bit different. You know, like, what do they say like a replicant of replicates a little bit differently you know, they're not quite ham not quite as cuteness he spawning people that are a little bit different will strive to one of them. But to be clear, he doesn't spawn that version of stripe that you have right there where his stripe, he's not even over your shoulder anymore.
Sal Rodriguez:Now he's looking at me, okay? So you
Jason Connell:don't he's he doesn't become that until what happens? Now
Sal Rodriguez:Oh, this happens. Uh, once you feed a gizmo or other magway, after midnight after
Jason Connell:midnight, then they go to this metamorphosis transformation to a whole other level. But anyway, back to my point. Yeah, there were things. It's like, Oh, okay. Yeah, that's a little clunky what happened to that character? I also like the dog a lot, Barney, he's really good, really good character. So he's already got a power bill. He's already got this power. The dog goes to the bank with him and works at the bank and hides him from the people. And so it's kind of funny and all sudden, he's got another pet. And, and then the dog disappears for a bunch of the movie because it goes on a trip with the dad anyway. So I thought that was interesting. And Corey Feldman also kind of disappears. He has one more scene during the big outbreak at the end. And it's like, okay, because they just probably kept cutting and cutting and getting it down to this this stream line story. And it works. It makes you want to watch it again. It's not heavy, it doesn't linger too long. And there's some really funny stuff in it. So what comes to mind, Jason, you
Sal Rodriguez:was just gonna say that. The implication is that Corey Feldman's and judge Ryan holds characters. We're not Pivotal,
Jason Connell:no, supporting, very supporting.
Sal Rodriguez:But But even though they're supporting there's no resolution. Well,
Jason Connell:you do get one more resolution with Corey Feldman. I mean, the night when everything's going crazy. His place has been attacked. So he does a couple of things in his bedroom like a slingshot. And then he cuts something like Christmas lights, because Gremlins are hanging on there. They're just hanging aren't even really moving. But he cuts it. So we're just to see like, okay, the audience knows that he's okay. He's okay. But Judge Reinhold, no resolution. And also we don't like him. He's not a nice guy. So it's like asked for that guy.
Sal Rodriguez:I don't remember that. Because it would be very interesting to see Judge Reinhold. He has such that likability factor, but he can't imagine. I couldn't imagine him being, you know, a sort of a what a slimy character
Jason Connell:more slimy. Like he thinks, you know, he's trying to Hey, want to come over to see my apartment. Or once you say to Phoebe Cates, Oh, you haven't been to my new apartment. And she's like, Yeah, I never even saw your old one. But he's, you know, we're talking about cable cable television. And he's just like, you know, if I keep this up, I can be bank manager by my 20s. Like, he's just a different cat. But funny nonetheless, to see those two reunite in the big screen. I gotta see it. And then of course, as far as the memorable scenes, gizmos introduction is fantastic. I didn't think it would work on me now. And I thought, oh, yeah, super cute. What do I get one of those guys. But the rules. Let's talk about the three rules. Yeah, right. No bright light, right lights will kill them. So there's that. So you always have an out a way to kill them. Cool. And then no water. So water on them? They multiply gizmo had just a little bit of water and he pumps five out. But Sal, if they can't have water on them, what do they drink?
Sal Rodriguez:Yeah, maybe they don't drink water. Not strange, right? A game. Every creature has to have water right? There's no such thing as a creature doesn't drink water. Right?
Jason Connell:I know. So it works in the movie. So it's like don't get them wet. Okay, great. Don't get them right. Don't get them. I'm sure your cat as may doesn't like to get wet. Probably
Sal Rodriguez:no, no, she'll sometimes you know, she likes to go outside. Let her out. When it's sprinkling. I go, Okay, you want to go out? And she goes on is like 30 seconds. She's like,
Jason Connell:backing back. I don't want to be wet. I don't want anyone that doesn't like it. But these guys get what do they drink? Do they drink milk? They just dismissed that don't get him what but the last one brings controversy. And it's also talked about and mocked in the sequel because I watched the sequel right after just to say like, Okay, let's see what's going on here. And it was enjoyable in its own right. But this is a much better movie. No feeding them after midnight. Yeah, well, it's midnight, somewhere in the world, every moment. So midnight, where midnight, right where they're at. And that's what you go with in them. You have to go with where they're at you do and the clocks get unplugged, because they know the rules and they want the late night snack and that's how that guy he is the leader. To be clear. Stripe is the leader even when he's just striped a Mogwai. The good one, the non mean Gremlin they don't have a new name for them. When they transform into this. It's not like there's something else they're just like, the scarier versions. Look at him. Sorry. Anything to say there stripe.
Sal Rodriguez:I think that stripe almost fill up now. Can't have that. Nope. See, he did it on purpose. He made me lose my train of thought. That's it. No, he made me.
Jason Connell:You're done. You really are done. Okay, well, if you're not going to pick that thought up. The kitchen attack scene is one of my favorite scenes of the whole movie. It actually is Since it's incredible the mother does a great job. And she has to didn't have to but she does she kills one in a mixer. Oh yeah. Which is great. So you don't have to kill them with light, bright light. You can kill them in a mixer. She microwaves one. Fantastic. And she flesh and blood stabs another one. But she has to because they're haunting her. They're looking for her gizmo. Gizmo, say? He's running around. But they put on a record. It's like there's this hints of a horror movie. All the sudden there's a record like an actual needle, playing a song and she's like, she goes and checks it out. And then there's gremlins. And they're mischievious. And they're looking to harm her. So she's got to flip the script. And I'm telling you that sequence is fantastic. It's not only phenomenal. It's fantastic. I'm combining the words, but you remember it, right?
Sal Rodriguez:Oh, yeah. No, that's I think the most memorable scene I think from the movie as far as the Gremlins attacking and doing what Gremlins do Yeah, I think that scene is probably the most memorable
Jason Connell:Yeah, it raises the stakes like this isn't just like cutesy they're trying to kill her and she just asked three of them and Stripe was there but he didn't kill her and vice versa. So they also attacked the science teacher, wonderfully played by Glynn Turman, but he they kill him. Oh, and I even read that or heard on one of the commentaries that they put a syringe in him because he got to experiment on one of the Gremlins the transformation ones, and he was running some test and he used a syringe and so his death that a syringe and his backside button and laughing and laughing but early versions of the made even shot this he had a bunch of syringes, I think in his face area, they're like, Okay, that's too dark. Let's turn the darkness. Still. He's dead. It's not like, Well, they did not kill him.
Sal Rodriguez:Freddy Krueger, Jason, you remember Freddy Krueger killed somebody I think it was might have been Dream Warriors. With the syringes in his blades on his glove. Yes. So you know what, it's like Gremlins was going to do it but then they didn't. But then Freddie did
Jason Connell:ya know the guy did die
Sal Rodriguez:with it. But they didn't know but only one syringe
Jason Connell:so the pool seems so basically stripe, his comrades are dead. It's just stripe. And he's turned he's this guy's this version of stripe. And he goes to the what put you should put him back over your shoulder again. I liked him over there. Okay,
Sal Rodriguez:hey, what's up on him walk.
Jason Connell:So he makes it to I think it's the YMCA and jumps in the pool. And that was another great idea. Great scene because it created just 1000s of gremlins. And what we learned when doing that,
Sal Rodriguez:wait a second. That created the girl I got it. I got it. It wasn't going to kill
Jason Connell:him. And I don't and I don't go to the version before they come out the mean version because he's mean so you can multiply at that stage. And so when he jumped in the poll, you just see colors and bubbles and it's like, oh, this is gonna create a ton of them. And he almost didn't make it. But when he jumped in the poll smart thinking they're stripe, pretty good. Same. Anything else stand out before I hit the last few that I have on my hit list?
Sal Rodriguez:No, I like that. And he doesn't sacrifice himself by right now. He lives he's he's, he lives. Yeah, okay. Yeah. So it's not like it was even a self sacrificial act. It was painful.
Jason Connell:Because whatever it gizmo gets hit with water. It's always you know, he's like, it hurts him. But stripes like he's got a plan. And that might have taken it out of him. But you never know. You just see him later. Now he's got like a flock. More than a fly. He's got a ton of Gremlins with him.
Sal Rodriguez:I feel like Stripe likes the transformation. Unlike gizmo but like Eddie from the howling. Yeah,
Jason Connell:exactly. So there's another great saints, they go to the police station, and they're explaining this to the cops. They're just like, they're not having it bellies. Like, what are they going to get with this? No, there's these little creatures. And actually, he took gizmo. I think he took him and showed them and I think he's so yeah, they did. And if I were so cute. Well, the cops would later start to see the town implode and I started like avoiding things like we can't help him. Let's get out of here. So great scenes, and I saw Miss deagles death her fate who played by Polly Holliday. Who was of course Flo. And Alice, she worked in Mel's diner. So this Margaret kiss Margaret's male. Do you remember her death?
Sal Rodriguez:Oh, yeah, I mean that I think memorable death. So yeah, so they have these seats that you hook up to your staircase if you can no longer walk up the stairs anymore. So you got to sit on the seat, and then it moves you up slowly and gently up to the top or down to the bottom. Well, somehow A stripe or one of the other Gremlins rigs it so that this thing goes what like 100 miles an hour? Yes. Zipser up to the top of the staircase and then what she flies out the window is
Jason Connell:out the window. Wow.
Sal Rodriguez:Oh no.
Jason Connell:I forgotten the sheriff's all that.
Sal Rodriguez:You know why? Because you know, just to mention for a moment about the ratings yeah as adults. And as an adult who's not accompanied by a child. I don't look at ratings. No, it doesn't occur to me. So I forgotten that the Gremlins kill people. They do. I forgot. They were like mischievous and like throwing food and stuff. No
Jason Connell:stakes are raised. That's right. So she dies. They see that there's also a great scene at a bar where the grim ones the bad Gremlins are drinking, smoking, playing poker. It just starts to go there. And it's also a time in the 80s. When there's Jazzercise and breakdancing well, they brought that into the movie. So, grandmas what we haven't talked about is quite smart, quite cunning. They just were born they transformed. And now they have an agenda of meanness and chaos. But they figure things out. They figure out how to read the charge in her chair. They do lots of things all over town because they've just figured it out. I don't know where they came from Sal. We don't know that these ancient beings, but they're highly intelligent, and they can mock us. Then they talk but they just more mimic. Then there's this great sequence, which leads to the climactic ending, but they're at the movie theater.
Sal Rodriguez:Oh, it's another memorable and memorable.
Jason Connell:It's chaos. But they're in the theater. They're doing crazy stuff beating each other up having fun. But the minute Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs comes on. They love it. They can't get enough of it. They're harming it. They're singing it. And that's when Billy and Kate and Gizmo start to realize everyone's in the theater. They're all watching this is an isolated place we can you know off them and most of us a spoiler super spoiler the movie came out in 84. So
Sal Rodriguez:I want to watch it again.
Jason Connell:This is a real this is just rewatch it's me. I just rewatched it I'm but I know you had to figure and you had the interest and you'd seen it. So you came on with me. Now this is your excuses to go watch it. But yeah, they kill most of them. Except for that guy, right. Oh, Mr. Stripe. And they have the final showdown at a department store. And it's great gizmos driving a Barbie car. Oh, yeah. And he helps off stripe with a water fountain and sunlight. And so gizmos really in the end is the hero Billy and Kate of course help. But yeah,
Sal Rodriguez:hang on, Jason. Jason is this that little scene where gizmo becomes Rambo?
Jason Connell:That's in the sequel? Okay, got it. Hey, slow down there hotshot.
Sal Rodriguez:I'm gonna see if I have that action figure. So that's really kind of
Jason Connell:the beats memorable scenes. Really fun though. Like I said, the score, the acting, the directing, and the effects. I mean, weightless. And Team nailed it. It really is amazing. To hear them talking the commentary though. It was like sleepless nights. Nothing ever worked. They didn't know what they were getting the shot. And sometimes just like Jaws and Spielberg. Sometimes that leads to better filmmaking. They Yeah, they went a little crazy, but it was controlled chaos. And the audience will fill in the gaps. Like no, I never saw the Mogwai walk. Because they were saying they couldn't do things that they could do in the sequel, right? Because technology changed. But it was like, Yeah, but I didn't miss those things. You need gizmo to move around. Stick him in a Barbie car. Sure. And then moving around the whole set sometimes aren't different scenes. Billy had a backpack. So I'm gonna get into some really cool factoid here in a second. So
Sal Rodriguez:hang on. It's almost a precursor to the Mandalorian. There. Oh, I haven't seen the Mandalorian. So slow down. Well, he's running around with a baby Yoda.
Jason Connell:They do it. I've seen that advertised. But so the backpack helps get gizmo around. And then if there's a tight shot of him in the backpack, he's like, Oh, he's just sitting there. Because it gets immobile. Because this is a puppet that's very limited in nature. But me the audience, am I questioning that? No, I'm questioning what happen the Judge Reinhold Corey Feldman. But I need to know why the dog disappear for a while. But anyway, so that is just broad strokes. It's just fun to bring some energy, some enlightenment and knowledge and share with you and share with our audience. But here's some trivia. Oh, here is here's some trivia, okay, Judd Nelson, and Emilio esta vez are considered for the role of Billy. Interesting. They're both in the Breakfast Club and I get that that would have been cool. I'm down With that, but hey, Zack did a very good job his belly so okay, that's one thing. Corey Feldman was added to the movie when Steven Spielberg dropped his character from EA T. Extraterrestrial, in both stories he is in was what would have been the best friend of the boy who has the creature. So he could have been Elliot's little buddy but he was caught because you know, again, you streamline movies, the Drew Barrymore, you had enough components. Originally, stripe in gizmo, get ready for this stripe were the same character. What this change when Steven Spielberg insisted on one of the Gremlins be a good guy with whom the audience could identify with director Joe Dante express that that decision was the reason why the film is so fondly remembered. So I read more about that. And Chris Columbus, his original script was much darker. So gizmo churns, and he turns into stripe. And so that's why they were making the movie that way. That was the plan the pre production, everything's ready. Spielberg says, Now you got to keep gizmo he's so cute. He's so adorable. And they're like, you're right. But they weren't ready for that. So the backpack comes in handy. Different things come in handy. They weren't ready to keep gizmo was supposed to be cut out of the movie, you know, a third of the way in. So they had to come up with new things. I didn't know that. You know, that's fascinating stuff. Yep. And a great idea. Great Call.
Sal Rodriguez:I think I've heard of Steven Spielberg make some kind of last minute decisions like that
Jason Connell:before. It's good instincts is what we call it in the biz. Yeah, it is.
Sal Rodriguez:Well, it goes back to that whole Halloween story where they're like, oh, grab that grab that
Jason Connell:William Shatner mask inside out? Right? Yeah. What? No, I
Sal Rodriguez:don't know if but they painted it. No. Well, I don't remember. Anyway, the point is, is that the mask and the rest is history. These last minute decisions that are just golden
Jason Connell:golden. Well, now back to your original point on the rating. The overall dark and violent content of the movie led to the creation of the PG 13 rating. By the MPAA Motion Picture Association of America. It was this another movie Joe? Dante was saying but right around this time, they didn't know what to do with this movie. Because your usual PGS not enough and an R rating would have really killed the box office. Yes. was a time when you you couldn't drop your kids off and they go see gremlins. You'd have to go in there with them. And so PG 13 was born.
Sal Rodriguez:I remember the dawn of PG 13. I did because I remember we Yeah. Went from TG to R. And then after PG 13 came nc 17. Oh, yeah. That was much later. Yes. Yes. That was around for a while. But yeah, so what springs to mind then? When this movie came out in 84, if we went to go see it in 84. And yeah, I might have seen this movie by myself. Because if I was at a certain age, where I would either lie down for a discount or lie up to get it, whatever it took. Whatever it took. I'm 13 I'm 11 Whatever it takes. Yeah,
Jason Connell:I miss many. Can I go? Yeah, get in there. Well, last trivia I have this turned out to be not a scene by scene breakdown, but a longer episode, but I had to cover who made it. It's just it's royalty, Spielberg all the way down of Chris Columbus. And so I felt like I needed to share this information. So last trivia I have is the set for Kingston falls, that's the town there and Kingston Falls is the same one used for Back to the Future, which came out in 1985 that Robert Zemeckis film, wonderful franchise. Both movies were filmed on the Universal Studios backlot. Now, on the set in the movie, there is a movie marquee and you see two movies listed on there a boy's life and watch the skies and asst you know Billy walks by his dog chases and he's going to work and you see this and later they go back to this movie theater to see Snow White and seven dwarfs. Well, those two titles a boy's life. Watch this guy's we're working titles for two of Steven Spielberg's classic films. Et The Extra Terrestrial a boy's life. Watch the skies, Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Love those little nuggets.
Sal Rodriguez:Yeah. And where you'll pause the movie go aha. Yeah, I didn't know that before.
Jason Connell:Yeah, I've always heard of watch the skies. I didn't know a boy's life. That was the working title for ET. But what an odd choice for even a working title. Yeah, boy's life is another movie with Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio, which is very good and very dark. But yeah, not this boy's life. So that's all I got. So I tell I got you inspired to see Gremlins again.
Sal Rodriguez:I'm very inspired, especially since stripes are whispering over my shoulder telling me I need to see the movie. And I can tell this is one of those movies where you may have to watch over and over again to see every little detail. So especially like the movie theater, when you're looking at the movie theater scene, surely, you got to watch it again to see every little gremlin doing their thing. Yeah,
Jason Connell:absolutely. It's fantastic. We'll have to come back and talk about the sequel Gremlins to a new batch, which it's charming in its own way. It's got a lot of effects. It's a different story. A lot of the cast continued on, same director, so I'll save it for another time. This one was a deeper dive because there's just more of the hit list of players to get through. But thanks you for joining me. Tons of fun anything else to add? So
Sal Rodriguez:I actually do have one thing that I just remembered. I just remember this. I recently in the last couple of years discovered the Key and Peele.
Jason Connell:Oh my god. That's all about the sequel, though.
Sal Rodriguez:It's about the sequel. Yes. That's not about just Gremlins in general. No, that's okay. Hey, we'll save that for next.
Jason Connell:Save it because it's one of the funniest skits it ever
Sal Rodriguez:said was hilarious. And yeah, we'll talk about it. I'll bring
Jason Connell:you on for the sequel, and we'll talk about but just a broad stroke it. They're coming on and talking about putting Gremlins two together, and what everyone's ideas are. And one thing that Joe Dante says on the commentary was, he feels the sequel was too late. It was six years later, 84 came out in 90, he wished it would had been two years sooner. But he said he fought them like crazy to make this movie The way you know, they to fight for this scene and this and money and all that for the sequel. He said, I'll do it. But I gotta do anything I want. And that's essentially what they said they stood out of his way because the first movie made a lot of money. And he went hog wild. And that scene that skit delves into that I laughed so hard. I've watched it like three or four times. We will talk about that on the follow up. So
Sal Rodriguez:that's fun, and I will have my smaller amount. Please, I'm looking forward to showing you those next time. And you
Jason Connell:could bring stripe although he's not in the sequel, but he could still come and visit us
Sal Rodriguez:stripes not in the sequel. He doesn't make it out of the first one. So Oh, I'm sorry stripe.
Jason Connell:So without further ado, please enjoy.
Sal Rodriguez:Gremlins.
Jason Connell:Thank you so much for listening. And please be sure to subscribe to the let's talk movies podcast and the let's talk movies YouTube Live Channel. You can also really help us by giving the show a five star rating on Apple podcast.
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