Gremlins 2 (USA, 1990)


In this movie, virtually nothing coherent happens, and thousands of tiny green violent anarchists go wild in a high-tech tower. Still astonishing. Haven’t seen it for well over a decade, and I got more of the movie references – the referential density of this film might outweigh even Spaced.

I laughed and laughed, and then I laughed some more. Cal sat with furrowed brow; this movie is not for everyone, it seems. She at least had the good grace to be alarmed when the film apparently broke, in the film’s most famous sequence; the DVD film uses the theatrical version, in which gremlins in the projection booth have snapped the film and the usher fetches Hulk Hogan to scare the gremlins into carrying on. There’s also a video version which went out on the VHS release, in which the film greys out as VHS tapes used to do and the gremlins turn up interspliced with a John Wayne movie. Also of note is this bravura fan effort, updating the film break sequence to the DVD era:

(More info on this at BoingBoing)

Anyway, I love this movie. It’s an easy 100 out of 10.

(Scott Tobias at the AV Club puts it in his new cult canon.)

10 thoughts on “Gremlins 2 (USA, 1990)”

  1. Gremlins 2 failed at the box office. As Michael Weldon wrote in Psychotronic, “I guess it was just too much entertainment for most people.”

    I quite like the New Cult Canon, especially now I see that he’s got Mr. Brooks in there.

    Have you seen Mr. Brooks? If you haven’t, SEE IT NOW. Please do not read anything about it before you watch, just be aware that it is both a very dark and gruesome black comedy, and it is the best use of Kevin Costner ever. Ever.

    EVER I SAY!

  2. Have fond memories of seeing this on its initial theatrical release. Even if I didn’t get all of the references at the time there were more than enough left over to make it instantly one of my favourite movies ever.

    The running gag of the PA pre recordings I particularly liked:

    “Hey BUDDY!, you’re in the MENS ROOM!”
    “FIRE: The Untamed Element, Oldest of Man’s Mysteries, Giver of warmth, Destroyer of forests, right now *this* building is on fire… Yes! The building is on fire! Leave the building! Enact the Age Old drama of Self-Preservation!”
    Etc…

  3. I overly-loudly and overly-excitedly back Pearce in his estimation of ‘Mr Brooks.’ It is the most deliciously trashy piece of delicious trash since George found half an eclair in the rubbish bin.

  4. Elevator lurches to a stop.

    “Elevator sound the alarm!”

    Gremlins – Narh narh narh.

    Love this movie. I now wish to see it again. You, oh divine guru, have spurred me to do just that.

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