A boy inadvertently breaks three important rules concerning his new pet and unleashes a horde of malevolently mischievous monsters on a small town. (from IMDb)

With someone like me whose favorite film of all-time is the 1984 horror-comedy Ghostbusters, it may be hard to believe that I've actually never seen Gremlins. Beyond having a pretty awesome plastic Gizmo figure as a preschooler, I think I've only ever seen clips or snippets of scenes from either of the Gremlins films. So, with Warner Bros' brand new 4K release of the 80's classic, I figured it was time to experience another 80's cinematic staple.

To watch Gremlins for the first time in 2019 is probably an experience most have when viewing a movie like this so far removed from the era in which it had been produced. The film feels very much like a product of the 80's, but it doesn't quite embarass like most of the teen films from that decade. However, with any 80's movie, you're going to get 80's effects and usually, at some point, 80's music. All of the creatures in Gremlins are brought to life with puppetry, which adds a much more tangible sensibility to the creepy feeling the movie gives off. The Gremlins are both disturbing and ridiculous at the same time, which can definitely feed a feeling of uneasiness for some viewers, but director Joe Dante does his best to offset this with some crazy humor, like having the Gremlins dance in costumes like something out of Flashdance as they get quite drunk in a bar.

I still can't believe I've gone this long without really knowing the full backstory for Gizmo and the Gremlins. I had heard the ominous rules of "Don't get them wet" and "Don't ever feed them after midnight," but I didn't know their origin or how exactly the Gremlins accompanied the adorable little Mogwai, Gizmo. Gizmo's cuddliness definitely lived up to the hopes of my younger self. The human characters in the film, on the other hand, aren't nearly as interesting as the puppet monsters, but they all do a decent job. Watching the film 35 years after its release, I almost don't see much about it that would make this be considered such a classic, except perhaps that it was just something so different and unique for its time. And, I have to admit, the Gremlins (and Gizmo) are quite memorable. Still, comparatively for its time, you just don't have the same kind of standout human cast that movies of the decade like Back to the Future, Goonies, Ghostbusters, or even E.T. offered. Zach Galligan is okay as Gizmo's new owner, Billy, and Phoebe Cates is undeniably cute as Kate, but Billy lacks the charm and charisma necessary to carry a big film like this, and I feel like a stronger casting job, coupled with maybe some better character development for him, could have really made Gremlins an absolute highlight of the decade.

I did think, while watching Gremlins, how it just wouldn't have played as well as it did had the creatures been entirely digital creations. Perhaps I'm just old school, but I've always appreciated physical effects more than exclusively digital ones. And, honestly, there's definitely a sincere creep factor in seeing the creatures in their physical forms. Sure, it's just as easy to think about how you're staring at actors reacting to puppets as it is to recognize a computer generated effect on the screen, but I think there's something gained by seeing actors reacting to and holding and interacting with physical objects occupying the same space that they are.

Now, the 4K release for Gremlins is the first time fans are getting to see this 80's nugget in Ultra HD. For the most part, the movie looks great, but there are plenty of scenes -- like with most movies from this time period (including Ghostbusters, sadly) that look grainy and out of focus. On the other hand, there are also large portions of the movie where the color is vibrant and just pops! So while you're just not going to get the 4K picture that a present day movie is going to offer, this still is the best you will have ever seen Gremlins.

The content is edgy for a PG-rated film, but it's on par with these kinds of movies from the 1980's. The Gremlins do kill a few human characters--all done off screen, but the aftermath is never gory or bloody. Billy sustains a scrape to the hand by a Gremlin that the camera never focuses on, while another man's hand is bitten in the dark off screen, but we never see the wound. There is some language, including a couple uses of the Jesus' name in vain, one "*ssh*le," and there's one particular character who often says "g*dd*mn," as well as other cuss words. There isn't really any sexual content, aside from a little bit of suggestive humor from the Gremlins, leaving the only other content to be violence. Most of it has a quasi-humorous feel to it, but one intense (and rather impressive) scene shows Billy's mom fighting and obliterating several Gremlins--one in a blender, another getting stabbed to death off camera, and another blowing up in a microwave. Also, another Gremlin melts into a gorey pile of gooey bones at one point, and it's pretty disgusting. Otherwise, any of the human violence is mostly obscurred or veiled off screen.

Gremlins is a bizarre 80's comedic horror classic that is beloved by many. I feel a bit too late to the party, but as someone who feels as though I can still enjoy older films (even as far back as the early 1930's), I don't think Gremlins' age is a problem. If anything, I think it's a film that may have been great for its time but just doesn't hold up quite as well today. Still, it's a decent film with great puppetry and a kooky, twisted sense of humor to it. If you're already a fan, or this description sounds like it's your kind of bag, then definitely checkout Gremlin's 4K debut.

Along with the feature film in 4K UHD, the 2D Blu-Ray disc and digital copy of Gremlins are the following Extras:

Commentaries: There are two full-length commentaries. The first is the "Filmmakers Commentary," featuring director Joe Dante, producer Michael Finnell, and special effects artist Chris Walas. The second is a "Cast Commentary" featuring director Joe Dante, Zach Galligan (Billy), Phoebe Cates (Kate), Dick Miller (Murray Futterman), and Howie Mandel (the voice of Gizmo).

Additional Footage - This is a montage of deleted scenes you can view on the 2D Blu-Ray disc. You can view the scenes with or without commentary (10:26). The first scene shows Randall talking to a woman in a Chinese mart. He asks the woman for a unique gift to give his son, "a gizmo," and she just shows him one junky trinket after another. Finally, a kid comes by and brings him to his grandfather's store (which is where he finds the Mogwai). Next, we see Billy at work telling Kate she looks pretty today. The boss calls him in and he gets reprimanded for being late. He then goes home to his room in the attic and begins looking through his own artwork. The following scene shows Billy being stopped by the priest who says he has a card for him somewhere, but is clearly absent minded. Next, Katie and Billy sneak into their boss’s office and they realize houses are being foreclosed on. Gerald catches them and wants to make a deal to keep silent about their snooping. The next scene shows a Gremlin overhearing carolers singing outside someone's house and likes it. Next, Murray and his wife talk about the noodle factory closing down and there being no chance he could get his job back. Finally, after Kate shares her story about her father's death, she and Billy hear a noise and walk thru the bank to find their boss, Mr. Corbin dead (with a little blood on him). They then find Gerald acting rather delirious and locked in the bank vault.

The last extras on the Blu-Ray disc include a Photo Gallery, 2 trailers and a trailer for Gremlins 2.