Editing Gremlins (section)

{{short description|1984 film by Joe Dante}}
{{other uses|Gremlins (franchise)|Gremlin (disambiguation)}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2019}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Gremlins
| image          = Gremlins1.jpg
| alt            = 
| caption        = Theatrical release poster by [[John Alvin]]
| director       = [[Joe Dante]]
| producer       = [[Michael Finnell]]
| writer         = [[Chris Columbus (filmmaker)|Chris Columbus]]
| starring       = {{Plainlist|
* [[Zach Galligan]]
* [[Phoebe Cates]]
* [[Hoyt Axton]]
* [[Polly Holliday]]
* [[Frances Lee McCain]]
}}
| narrator       = 
| music          = [[Jerry Goldsmith]]
| cinematography = [[John Hora]]
| editing        = [[Tina Hirsch]]
| studio         = {{plainlist|
* [[Warner Bros. Pictures|Warner Bros.]]<ref name=afi>{{cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/68263|title=Gremlins (1984)|work=[[AFI Catalog of Feature Films]]|access-date=August 12, 2018|archive-date=August 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813075950/https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/68263|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Amblin Entertainment]]<ref name=afi/>
}}
| distributor    = Warner Bros.<ref name=afi/>
| released       = {{Film date|1984|6|8}}
| runtime        = 106 minutes
| country        = United States
| language       = English
| budget         = $11 million
| gross          = $212.9 million
}}

'''''Gremlins''''' is a 1984 American [[Black comedy|black]] [[Comedy horror|comedy horror film]] directed by [[Joe Dante]], written by [[Chris Columbus (filmmaker)|Chris Columbus]] and starring [[Zach Galligan]], [[Phoebe Cates]], [[Hoyt Axton]], [[Polly Holliday]] and [[Frances Lee McCain]], with [[Howie Mandel]] providing the voice of Gizmo the [[Mogwai (Chinese culture)|''Mogwai'']]. It draws on legends of folkloric mischievous creatures that cause malfunctions—"[[gremlin]]s"—in the British [[Royal Air Force]] going back to [[World War II]]. The story follows Billy Peltzer, who receives Gizmo as a pet, who then spawns more of his kind that evolve into the titular imp-like monsters that wreak havoc on Billy's hometown during [[Christmas Eve]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wood |first=Jennifer |date=February 26, 2019 |title=20 Facts About Gremlins |url=https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/57137/21-things-you-might-not-know-about-gremlins |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201208194334/https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/57137/21-things-you-might-not-know-about-gremlins |archive-date=December 8, 2020 |access-date=December 12, 2020 |website=[[Mental Floss]]}}</ref>

The film was accompanied by a large [[merchandising]] campaign and juxtaposes [[black comedy]] with a [[Christmas film|Christmastime setting]]. [[Steven Spielberg]] was the film's [[executive producer]], with the film being [[Film producer|produced]] by [[Michael Finnell]].

This film uses [[black comedy]] to spoof multiple genres, particularly [[Children's film|family films]], [[Christmas movies]] and classic [[B movie|B-movie]] [[Horror film|monster horror]].

''Gremlins'' was theatrically released on June 8, 1984, by [[Warner Bros.]] to critical and commercial success. However, it was heavily criticized for some of its more violent sequences.  In response to this and to similar complaints about ''[[Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom]]'', Spielberg suggested that the [[Motion Picture Association|Motion Picture Association of America]] (MPAA) alter its [[Motion Picture Association film rating system|rating system]], which it did within two months of the film's release, creating a new [[PG-13 (Motion Picture Association)|PG-13]] rating.<ref name="Parker">{{cite web |last1=Parker |first1=Ryan |title=How 'The Temple of Doom' Changed the MPAA Ratings System |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/indiana-jones-temple-doom-changed-mpaa-ratings-system-999618 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180713074049/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/indiana-jones-temple-doom-changed-mpaa-ratings-system-999618 |archive-date=July 13, 2018 |date=May 23, 2017}}</ref>{{efn|name=fn1|Contrary to popular belief, ''Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom'' and ''Gremlins'' were both released in the U.S. with a PG (not PG-13) rating,<ref>{{cite web |title=Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) |url=https://filmratings.com/Search?filmTitle=indiana+jones+and+the+temple+of+doom&x=16&y=11 |website=Filmratings.com |publisher=MPAA |access-date=January 27, 2019 |quote=Rating: PG |archive-date=January 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190128082721/https://filmratings.com/Search?filmTitle=indiana+jones+and+the+temple+of+doom&x=16&y=11 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Gremlins (1984) |url=https://filmratings.com/Search?filmTitle=GREMLINS&x=0&y=0 |website=Filmratings.com |publisher=MPAA |access-date=January 27, 2019 |quote=Rating: PG |archive-date=January 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190127205822/https://filmratings.com/Search?filmTitle=GREMLINS&x=0&y=0 |url-status=live }}</ref> although controversy surrounding the two films did lead to the subsequent creation of the PG-13 rating. The first film to be issued the new PG-13 rating was ''[[The Flamingo Kid]]'',<ref>{{cite web |title=History of Ratings |url=https://filmratings.com/History |website=Filmratings.com |publisher=MPAA |access-date=January 27, 2019 |archive-date=January 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190128082720/https://filmratings.com/History |url-status=live }}</ref> although ''[[Red Dawn]]'' was the first to be released theatrically under the new rating.<ref name=Parker/> Conversely, the [[British Board of Film Classification]] (BBFC) elected to give ''Gremlins'' a [[History of British film certificates|15]] rating, rather than the desired PG, meaning under 15s could not view the film. Some complained to the BBFC that the rating was too strict. The BBFC did not yet use 12 or 12A certificates, and upon the film's 2012 re-release, it was re-rated 12A.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lester |first1=Dr Catherine |title=Why Gremlins is still shocking audiences after 40 years |url=https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2024/gremlins-is-still-shocking-audiences-at-40-years-old |website=University of Birmingham |access-date=September 15, 2024 |date=June 5, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=BBFC Podcast Episode 52 - Gremlins (1984) |url=https://www.bbfc.co.uk/about-us/podcasts/bbfc-podcast-episode-52-gremlins-1984 |website=BBFC.co.uk |access-date=September 15, 2024}}</ref>}} It was followed by a sequel, ''[[Gremlins 2: The New Batch]]'' (1990).