The Advent Calendar of Great Holiday Movies: Day 7 "Gremlins"

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we will present a great movie associated with the holiday season. Many will be awesome, some will be extra awesome. Enjoy.

Day 7: “Gremlins”

Opened Doors: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6

The greatest tradition of the holiday season is the giving, and the receiving, of gifts. It is also somewhat a tradition of trying to find the perfect gift for someone, and usually coming up short. Sometimes what we think is perfect just doesn’t work for the person receiving the gift. Then there are the times when the gift we give is far too powerful, and dangerous, in the hands of anyone who may receive this perfect present.

In the summer of 1984, the movie “Gremlins” opened in American theaters on the same day as “Ghostbusters”. A week earlier saw the release of “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock”, and a week before that opened “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom”. One week after “Gremlins was introduced, movie goers also had the film “The Karate Kid” to whet their appetites. Within a few weeks some of the most iconic movies of our time were released onto the public.

“Gremlins” seemed like the odd man out of these summer blockbusters. “Ghostbusters” had an all star cast, “The Search for Spock” had the built in fandom and great success from “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan“, “The Temple of Doom” was Spielberg and Harrison Ford, and “The Karate Kid” is one of the greatest love stories of our time. Where in the hell did a movie about cute creatures, who become monsters, fit in.

The horror comedy about mythical monsters tearing apart a picturesque town during the Christmas season did quite well for it self at the box office in 1984. “Gremlins” went on to become the fourth highest grossing film at the box office, and it has become a legendary film for anyone born in the late seventies to early eighties. It also, along with “The Temple of Doom” helped create the PG-13 rating.

What makes “Gremlins” timeless is it’s simple story layered with something new. The picturesque community with fresh snow, the new and exciting presents, and the coming together as family and friends screams Christmas. “Gremlins” took those holiday themes and put a monster movie on top of it. We keep coming back to “Gremlins” because no one had ever successfully put a darkly comic, violent, monster flick into a holiday movie. Come to think about it, no one has really been successful with that formula since “Gremlins”. Plus, you will never think of Santa the same after Kate, played by Phoebe Cates, tells the tale of her worst Christmas ever.

The lesson we learn in “Gremlins” should be with us every holiday season. We will go crazy trying to find that one perfect gift for someone special in our life. The person who gets the gift may appreciate it, but they may also not understand it. If that happens, your town may experience a holiday calamity, and the spawn of that perfect gift may end up in the food processor or microwave. Even worse, you could end up the victim of that perfect present. Also, do not dress as Santa and climb down your own chimney.

RD

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing. Speaking of Santa, we should know that the Man in the Santa Suit sometimes has problems of his own.

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