To surprise his son on Christmas, a struggling inventor purchases a curious little creature from a Chinatown antique shop. The man gifts his son, Billy (Zach Galligan), a mogwai and informs him of important rules for caring for it. Of course, these rules get accidentally broken, and all hell breaks loose when little Gizmo the Mogwai sprouts evil gremlins that wreak havoc all over town.
The madcap comic energy of Joe Dante’s direction, memorable score from Jerry Goldsmith and impressive practical effects have all helped to cement Gremlins as one of the greatest Christmas horror films of all time. It helps that Gremlins was shot in the backlot of Universal Studios, which included part of the same set used in It’s a Wonderful Life.
