Gremlins is one of my favourite Christmas movies…if indeed it can be classed as a Christmas movie at all.

It is set during holidays, with snow, carols and decorations all prominent.The action kicks off when the hero is given a cute, cuddly creature called a ‘mogwai’ as a present. Unfortunately, if the mogwai is fed after midnight it spawns the evil, murderous green and decidedly not cuddly title creatures. These then proceed to attempt to wreck the festive season for a small town.

Director Joe Dante (The Howling) astutely mixes broad comedy, dark humour and horror (under the auspices of executive producer Steven Spielberg). I imagine if mothers took their small children to see Gremlins, thinking they would be watching a cute ET-like family film, they must have come away somewhat disturbed!

The special effects (mostly using puppets) are also a marvel, giving real character the various lead gremlins, each of whom has a nasty demise (with one particularly messy scene involving a kitchen blender…) 

Trivia fact: the cuddly hero mogwai, Gizmo, was voiced by AGT judge Howie Mandel, of all people.

I first saw Gremlins in a late night screening back when I was reviewing movies for my university newspaper. This is the press kit I picked up at that time.