So, do you remember the rules?
- No sunlight.
- Never get them wet.
- Do not feed them after midnight – mainly because watching them eat is really gross.
Yes, we are talking about one of the great geeky classics, Gremlins, and the sequel, Gremlins 2. I have always considered Gremlins to be a Christmas movie, because it takes place at Christmas. Just like Die Hard, it belongs in the holiday line-up with A Christmas Story and It’s a Wonderful Life. Gremlins 2 however is a watch anytime sort of movie, even on Mother’s Day.
This is where I compare Gremlins to digital piracy. The star of these movies is a Mogwai named Gizmo. Mogwai is an ancient word for mutant hamster. If Gizmo gets wet, it creates additional copies of itself. The co-star, Billy Peltzer, (played by a young hip Zach Galligan) gets his hands on the furry pet and immediately wets it, yielding a litter of new creatures.
We all know that Billy is seeing dollar signs in his head at this occurrence. He does need to work fast however. Why would anyone want to buy something that they could get for free from a friend who already owns one – sound familiar? I know this is a silly rant; however, if you think about it, this is the plot of Gremlins 2!
Both Gremlins 1 & 2 are out on Blu-ray today, May 8th. Now would be the perfect time to upgrade your VHS copy or even the special edition on DVD, if you were lucky enough to grab one a few years ago. Check them out on Facebook!
