From Cute & Cuddly to Killer: Joe Dante's Gremlins and Gremlins 2: The New Batch

This week Mr. Chavez & I continue our stroll through the 1980s with a look at a stange kind of Comedy/Puppetry/Action/Horror hybrid, Joe Dante's Gremlins (1984). Dante - a graduate of the Roger Corman School of Low-Budget Filmmaking - is one of the most criminally underappreciated directors of the 1980s and 1990s. The Howling, Explorers, The 'Burbs, Matinee, Innerspace, and Looney Tunes: Back in Action . . . Joe Dante has been a reliable, solid, and inventive filmmaker. Gremlins is what he calls, "the movie I'm going to be remembered for. If I get hit by a bus tomorrow, the headline is going to be 'Gremlins Director Hit By Bus'. I'll never do something that'll outlast that in terms of the public image of who I am – which is fine with me." Dante shouldn't be limited to this, but I will say that the both Gremlins films are exceptional and it was a thrill to return to them and have one of our wonderfully insightful talks. Take a listen and let us know what you think. As always, you can reach us at [email protected].

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