Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site decwrl.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!hou3c!hocda!houxm!houxz!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!hplabs!sdcrdcf!sdcsvax!dcdwest!ittvax!decvax!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-elmer!goun From: goun@dec-elmer.UUCP Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers Subject: Gremlins Message-ID: <1331@decwrl.UUCP> Date: Sun, 10-Jun-84 05:19:24 EDT Article-I.D.: decwrl.1331 Posted: Sun Jun 10 05:19:24 1984 Date-Received: Wed, 13-Jun-84 01:41:22 EDT Organization: DEC Engineering Network Lines: 41 I went to see Steven Spielberg's "Gremlins" last night. Here are some of my impressions; I'll try not to generate any spoilers. In the first thirty minutes or so, I had to wonder if this whole thing was just some toy company's way of cleaning up next Christmas with "Gizmo" dolls, T-shirts, games, etc. It was simply too cute to live! By the time things started getting gross, I'd had so much cute I was numb to the thrills and chills. If this movie has a spiritual father, it's a classic short called "Bambi vs. Godzilla," in which the lovable deer is crushed beneath the foot of the giant reptile. "Gremlins" parodies an amazing number of motion-picture cliches, including (naturally) some Spielberg movies. It's right on target, and often very funny. I loved the mother's scene in the kitchen with the gremlins, and the gremlins in the bar were wonderful. Billy's love interest I could have done without. She was a carbon copy of the wimpy teenager in "WarGames." The creature animation reminded me of "The Dark Crystal." That is to say, very natural-looking motion, and creatures that I believed could just have escaped from somebody's nightmare. The only fault I could find was with the frequent close-ups of Gizmo, which looked rather plastic (especially the eyes). I'd put "Gremlins" somewhere between "Star Trek III" and "Indiana Jones" in terms of being worth your $4.50 this week, or even more if you don't love "Star Trek." I'd take a ten-year-old to see it, but I'm not too sure about a younger child. My shock quotient may be abnormally high these days after seeing "Indiana Jones." "Nothing shocks me, I'm a scientist." Roger ARPA: goun%elmer.DEC@decwrl.ARPA UUCP: {allegra, decvax, ucbvax}!decwrl!rhea!elmer!goun USPS: Digital Equipment Corp., HLO2-2/H13 77 Reed Road; Hudson, MA 01749 MCIMail: RGoun Tel: (617) 568-6311