The Gate (1987)

User Rating:

5.1/10   

Director:

Tibor Takács

Writer:

Michael Nankin (written by)

Release Date:

15 May 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

... pray it's not too late!

Plot:

Three young children accidentally release a horde of nasty, pint-sized demons from a hole in a suburban backyard...

Plot Keywords:

Hole | Backyard | House | Demon | Dog

Awards:

2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Stephen Dorff	...	Glen
Christa Denton	...	Al
Louis Tripp	...	Terrence 'Terry' Chandler
Kelly Rowan	...	Lori Lee
Jennifer Irwin	...	Linda Lee
Deborah Grover	...	Mom
Scot Denton	...	Dad
Ingrid Veninger	...	Paula
Sean Fagan	...	Eric
Linda Goranson	...	Terry's Mom
Carl Kraines	...	Workman
Andrew Gunn	...	Brad
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mic Nuggette	...	Steven (uncredited)

Directed by
Tibor Takács

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Michael Nankin		written by

Produced by
Andras Hamori	....	co-producer
John Kemeny	....	producer

Original Music by
Michael Hoenig
J. Peter Robinson

Cinematography by
Thomas Vámos

Film Editing by
Rit Wallis

Casting by
Mary Gail Artz
Clare Walker

Production Design by
William Beeton

Set Decoration by
Jeff Cutler
Marlene Graham

Costume Design by
Trysha Bakker

Makeup Department
Jenny Arbour	....	hair stylist
Keith Edmier	....	crew: Craig Reardon
Kent Jones	....	crew: Craig Reardon
Michael Mills	....	crew: Craig Reardon
Francisco X. Pérez	....	crew: Craig Reardon (as Frank Carrisosa)
Linda Preston	....	makeup artist
Craig Reardon	....	special makeup
Mark Wilson	....	crew: Craig Reardon

Production Management
Robert Wertheimer	....	production manager
H. Gordon Woodside	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bill Bannerman	....	second assistant director
Judy 'Lucky' Kemeny	....	assistant director: second unit (as Judi Kemeny)
Kathleen Meade	....	third assistant director
Michael Zenon	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Terri Aikenhead	....	painter
Zana Ancerl	....	assistant set decorator
William Armstrong	....	carpenter
Barry Birnberg	....	assistant art director
Julia Bourque	....	assistant art director
Andre Brochu	....	carpenter
Michel Brochu	....	carpenter
Rejean Brochu	....	head carpenter
Elizabeth Calderhead	....	property master (as Liz Calderhead)
Serge Gagne	....	carpenter
Shannon F. Griffiths	....	painter
Joe Hampson	....	carpenter
Adrian Hardy	....	props
Hélène Lafrance	....	construction coordinator
Frank Lefeuvre	....	painter
Stephen Levitt	....	production assistant: art department
Reet Puhm	....	sculptor
Bob Sher	....	carpenter (as Robert Sher)
Jean-Marie Vallerand	....	carpenter (as Jean Marie Vallerand)
Sheldon Walters	....	carpenter
Stephen Willetts	....	scenic artist

Sound Department
Terry Burke	....	foley artist
Richard Cadger	....	sound editor (as Rick Cadger)
David Evans	....	sound editor
Douglas Ganton	....	sound (as Doug Ganton)
David Giammarco	....	assistant sound editor
Wayne Griffin	....	sound editor
Joe Grimaldi	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robin Leigh	....	sound editor
Michael Liotta	....	foley artist (as Mike Liotta)
Cherie MacNeill	....	assistant sound editor
Susan Maggi	....	assistant sound editor
Sandra Moffat	....	assistant sound editor
Steve Munro	....	sound editor (as Steven Munro)
Dino Pigat	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jane Tattersall	....	sound editor
Reynald Trudel	....	boom operator
Christian T. Cooke	....	adr mixer (uncredited)
Michael Liotta	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
John Bakker	....	special effects production assistant
Frank C. Carere	....	special effects (as Frank Carere)
Jordan Craig	....	special effects assistant
Deborah J. Tiffin	....	special effects assistant (as Deborah Tiffen)

Visual Effects by
Jim Aupperle	....	crew: Randall Cook
Randall William Cook	....	special visual effects designer
Randall William Cook	....	special visual effects supervisor
Syd Dutton	....	matte supervisor
Mark Freund	....	visual effects cameraman: Illusion Arts
Michael F. Hoover	....	crew: miniatures/computer motion control: Randall Cook
Lynn Ledgerwood	....	special rigging: Illusion Arts
Fumi Mashimo	....	crew: Randall Cook (as Fumi Mashimo)
Mark Sawicki	....	production coordinator: Illusion Arts
Catherine Sudolcan	....	animator: Illusion Arts
Bill Taylor	....	matte photographer
Mark Whitlock	....	matte artist: illusion arts
David S. Williams Jr.	....	optical coordinator: Illusion Arts (as David Williams)
Albert Whitlock	....	additional matte effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Peter Cox	....	stunts
Randy Kamula	....	stunts
Leslie Munro	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Richard Allen	....	gaffer
Peter Benison	....	director of photography: second unit
Billy Buttery	....	gaffer: second unit (as Bill Buttery)
Paul Court	....	electrician
Malcolm Cross	....	additional camera operator
John Davidson	....	second assistant camera
Gabriele DiChiara	....	electrician (as Gabriel Dichiara)
Ross Edmunds	....	electrician
Bert Gouweleeuw	....	grip
Ken Hillier	....	electrician
Scott Keates	....	grip (as Scott Keares)
Michael O'Connor	....	key grip
Tom O'Reilly	....	grip
Danny Piva	....	electrician (as Dan Piva)
Brian Potts	....	key grip: second unit
Dan Roy	....	assistant camera: second unit
Kenneth Salah	....	gaffer: second unit
Takashi Seida	....	set photographer
Erk Thaysen	....	electrician
Daniel Vincelette	....	first assistant camera
Mark Woodley	....	electrician
Craig Wright	....	best boy
Lee Wright	....	grip

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sylvie Bonniere	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Charlene Olson	....	second assistant editor

Music Department
Jim Weidman	....	music editor
Carl Zittrer	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Barney Bayliss	....	driver
Dan Dunlop	....	driver captain
Gabe Fallus	....	driver
Ted Fanyeck	....	driver
Mark Moore	....	driver

Other crew
Vicki Ahrens	....	assistant: Mr. Kemeny
Wendy Beck	....	tutor
Jane Conway	....	dog wrangler
Mary Davie	....	tutor
Nancy Eagles	....	script supervisor
Gina Fowler	....	production secretary
Terry Gould	....	production assistant: second unit
Arlene D. Hay	....	assistant: Mr. Hamori
Joanne Jackson	....	production accountant
Janice Kaye	....	publicist
John Lind	....	production assistant: second unit (as John B. Lind)
Mark Moore	....	production assistant
Woody Sidarous	....	location manager
Lisa Smith	....	angus doll
Fran Solomon	....	production coordinator
Gerry Therrien	....	animal trainer
Loretta Vanhart	....	assistant accountant (as Loretta Van Hart)

Production Companies

• Alliance Entertainment
• Gate Productions
• New Century Entertainment Corporation
• Vista Organisation, The

Distributors

• New Century Vista Film Company (1987) (USA) (theatrical)
• Vestron Video (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• Vestron Video (1987) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Astro Distribution (2002) (Germany) (DVD)
• Platinum Disc (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Future Film (2002) (Finland) (DVD)
• Vivivideo (????) (Italy) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Illusion Arts (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Film Opticals  titles
• Pathé Sound and Post Production Center  sound facilities
• Soundmix Ltd.  sound facilities

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Finland:K-15 (uncut) (2002) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1988) | Australia:M | Norway:15 (video premiere) | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:16

Company:

Alliance Entertainment

Trivia:

Stephen Dorff's debut film role.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the Lee sisters are leaving the house they have garlic around their necks, but when they get outside, the garlic is gone.

Quotes:

Dad: [as demon]
[shouts]
Dad: You've... been... BAD!

Movie Connections:

Features La guerre du feu (1981)

Soundtrack:

MODERN PERSONALITY

Underrated Cult-Movie

The boy Glen (Stephen Dorff) and his best fried Terry (Louis Tripp) accidentally open a gate to hell when a rotten tree is removed from the backyard of Glen's house. When his dog die and a friend of Glen's sister, the teenager Alexandra (Christa Denton), buries the animal in the hole, demons from an ancient civilization are released, seeking for two human sacrifices to dominate the world. Glen, Al and Terry, who are spending the weekend alone in the house, fight to save their lives and close the hole.

I do not recall how many times I have seen "The Gate" on VHS and now on DVD. The funny story has a terrible conclusion, but the special effects were amazing in 1987. This cult-movie is very underrated inclusive in IMDb but who cares? I still love this little gem of the fantastic cinema. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Portão" (VHS) / "O Portal" (DVD) ("The Gate")