Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Joe Dante

Writers (WGA):

Chris Columbus (characters)
Charles S. Haas (written by)

Release Date:

15 June 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy | Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Take Your Batch to See the New Batch.

Plot:

The Gremlins are back, and this time, they've taken total control over the building of a media mogul.

Plot Keywords:

Gremlin | Skyscraper | Monster | SWAT Team | Surprise After End Credits

Awards:

6 nominations

Cast

Zach Galligan	...	Billy Peltzer
Phoebe Cates	...	Kate Beringer
John Glover	...	Daniel Clamp
Robert Prosky	...	Grandpa Fred
Robert Picardo	...	Forster
Christopher Lee	...	Doctor Catheter
Haviland Morris	...	Marla Bloodstone
Dick Miller	...	Murray Futterman
Jackie Joseph	...	Sheila Futterman
Gedde Watanabe	...	Mr. Katsuji
Keye Luke	...	Mr. Wing
Kathleen Freeman	...	Microwave Marge
Don Stanton	...	Martin
Dan Stanton	...	Lewis
Shawn Nelson	...	Wally

Also Known As:

Gremlins 2 (USA) (original script title)
Monolith (USA) (fake working title)

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby SR (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Finland:K-11 | Iceland:10 | Iceland:12 (video rating) | Netherlands:6 | Netherlands:6 (DVD) | South Korea:All | USA:PG-13 (certificate #30326) | Canada:G (Régie du Cinéma Québec) | UK:12 (re-rating) (2005) | UK:15 (video rating) (1991) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Canada:14A | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12/9 | France:U | Norway:10 (original rating) | Norway:11 (video rating) | Singapore:PG | Sweden:11 | UK:12 (original rating) | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

101 Park Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

At one point in the film, Joe Dante attempted to involve his audience in the story by making it seem as if the gremlins had taken over whatever theatre Gremlins 2 would be screened in. This sequence was inspired by a similar stunt in William Castle's The Tingler (1959). During his DVD commentary for this movie, Dante recalled that Warner Bros. wanted the sequence cut, as they were concerned the audience would believe the film actually had malfunctioned; test screening ultimately proved otherwise. However, the video version caused problems: Instead of film-breaking effects, the scene looked like a VHS malfunctioning. Many rental copies were returned as a result of this, and video mastering houses called the filmmakers to ask them if this was intentional.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The credits list Jeff Bergman providing voice-overs for Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, but the cartoon characters (in the End Credits) are Daffy Duck and Porky Pig.

Quotes:

Hulk Hogan: Gremlins? In this theater? Now?

Movie Connections:

References Phantom of the Opera (1943)

Soundtrack:

ANGEL OF DEATH

Dante does satire and nobody noticed ?

I rate both films exactly the same but for very different reasons, the first film was an enjoyable romp fusing horror and comedy to great effect. When I saw that there was to be this sequel 6 years later I was very pleased indeed, what I hadn't bargained for was the sharpness of the writing and the satirical structure that director Dante laid out for audiences to watch.

Focusing very much on the then modern obsessions like tearing things down to build state of the art monstrous complexes, or the need for a better world, be it the laboratory testings for better life forms, or machines to run our lives, Gremlins 2 plays out as a sort of morality tale that sees the creatures themselves as byproducts of the human condition. In true classic creature feature fashion, Dante manages to garner a level of sympathy for the Gremlins, these vile offspring of the offspring are party animals, they have fun, they like to sing and go nuts, they are in short, quite like a stag party on the Costa Del Sol !. Throwing in as many film references as it can, Gremlins 2 may have a satirical slant at it's heart, but sure enough the fun from the first film segues in nicely here to make this one of the better, and more smarter sequels on the market.

and those darn Gremlins are nastier and uglier than ever as well !, 8/10.