tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post8413101155859798074..comments2024-03-29T04:57:26.162-04:00Comments on John Kenneth Muir's Reflections on Cult Movies and Classic TV: Happy Horror-Days: Gremlins (1984)John Kenneth Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629979615332893780noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-84937564969543831692016-12-22T14:26:03.551-05:002016-12-22T14:26:03.551-05:00This may be a generational thing, John, but when I...This may be a generational thing, John, but when I saw "Gremlins" with a group of friends on initial release, we ALL took it readily as a satire of "It's a Wonderful Life" -- Bedford Falls being too obvious to be inadvertent -- and as a commentary on parenthood. The subversion of innocent cuteness was a major plot element, of course, but at the time it seemed a lesser theme of "Gremlins"--more of a device to advance the other satirical themes. Within a year, the subversion of innocence would be much more central to "Child's Play", which was just a more demonic version of the old Twilight Zone episode called "Living Doll", with its murderous Talky Tina doll. Just goes to show everything old is new again!<br /><br />To my mind, "Gremlins" is maybe above-average as a horror-parody, but certainly nowhere near the top tier of that sub-genre: "Young Frankenstein", "Tremors", "The Little Shop of Horrors" (Corman's original version), and "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein."Sherinoreply@blogger.com