Christmas in July: Gremlins (PG) PRESENTED IN 35MM FILM

Christmas in July at The Revival House
Gremlins (PG, 1984) Presented in 35mm Film by The Revival House Perth

Young Billy Peltzer (Zach Galligan) receives an unusual Christmas gift from his father: a small, furry creature called a Mogwai named Gizmo. The old Chinese shop owner who sells it comes with three strict rules: keep it away from bright light, which will kill it; don't expose it to water; and most importantly, never feed it after midnight, no matter how much it begs. When Billy accidentally spills water on Gizmo, the creature spawns dozens of mischievous gremlins—creatures that are cute and adorable until after midnight, when they transform into violent, destructive demons. As the gremlins multiply and terrorize Billy's small town of Kingston Falls on Christmas Eve, causing mayhem in the local movie theater, bar, and streets, Billy must find Gizmo and stop the gremlins before they destroy everything. What begins as a cute creature feature becomes a darkly comic horror film as the gremlins reveal their anarchic, sadistic nature.

Director Joe Dante brings twisted humor and genuine scares to this 1984 hybrid that defies easy categorization. The film works as both creature feature and Christmas comedy, balancing cute charm with surprisingly graphic violence. The practical creature effects by Chris Walas remain spectacular—Gizmo is genuinely adorable while the gremlins are delightfully grotesque and menacing. Zach Galligan anchors the film with earnest concern, while Phoebe Cates brings warmth and a memorable monologue about childhood trauma. The gremlins' destruction of the movie theater—complete with references to Snow White—becomes a gleeful assault on commercialism. Jerry Goldsmith's playful score underscores both the whimsy and menace. The film's darker elements—particularly the gremlins' casual cruelty and their targeting of a Christmas caroler—give it edge that distinguishes it from typical family fare. It's a film that respects its audience's intelligence and ability to handle genuine scares.

Original format and audio experience of this film faithfully reproduced by The Revival House. Presented in 35mm film unless noted otherwise.

When: Sunday, July 5th at 4:15PM
Where: The Revival House at the Como Theatre
Rating: PG (The content is mild in impact)