Gremlinsis both a cute and terrifying Christmas movie with plenty of easter eggs about pop culture that are easy to miss. The movie, released in 1984, played with the limits of its PG rating, and introduced the inventive lore of sweet little creatures that can turn into horrifying monsters if their owner doesn’t follow a strict set of rules.
Attending to all the best holiday season trademarks,Gremlinshas a unique feeling of Christmas magic gone wrong as the situation gets out of control in a small Pennsylvanian town. With Joe Dante directing the film and his long-time friend Steven Spielberg producing it, the filmmaker decided to pay homage to his fellow director and his own favorite movies with plenty of exciting references.
Gremlinshas a little bit of everything; it’s not only aperfect Christmas movie, but also a beautiful homage to cinema in general. Here’s every pop culture reference in the 1984 movie.
8The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
Before reaching the peak of his success withGremlinsin 1984, Dante dedicated his career to B-horror movies such as the infamousPiranhaand the unconventional werewolf filmThe Howling. The influence of Dante’s previous works and his passion for the horror genre is crystal clear inGremlins, which takes a realdark and disturbingturn once the adorable Mogwai begin to mutate into demoniac creatures.
The horror genre was never the same after Tobe Hopper’s slasher masterpieceThe Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Dante’s admiration for the horror classic can be found in his decision to keep a beloved unscripted moment ofGremlins: one of the creatures attacks Billy with a Gremlin-sized chainsaw. The improvised scene made it to the final cut and turned out to be a straightforward tribute to Leatherface’s legacy.
7Back to the Future (1985)
Fans ofGremlinsandBack to the Futurewill likely notice many similarities between the fictional towns featured in both movies. While Dante’s film is set in a Pennsylvanian town called Kingston Falls,Back to the Futureis set in Hill Valley, two thematically different scenarios that were actually shot on the same set. It’s not a straightforward pop culture reference, but rather a production choice.
What really sells it is the set’s iconic movie theater, featured in memorable sequences from both movies: inGremlins, it’s where the creatures gather to watchSnow White and the Seven Dwarfs. InBack to the Future, it’s where Biff and Lorraine argue in 1955. It’s also fun to notice that the movie theater marquee inGremlinsstatesA Boy’s LifeandWatch the Skies, two fictional movies that were, in fact, the working titles of Spielberg’sE.T. the Extra-TerrestrialandClose Encounters of the Third Kind, respectively.
6Forbidden Planet (1956)
Forbidden Planetwas a genre-defining movie released in 1956 that follows a space crewtraveling to the fictional planetAltair IV in search of a missing spaceship, only to be welcomed by the sole survivor and become the target of a dangerous invisible force. InGremlins, there’s a scene in which Billy’s dad, Randall, makes a call while at an inventor’s convention, where many of the film’s pop culture references take place.
Forbidden Planet’s iconic Robby the Robot makes an appearance behind Randall’s phone booth speaking actual lines from the movie. InGremlins, Robby is presented as if it’s someone else’s invention, but inForbidden Planet, the robot is Dr. Morbius' mechanic servant, designed by the scientist while trapped on Altair IV.
5The Time Machine (1960)
Another fun pop culture reference in the background ofGremlins' convention scene is the original time machine from the 1960 sci-fi classicThe Time Machine, in which a Victorian Englishman travels to the far future and witnesses humanity ruining itself in a dangerous, segmented society.
Dante takes this reference way too seriously, as both the man seen inside the time machine and the device itself vanish from the background after it cuts from Randall to the wide shot previously seen, implying that time travel is a real deal inGremlins' universe.
Related:Why the Possibilities Are Limitless for Gremlins 3
4Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
Mysterious cocoons eclosing, otherworldly creatures spreading all over the place… broadly speaking,Invasion of the Body SnatchersandGremlinsare conceptually similar to one another. In the face of Chris Columbus' awe-inspiring script, Dante didn’t miss the chance to pay homage to one of thebest sci-fi movies of all timeinGremlins, taking advantage of it to foreshadow a key moment in the film.
At the beginning of the movie, Billy is in his room while a scene of 1956’sInvasion of the Body Snatchersplays on the TV. The scene features the film’s distinctive alien pods busting open as a character shouts “You’re next.” The unsuspecting reference plays out as a bad omen: it cuts directly toGremlins' own cocoons, which are about to emerge and turn Billy’s life upside down.
Related:Best Moments from the Gremlins Film Series, Ranked
3E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Of all the movies referenced inGremlins, Spielberg’sE.T. the Extra-Terrestrialis the only one that shows up multiple times. Released in 1982, the film was an instant success: it made almost $800 million at the box office on a $10.5 million budget. It also marked Spielberg’s first straightforward family movie, just like Dante andGremlins. To pay tribute to his fellow filmmaker and his passion forE.T., Dante inserted plenty of easter eggs inGremlins.
Apart from the subtle reference in the movie theater’s marquee, a single E.T. doll can be spotted among severalLooney Tunesstuffed toys in the scene where Stripe hides in a department store. The easter-egg is a reference to theE.T. the Extra-Terrestrialscene in which E.T. hides among stuffed toys in a similar fashion. Another, more obvious, reference happens when one gremlin delivers the iconic one-liner from Spielberg’s movie, “Phone home,” for those who thought the previous references were merely coincidences.
2Flashdance (1983)
Gremlinsis a feast for hardcore sci-fi and horror aficionados because it features plenty of references to the pillars of both movie genres. However, few people will notice the movie’s direct reference to the 80s romanceFlashdance, which has pretty much nothing to do with mischievous monsters taking over a small town.
It turns out that Michael Sembello, the artist behindFlashdance’s hit song “Maniac” also wrote and performed the tune “Mega Madness” forGremlins. This artistic choice results in a hilarious scene in which a gremlin, dressed likeFlashdancestar Jennifer Beals, shows its impressive dancing skills on the dance floor.
1Multiple Cameos in Gremlins
Robby the Robot isn’t the only cameo inGremlins: real people also get the chance to briefly shine onscreen. In the movie, Dante doesn’t only pay homage to the movies that he loves, but also to the artists who inspire him. In this context, he convinced Chuck Jones, the creator ofLooney Tunes, to make a small appearance inGremlinsas Mr. Jones, Billy’s mentor.
The scene is brief, but passionate, and as Jones leaves, aPepé Le Pewcartoon airs on TV. Dante’s admiration for Jones and his work isn’t a surprise for anyone, so much so that the filmmaker ended up directing aLooney Tunesmovie in 2003. In addition, bothGremlinsandLooney Tunesshare the same adorable, yet violent thematic appeal.
As one of the film’s executive producers, Spielberg himself also appears in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo inGremlins. In the same convention sequence where Dante referencesForbidden PlanetandThe Time Machine, Spielberg can be seen in an electric wheelchair while Randall is on the phone.
