GREMLINS 2: THE NEW BATCH
US, 1990, 102 minutes, Colour.
Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, John Glover, Robert Prosky, Howie Mandell, Christopher Lee.
Directed by Joe Dante.
Gremlins II, the new batch is a delightful sequel. While it lacks the surprise of the original, it capitalises on the freshness, the wit and the horror styles of Gremlins.
While Phoebe Cates and Zac Galligan repeat their original roles, it is the Gremlins who take centre stage. In fact, the humans pale somewhat in the light of the Gremlins. Moreover, John Glover is very good as the potential villain. Robert Prosky stands out as a host of 3am Horror Shows (dressed like a vampire).
While the original was set in the apple pie American town, this film is set in New York City, in a building that more than resembles the Trump tower in New York. In fact, John Glover as Daniel Clamp with his plans for redevelopment seems very much like Donald Trump (though, of course, the end credits say there is no resemblance to anyone alive or dead). The Gremlins, with their puppetry and special effects, are most entertaining, Gismo makes a welcome reappearance - and the other Gremlins are just as horrific as ever. However, the film is a bit less bloodthirsty that the original (a parody on the microwave scene and the blender - but this time there is a
shredding machine).
The voices of the gremlins are interesting: Howie Mandel as Gismo, Tony Randall enjoying himself as a sophisticated talk show host gremlin. There are all kinds of movie buff jokes ranging from Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck appearing at the opening and at the end, also Porky Pig. There is Rambo, Leonard Maltin doing his usual Entertainment This Week segment and giving an unfavourable review of Gremlins and being strangled by some film; Hulk Hogan, Paul Bartel as a cinema usher, parodies on Gershwin's music, especially Rhapsody in Blue and New York New York. There is a send up of the Phantom of the Opera as well as quotations, visual and verbal from Apocalypse Now, Batman and Laurence Olivier as the dentist in Marathon Man. The film is witty, funny, and a pleasant spoof of horror films (even with the presence of Christopher Lee as a doctor in charge of a laboratory). The film was directed, as was the original, by Joe Dante.
1. A satisfying sequel? The repeat of the original? Serious touches - especially satire on contemporary city developments? The spoof angles?
2. The use of New York City, the city sequences, the credits, Chinatown? The Clamp tower - and its parallel with the Trump tower? The use of the interiors of the building, elevators, offices, basements? Technology? Television? Laboratories?
3. The special effects for the gremlins - Gismo and his niceness, the horrific gremlins and their escapades and destruction?
4. The sequel repeating the basic outline of the original? But a film buffs movie? Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and their fighting on the Warner Bros Logo? Porky Pig at the end with Daffy Duck? The scenes from Rambo and Gismo - imitation Rambo? The glimpse of the 50s monster films, of a colourised scene of It's a Wonderful Life? Leonard Maltin repeating his unfavourable review of Gremlins and being strangled? Hulk Hogan threatening the audience? The breakdown of the film within the film? Paul Bartel as the usher? Rhapsody in Blue, New York New York? The quotes from Apocalypse Now, Phantom of the Opera, Batman, Marathon Man and other films? The use of the nature and nudist film? The musical score?
5. The cast, the parallel with Donald Trump - and the message about development? The comment on human preoccupation with things - and things actually turning up? Daniel Clamp and Donald Trump - the building, in itself? The scene for such horrors? The personality of Clamp, his relationship with his secretary and dictating letters, vacuous style? Unscrupulous, visiting his staff, friendship with Billy, the crisis, his concern about his television networks, the city being destroyed and his apocalyptic message, being persuaded that he could save the city and become a hero? The escape hatch, trying to reflect the sun into the building and it raining? Leading the Marine-like attack? Big on the quiet town, merchandising the gremlins? The parallels with Donald Trump and his career? The opening in New York City, Chinatown, the old Chinese man, Clamp's henchmen and their threats, poisoning him? The destruction of the building? The introduction to Gismo, taking the hankie? Watching Rambo on television? His being taken by the twins, under observation in the laboratory, the whistling, Billy finding him and rescuing him, hiding him in the drawer, and its protruding during Clamp's visit? The escape via the paper clips? Getting wet accidentally and more gremlins coming? Hiding, the clash with the gremlins, being imprisoned, falling, tortured, on the toy train line? Training with the slingshot and the paper clips like Rambo, the headpiece? The Rocky like training before going on the warpath? The arrow of destruction? Gismo's cute - and the 'voice of Howie Mandel?
8. Billy and Kate, memories of the first film, wanting to marry, New York roughness and trying to get a taxi, both working for Clamp? The tours of the building and the blah of the spiel? Billy and his office, designing, the question of the trees, Marla and her ambitious style? Clamp's visit, Marla coming on strong, wanting a date, going to the satiric Canadian restaurant with the moose and the mounties? Kissing and the lipstick? Billy's putting Kate Off, the return? Kate trying to save Gismo, taking the wrong gremlin, the cross-eyed one? Creating a mess in the house? The policeman and his wife arriving, the chaos? Going back to the building, the invasion of the gremlins, being caught? Kate imprisoned in the lift, the pursuit, trying to get out? Billy trying to persuade Forrester and his style, their mocking him, the attack? Billy and Kate to the rescue, with the compere? The confrontation of Dr Catheter, the final heroics and the plan to destroy the gremlins? Happy ever after?
9. The policeman and his wife, memories of the first film, the visit, hearing, gremlins, the mess in the apartment, watching on the streets, the attack and the gremlin like a bat clawing him, becoming a gargoyle on the Cathedral? Going in by the escape hatch, his attacking the gremlins, heroism? His wife and her discussions with Marge about recipes?
10. Forrester, his henchmen, the attack on the Chinese, villainous? At work, callous, Billy's pot plant? His own fears, trapped with the female gremlin, her coming on strongly - and his succumbing to her charms at the end for survival?
Marla, the satire on the yuppie and pushy secretary, her cigarettes, criticising Billy, kowtowing to Clamp, arranging the date, the Canadian restaurant, her not knowing the gremlins were there, caught in the giant spider web, Kate rescuing her, her telling the truth to Kate, Clamp's attraction to her, her becoming the promoter and giving the press interview?
12. The laboratory, mutant experiments, the twins, Gismo under observation? The rats? Dr Catheter and his secretary, analysing the tissue. his concern, the experiences, the mess? His bewilderment, the final electrocution? Christopher Lee in the role?
13. The increase of gremlins, their devouring the food, going to the restaurant, affecting the electricity, the elevator, the cocoons in the basement, torturing Gismo and the attack, watching the screen monsters and applauding them, the film burning in the theatre and their mucking around with silhouettes, in the bar, in the laboratory, taking the drugs and going mad? The gremlin with the brain transplant, his voice (Tony Randall), the interview techniques on television? The female gremlin and her sexy approach? The Phantom of the Opera gremlin? Their all assembling in the lobby, the bat becoming a gargoyle? Singing New York New York? Their destruction and their going into ooze?
14. The cinema sequence - and the humour of its screening that the film was breaking down, the usher, Hulk Hogan threatening people, the gremlins making shadows?
15. The television news, the various channels, the cook and her predilection for sherry, the gremlins making the mess? The Leonard Maltin sequence and the satire on Entertainment This Week? The horror host, seeing him in action with the special effects, the 3am time slot, his wanting to be a star and a newsreader, his shrewdness in using the Japanese tourist with the camera to give all the news? The tourist snapping everything, with the camera, helping the host? Getting a promotion?
16. The happy ending - and Clamp reforming? The blend of the horror plot, monsters, comic strip styles, menace, happy endings, cinema buff spoof, the enjoyable blend?
