In today’s video I wanted to give praise to a damn near perfect horror-comedy movie released in 1984 and directed by Joe Dante in which a Christmas present given from a father to his son turns into a terrifying night when small, mischievous creatures are unleashed on an unsuspecting town and wreak absolute havoc. That movie is obviously gremlins and I’m not kidding when I say that it is a near perfect movie. It has everything you could ask for and more… I dare you to try and find someone that doesn’t have fond memories of this movie.. Go ahead, I’ll wait. Since it is a beloved classic, it would make sense that filmmakers would try to recreate the success and cash in on the trend and try to produce similar films…. And boy, are we glad they did!… So without further ado… if you loved the movie gremlins, then you should definitely check out the movies on this list… Here are some of the best movies that are similar to 1984’s gremlins.
- Munchies (1987) – First up on our list is 1987’s munchies, which may be a bit cheesy and low budget but I grew up watching this movie so it holds a special spot in my heart for nostalgia sake alone. It’s also about a group of small creatures terrorizing a community and causing mischief so if you liked that about gremlins… and you can handle the pure low budget campiness, you’ll probably enjoy watching this one!
- Monster Squad (1987) – So, this next movie on the list doesn’t really have small creatures like gremlins or munchies but it is similar in the way that it presents horror movie elements to a younger audience. 1987’s the monster squad does a great job keeping the horror parts scary while making the movie light hearted and watchable for younger viewers. Just like gremlins, it’s a great introduction to horror for young people.
- Ghoulies (1984) – What happens when you try to cash in on the success of gremlins and strip away all the horror elements?.. You get 1984’s ghoulies.. A movie in which a group of 80’s characters summon a variety of tiny demon puppet monsters that are way less scary and much cheesier than the gremlins. If you prefer more comedy than horror, then this might be a great watch for you.
- Hobgoblins (1988) – Maybe the worst movie on the list, this 1988 “classic?” features alien goblins that make people hallucinate before murdering them. I know it sounds pretty cool when you describe it but take my word for it… this is honestly a tough watch unless you are heavily under the influence and with a group of drunk friends.
- Troll (1986) – Maybe not as famous as it’s “so bad it’s good” sequel, but the original Troll from 1986 needs to be watched if you enjoyed the movie gremlins. It is nowhere near as good but does manage to combine creepy horror elements with the fantasy genre making it a fun watch for younger viewers while keeping adults interested with it’s crazy celebrity cameos and just plain weirdness.
- The Gate (1987) – When I think of a “kids horror movie”, I immediately think of the gate from 1987. It’s pretty much every kid’s nightmare… your parents leave you alone for the night and elder god demons try to break through into our reality and nobody is around to stop them but you! Terrifying but done in a similar way to gremlins where you have to cover your eyes in one scene but cheer during another!
- Slither (2006) – I think this next movie is completely underrated in every way. It has everything that I love in a horror comedy, much like gremlins. The jokes are actually funny and the practical monster effects are amazing. All the characters are likeable and all the “b-movie” horror elements are done to perfection by James Gunn. Definitely worth the watch in my opinion!
- Leprechaun (1993) – Another cheesy one but enjoyable nonetheless! Leprechaun from 1993 is a bit cheesy by design but when you do it right, it makes for a fun horror comedy. In this gem, a young Jennifer Aniston has to fight against a wise cracking leprechaun that will stop at nothing to reclaim his gold. I think this movie does a decent job at combining horror and comedy and would be a fun watch for any gremlins lover.
- Krampus (2015) – The newest movie on this list, Krampus from 2015 completely nails the same feel as gremlins in every way. It also takes place on christmas and combines interesting creatures that ruin the holiday season for everyone! Tonally, I think this is the closest movie to gremlins.. It’s kinda hard to explain but it just feels similar and it’s a pretty good movie on it’s own so a definite must watch for fans of the movie gremlins.
- Critters (1986) – Probably my favorite movie on the list and one that I have watched, no lie, probably a hundred times.. It’s critters from 1986 and it has everything that a B horror movie needs to have. Plenty of memorable characters and interesting situations… Lots of setups and payoffs, likable characters and of course… badass creatures! If you want to make a movie about alien creatures coming to earth and causing shit loads of problems, watch this one to see how it should be done! If you’re a fan of gremlins, I’m going to assume you already love this one too!
So, what do you think of my list?.. Have all you gremlins fans also watched all of these? Did I miss any that need to be on the list? Let me know in the comments your thoughts and don’t forget to like the video and subscribe to the channel for more horror movie content, and I’ll see you in the next one!
