Reviewer's Rating 3 out of 5 Ìý User Rating 5 out of 5
Gremlins DVD (1984)

Joe Dante's deliciously dark and amusing "Gremlins" has not fared too well on TV reruns or on VHS. The print looked decidedly shabby, but the DVD release is a mighty fine improvement.

The disc does suffer from some print damage, but the picture is a lot clearer and in certain scenes looks sensational. The snowbound town and the blue-lit evening scenes have a fresh new vitality to them. A little grain does creep into darker moments in chapters 9 and 14 but overall this is far more aesthetically pleasing.

An all-new 5.1 soundtrack flings Gremlins around your speakers to great effect. There's also good use of the sub woofer in chapter 14 when the spawning starts in the swimming pool.

While the transfer to DVD is certainly good, the lack of features is not. This is a movie that cries out for a commentary from Dante, and behind the scenes footage and interviews with the special effects team.

Chapters: 27
Ratio: 1.85:1
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
Extra Features: Scene selection, multiple languages & subtitles and English for the hearing impaired.

End Credits

Director: Joe Dante

Writer: Chris Columbus

Stars: Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Hoyt Axton, Polly Holliday, Frances Lee McCain, Judge Reinhold, Corey Feldman

Genre: Horror, Comedy

Length: 106 minutes

Cinema: 1984

DVD: 5 June 2000

Country: USA