Holidanger: Gremlins (1984)

Welcome to another episode of Death Don’t Do Fiction, the AIPT Movies podcast! The podcast about the enduring legacy of our favorite movies! It’s December, so that means it’s time for our “Holidanger” series, where we cover holiday movies that put lives on the line! In this week’s episode, Alex, Tim, and Matt discuss Joe Dante’s 1984 creature-feature/Christmas fable, Gremlins! An unforgettable kitchen massacre! Intensely-80s Christmas vibes! People being oddly okay with strange, previously-unknown animals! A horribly-evil old landlady that’ll change the way you look at stair lifts forever! Tons of fake snow! A town square that uses the same Universal Studios backlot as Hill Valley from Back to the Future! An absentee father leaving his supportive family to deal with dangerous creatures while they attempt to use his useless inventions! Questionable carolers and bar patrons! Small creatures flashing and flash dancing! A great musical score from Jerry Goldsmith! A Solid cast that includes Mike from Breaking Bad, Dick Miller promoting the value of American-made products, and a quasi-goth Phoebe Cates as the ultimate holiday buzzkill! A movie with a truly unique tone that somehow feels like a horror movie for kids, featuring iconic creature FX and puppetry from Chris Walas! In addition, Alex shares his spoiler-free thoughts on the new Street Trash, and Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II! You can find Death Don’t Do Fiction on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. As always, if you enjoy the podcast, be sure to leave us a positive rating, subscribe to the show, and tell your friends! The Death Don’t Do Fiction podcast brings you the latest in movie news, reviews, and more! Hosted by supposed “industry vets,” Alex Harris, Tim Gardiner, and Matt Paul, the show gives you a peek behind the scenes from three filmmakers with oddly nonexistent filmographies. You can find Alex on Twitter, Bluesky, or Letterboxd @actionharris. Matt is a terrific artist that you can find on Instagram @no_wheres_ville. Tim can’t be found on social media because he doesn’t exist. If you have any questions or suggestions for the Death Don’t Do Fiction crew, they can be reached at [email protected], or you can find them on Twitter or Instagram @aiptmoviespod. Theme song is “We Got it Goin On” by Cobra Man.