Gremlins

MOVIE #1,879 •🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿• 08.13.24 This is the film that set off Joe Dante week. I had been looking for a weekend to get out to the Mahoning Drive-in, a cinephile’s mecca north of Allentown in PA for a long time now. It's tricky with kids and making plans with friends who are all getting older and busier. But on Father's Day weekend 2024, I finally made it out. And it didn't disappoint. It's a truly magical place that I can't recommend enough. There were other, more interesting weekends programmed that I probably would have enjoyed better (VHSfest, other links), but beggars can't be choosers. I figured the classic double feature of Gremlins 1 & 2 would be a nice maiden voyage. I will definitely be returning. I hope to make this an annual trip.

That being said, I felt like a total rookie, a damn n00b: I did not dress accordingly. Temps fell quickly into the low 50s once the sun set and I was wearing shorts, flip-flops and a paper-thin T-shirt. I tried to buy a hoodie at the very cool shop but they only had mediums and smalls left (clearly other big boys had made this same mistake). I was dead-set on sitting outside to watch the film instead of in my car so I just buckled down for the first feature. By the end of Gremlins, I was literally shivering head-to-toe. My teeth were clacking together like a cartoon character. It was well past 11 o’clock so I decided to bail on Gremlins 2: The New Batch. I felt somewhat like a failure for this decision, but I still viewed the experience positively. I was also by myself which — in hindsight — was not the best move either. I love going to the theater solo, but I think the drive-in experience is built for friends.

As far as the movie… what can you say? It’s Gremlins. 10/10 all-time classic, no notes.

Other Mahoning Drive-In Observations:

• I was struck by how respectful the audience was. You could hear a pin drop during the film. I was expecting a more rowdy atmosphere but everyone there was locked into the movie 100%.

• The shop/snack shack is amazing: they have custom T-shirts and merch for every event + a ton of VHS tapes that you basically pay what you want for via donation. I didn’t love the custom T for the weekend I went (+ I only say ¼ of the features, so it felt like cheating — On Saturday night they were playing Dolls and Child’s Play 2 as part of the "Little Devils" theme) so I got a 75th anniversary one. I also snagged a Frankenhooker poster from an event from 2021, which is also cheating but I just love Frankenhooker so much.

• My portable radio was a million years old and had a static click thing going on, which was annoying. Thankfully, the people right next to me had a big, nice set of speakers so I could hear the film fine but this is something I want to improve on for my next visit.

• The live radio station on site was also really cool. They play themed music before the show and the DJ does trivia giveaways and a raffle.

• The site is simply majestic. Here are some of my pictures that I took…



I’m so glad I finally made it out to this venue and I can’t wait to return next season (when I plan to do it right — two nights, proper attire and sound, and no bailing!).

---

CHRONOLOGICALLY
⫷ MOVIE #1,878 - (YOU ARE HERE) - MOVIE #1,880 ⫸

---

Gremlins is a 1984 American comedy horror film directed by Joe Dante, written by Chris Columbus and starring Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Hoyt Axton, Polly Holliday and Frances Lee McCain, with Howie Mandel providing the voice of Gizmo, the main mogwai character. It draws on legends of folkloric mischievous creatures that cause malfunctions—"gremlins"—in the British Royal Air Force going back to World War II. The story follows young man Billy Peltzer, who receives a strange creature as a pet, which then spawns other creatures that transform into aggressive imp-like monsters that wreak havoc on Billy's town during Christmas Eve. It was released on June 8, 1984.