Reviews
“Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai” Review – Enchanting Expansion Captures the Spirit of the Original Films
Almost forty years ago, Joe Dante introduced the eternally adorable Gizmo, a strange furry mogwai, in Gremlins. The Mogwai comes with strict rules that, when broken, invite terror in the form of monstrous green offspring, unleashing gateway Amblin horror with a dark edge. Its animated prequel series, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, could’ve easily coasted on an origin story for Gizmo that used the 1984 film as a blueprint. Instead, showrunner Tze Chun takes viewers on an epic journey that entrenches the Mogwai within a larger world rich with culturally specific gods, myths, and monsters, all while capturing the same horror-comedy tone of Dante’s original film.
Secrets of the Mogwai opens with a disarming vision of a peaceful mogwai village in the 1920s, nestled deep within an emerald forest. An unpredictable force of nature manages to wrestle Gizmo (AJ LoCascio) away from his family and home, taking him all the way to Shanghai. There the little mogwai finds himself the coveted prize for an evil man, Riley Greene (Matthew Rhys), a powerful black magic user determined to use Gizmo for personal gain.
It’s up to young Sam Wing (Izaac Wang) and street thief Elle (Gabrielle Nevaeh) to transport Gizmo home, sending them on a dangerous journey through the Chinese countryside. Sam and Elle’s mettle gets tested at every turn, as the bid for control over the Mogwai invites spirits, gods, and creatures of myth to the fray. And, of course, a whole lot of Gremlin chaos.
It’s in its cultural specificity that Secrets of the Mogwai shines brightest. While this is indeed a Gremlins series, and the rules get broken almost immediately, Chun uses the overarching story of Gizmo and the green monsters eager to multiply and plunge the world in mischievous mayhem to build upon the world in breathtaking and epic ways. Chun and his writers use the Mogwai as the launchpad to introduce a welcome rotation of folkloric entities to shape this world and its characters. Sam, Elle, and Gizmo must navigate obstacles in the form of Jiangshi, a Chinese hopping vampire, hungry and deceptive fox spirits, and so much more amidst magical realms. More than just widening the Amblin world, it lends unpredictability to the story; Chun isn’t content to simply retell the original story with a setting shift but rather strives for something worthwhile.
The fantastical world is anchored by two unlikely heroes in Sam and Elle. The sweet, naïve Sam strikes a tenuous alliance with the pragmatic, street-smart Elle. The friction between them exacerbates their quest at every turn, with opposing ideologies and approaches to an unkind world. It also serves as a captivating base for satisfying character arcs for both. While Secrets of the Mogwai presents an all-star lineup of voice talent, including Ming-Na Wen, James Hong, BD Wong, Sandra Oh, Randall Park, George Takei, Bowen Yang, and a guest star spot from Gremlins star Zach Galligan, Izaac Wang and Gabrielle Nevaeh carry the series on their shoulders with ease.
This animated series forges new ground and expands the original mythology in exciting ways, yet it never strays too far to become unrecognizable. That’s most apparent in Gizmo and the Gremlins themselves, offering recognizable visual cues and references that fans know well. But it’s most impressive how it strikes that razor’s edge balance between irreverent gateway fun and pitch-black horror humor. This world has high stakes, where death is a tangible possibility. Much like Phoebe Cates’ character in Dante’s film, Elle also has a tragic and dark past.
Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai is an enchanting, delightfully surprising continuation of Gizmo’s world. The animation is stunning, and its narrative, worldbuilding, and characters are just as rich. It makes for a rewarding, breezy inaugural season that’ll capture the imaginations of a younger generation while appeasing original fans. The series may take place in the 1920s, but the Amblin spirit is alive and well in the present.
The first two episodes of Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai premiere Tuesday, May 23 on Max. Following premiere week, two new episodes will release every Thursday.
Books
‘In Search of Darkness’ Book Review: A Must-Have for ’80s Horror Fans
In 2019, the documentary of 80s horror In Search of Darkness became an instant hit with horror fans. Now, a beautiful coffee table style companion book is available and is a must-own for all fans of one of horror’s greatest eras. The book is a walk down the horror aisle of the best mom and pop video store in the heyday of VHS, featuring full color photos, poster art, insightful essays and more. More than just a nostalgic throwback, In Search of Darkness is the kind of book I wish I’d had back in my years as a burgeoning horror fan but is also satisfying for the film fanatic I have become in the years since.
The format is beautifully and simply laid out, with at least a dozen (usually more) movies from each year of the decade presented in order of release accompanied by informative and insightful essays by the authors Heather Wixson and Patrick Bromley. Both authors have been mainstays of film journalism, specializing in horror, for many years. Wixson began her career in 2007 with Dread Central and has spent the past ten years as the Managing Editor of Daily Dead, from which she recently retired to focus on books and other projects. She has devoted the past several years to interviewing and writing books about the Make-up and Special Effects wizards that have brought so much to film over the years, specifically the horror genre.
Bromley is a film journalist and critic whose work can be found all over the place including right here on Bloody Disgusting. He recently provided the commentary for the Vinegar Syndrome release of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 and is known as something of a Tobe Hooper expert. He is also the founder and editor of F this Movie!, an eclectic film website, and host of its accompanying podcast. So, to be clear, the authors know their stuff.
Wixson and Bromley divide writing duties roughly in half and though each has a distinctive voice, their writing styles dovetail beautifully into a cohesive whole. Each author plays to their strengths. Being familiar with both their work I didn’t even have to look at the bylines to know that Heather covered Christine and Terror in the Aisles and Patrick took on The Funhouse and Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers. Wixson’s passion for make-up effects is clear and comes through in many of her contributions. In general, Wixson takes on the “big” titles, the movies that defined the decade the most, and Bromley covers what the more cynical among us might call schlock, but he would likely call pure cinematic bliss. There are exceptions and surprises, of course, as there should be (Patrick covers The Shining for example). Each essay dives into the history behind the film, the major players involved, the reception, and legacy with often surprising aspects drawn from interviews with the filmmakers from various sources and insights from the authors.
For all their in-depth explorations of each film, in general the authors keep their critics’ hats safely stowed, keeping in mind that every entry on the book has its fans. In fact, they may well have sold me on finally hitting play on some of the schlockier offerings of the decade like Evilspeak, Nightbeast, and Blood Diner. Hell, I may even give The Beast Within a spin for shits and giggles. The point is that this book is a celebration through and through. The authors are honest about the critical receptions of the films, which were often unkind, and sometimes let their own opinions shine through, but recognize how beloved even the schlockiest films can become given time and availability. And that is an ongoing theme of In Search of Darkness. What may have been dismissed in its day often becomes revered as the years pass. Variations on the phrase “the years have been kind to…” referring to various maligned projects like The Thing, Halloween III: Season of the Witch, The Blob and many, many others, can be found throughout the book for good reason.
Each chapter of the book also includes a rundown of the top horror movies at the box office for the year as well as the top movies of all genres for context. The final page for each year highlights some of the major news and pop culture events including the top songs, albums, and television shows. There is a large central section that pays tribute to the talent involved with the greatest horror films of the 80s including directors, actors, effects artists, and more. This section includes brief biographies of John Carpenter, Wes Craven, Stephen King, Tom Savini, Barbara Crampton, Robert Englund, and many others presented in a dynamic and engaging fashion.
One of the beauties of the book is that it covers so much ground. Sure, you’ll find Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Hellraiser, and the Halloween sequels in it, but you’ll also find deeper cuts like The Changeling, The Being, and Tetsuo: The Iron Man. I was happy to find the same love given to Frank Henenlotter and Larry Cohen as to George A. Romero and David Cronenberg. In other words, In Search of Darkness is extraordinarily eclectic, highlighting the diversity that truly defined what is often viewed as a homogenous decade. The authors make the case that the 80s was horror’s greatest decade, and with what they lay out throughout this book, it’s tough to argue against that. I even came across a film or two I hadn’t even heard of before, which has become increasingly rare as the years go by.
At just shy of $85, the cover price may give some horror hounds pause, but believe me, it’s worth every penny. This is a beautiful volume that every fan of 80s horror will want on their shelf or prominently displayed on their coffee table. Filled with favorite titles, hundreds of full color photos, insightful and informative writing, this is simply a must own.
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