19 quotes
The Dual Nature of Gremlins
Taglines
Cute. Clever. Mischievous. Intelligent. Dangerous. We're Here!
[Crossed Out]
Desire for the Unavailable Gremlin
Randall Peltzer
I've got to have him! He's incredible. I'll give you $100 for it.
[after seeing the Mogwai]
Mr. Wing
No.
Randall Peltzer
Look, I've got to have it. It's a present for my son for Christmas. It's exactly what I've been looking for and I've been everywhere. I'll give you $200 for it. That's $200!
Mr. Wing
I'm sorry. Mogwai not for sale.
Randall Peltzer
I thought you said everything at your grandfather's store was for sale.
Chinese Boy
Grandfather!
Mr. Wing
With Mogwai comes much responsibility. I cannot sell him at any price.
Discussion on Gremlins' Nature
Sheriff Frank
Gremlins, huh?
Billy
Yes.
Sheriff Frank
Little monsters?
Billy
Right.
Sheriff Frank
Hundreds of them?
Billy
I don't know, maybe thousands. Look, I know it sounds crazy. I know it does, but in a matter of hours, this town's going to become a major disaster area! You have got to warn people!
Sheriff Frank
You think the kid is drunk?
Deputy Brent
No, but you are!
The Mischievous Nature of Gremlins
Taglines
They're clever. They're mischievous. They'll get into the kitchen, the basement, the garage. They'll get into anything. And once they get in... you're in for it.
The Responsibility of Owning a Mogwai
Randall Peltzer
Honey, this is the gentleman who sold me the Mogwai.
Mr. Wing
Sold". An interesting choice of words. You have taught Mogwai to watch television?! I warned you - with Mogwai comes much responsibility. But you didn't listen! And you see what happens?
Randall Peltzer
Hey, look, I didn't mean it.
Mr. Wing
You deal with Mogwai just like your society deals with all of nature's gifts! You do not understand! You are not ready.
Mr. Wing
He has something to say to you.
Billy Peltzer
You mean you understand what he's saying?
Mr. Wing
To hear, one has only to listen.
Gizmo
Bye, Billy!
Mr. Wing
Perhaps one day, you will be ready. Until then, Mogwai will be waiting.
[to Billy, smiling]
Randall Peltzer
Sir, before you go, I want you to know I am truly sorry for all this. I want to offer you this. There's one. There's one other one but it's an invention of mine.
Mr. Wing
Ah, smokeless ashtray.
Randall Peltzer
How did you know?
Mr. Wing
Man at gas station try to sell me. Latest word in technology. Very generous of you. I'm sure it will come in handy.
Gizmo
Bye bye, bark bark woof woof.
A Traumatic Christmas Memory Unveiled
Kate
Now I have another reason to hate Christmas.
Billy Peltzer
Kate, what are you talking about?
Kate
The worst thing that ever happened to me was on Christmas. Oh, God. It was so horrible. It was Christmas Eve. I was 9 years old. Me and Mom were, were decorating the tree, waiting for Dad to come home from work. Couple hours went by, Dad wasn't home. So Mom called the office. No answer. Christmas Day came and went, and still nothing. So, the police began a search. 4 or 5 days went by. Neither one of us could eat or sleep. Everything was falling apart. It was snowing outside. The house was freezing, so, I went to try to light up the fire. And that's when I noticed the smell. Firemen came and broke through the chimney top, and me and Mom were expecting them to pull out a dead cat or a bird, and instead, they pulled out my father. He was dressed in a Santa Claus suit. He'd been climbing down the chimney on Christmas Eve, his arms loaded with presents. He was gonna surprise us. He slipped and broke his neck, died instantly. And that's how I found out there was no Santa Claus.
[Gizmo gasps in shock]
Bathroom Buddy Demonstration and Miscommunication
Randall Peltzer
Billy, you're familiar with the Bathroom Buddy? I have made an improvement. Now, let's say, you're about to walk into a big meeting. It's very important. You reach up and you forgot to shave. Now what do you do? Under normal circumstances, you are in trouble! But not if you have the Bathroom Buddy. Now watch Voila! What do you think?
[produces a shaver]
Billy Peltzer
That's pretty neat. What does this button do?
Randall Peltzer
No, don't touch it!
Billy Peltzer
Sorry dad.
Randall Peltzer
No, it's okay.
Billy Peltzer
No, I'm really sorry.
Randall Peltzer
It's not your fault. I was going to get to that. I'll fix it tomorrow.
Holiday Tensions at the Office
Gerald
If it isn't Captain Clip-On! Guess who almost filed for unemployment today?
Billy
I give up.
Gerald
You! But Mr. Corben had other ideas. He gets so sentimental around the holidays. I would've fired you in a heartbeat.
Billy
And a Merry Christmas to you too. Excuse me, Mr. Jones.
Gerald
Hey, Peltzer. Look, I'm a junior vice president at 23. By the time I'm 25, I'm gonna have Mr. Corben's job. And by the time I'm 30, I'll be a millionaire. Look at you. You're practically supporting your whole family. The world's changing, Peltzer. You gotta change with it, you gotta be tough.
Billy
And no one's tougher than you, eh, Ger?
Gerald
Don't call me that, my name's Gerald.
Transformation of a Creature Explained
Sheriff Frank
Tell me something, Billy. How does a cute little creature like this turn into a thousand ugly monsters?
Billy
Well, this is before it enters the pupal stage.
Deputy Brent
The pupal stage?
Billy
Yeah, right. Plus it multiplies with water.
Deputy Brent
Aw, Christ!
Sheriff Frank
Brent, why don't you give the kid some water?
Billy
I wouldn't do that, sheriff.
Sheriff Frank
Sheriff's office. Yeah, speaking... What?... Oh no... Yeah, we'll be right over.
Deputy Brent
Who was that?
Sheriff Frank
The Futtermans. Something about a snowplow, a freak accident...
Billy
It's the creatures! The creatures are making it look like an accident! Sheriff! WILL YOU LISTEN TO ME?!
Sherriff Frank
You listen to me, kid! Go on home, take little Gizmo, sit by the fire and open your Christmas presents, okay? Atta boy!
Deputy Brent
Let me drive.
[as he and Frank leave]
Sheriff Frank
No, you're drunk.
Deputy Brent
You always get to drive!
Sheriff Frank
Cause I'm the sheriff, asshole!
The Possibility of Hidden Gremlins
Randall Peltzer
Well, that's the story. So the next time your air-conditioner goes on the fritz, or your washing machine blows up, or your video recorder conks out, before you call the repairman, turn on all the lights. Check all the closets and cupboards. Look under all the beds. Cause you never can tell. There just might be a gremlin in your house.
[last lines; narrating]
Observing Enjoyment in Unusual Circumstances
Kate
What're they doing?
Billy Peltzer
They're watching ]. And they love it.
[[Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film)|Snow White]
Unexpected Encounter with the Unknown
Randall Peltzer
What the hell is that?!
[seeing a dying Stripe]
Essential Rules for Caring for Gremlins
Chinese Boy
Keep him out of the light. He hates bright light. Especially sunlight - it'll kill him. And keep him away from water. Don't get him wet. But the most important rule, the rule you can never forget - no matter how much he cries, or how much he begs, never, never feed him after midnight.
Stripe
(repeated line) Gizmo CaCa!
Lynn Peltzer
GET OUT OF MY KITCHEN!!!
Murray Futterman
Goddamn foreign TV. I told ya, we should've got a Zenith!
Rockin Ricky Rialto
Kid, this is Christmas, not Halloween! Listen, gang. Rockin Ricky's getting fed up with all this ], so cool it, will ya?! What's that? Kitty, what's that, I said? Some of Rockin Ricky's fans? Hey, you're not a Rockin Ricky fan!
[as Pete tries to tell him about the Gremlins; [w:The War of the Worlds (1938 radio drama)|Orson Welles crap; crashing is heard; a Gremlin is heard cackling; screams]
Rocking Ricky Rialto
Hey, gang, It's been a rough night for Rockin Ricky, but he's still on the air!
Unexpected Encounters in a Festive Setting
Sheriff Frank
My god, Frye, that was Mrs. Deagle.
Deputy Brent
Jesus, Frank, that's Dave Morris! He does Santa every year!
Sheriff Frank
Yeah, but what the hell is he doing now? What's that stuff he's got all over him?!
The Perils of Gremlins in Everyday Life
Murry Futterman
Gremlins... You got-you gotta watch out for them forgeiners cuz they plant gremlins in their machinery. It's the same gremlins that brought down our planes in the big one.
[drunk, looking inside his car; turning to Billy and Kate; climbs inside the car]
Kate
The big one...
[laughing]
Murry Futterman
That's right! World War Two! Good old WWII. Y'know, they're still shippin em over here... They put em in cars, they put em in yer TV, they put em in stereos and those little radios you stick in your ears. They even put em in watches, they have teeny gremlins for our watches!
[turning round; salutes; tries to start his car]