02/22/2005 Entry: "Gremlins Commercials?"

X-E reader "Darren" wrote in with a copy/paste from a Gremlins fansite, wanting to have the statements validated -- here they be:

"In addition to the movie trailers there are two more tv commercials. The first one is the Gremlins cereal commercial. It's a short clip which shows Gizmo eating some cereal while a background voice says the typical slogan. The other one is a commercial against drugs. I don't know if this last one really exists, I read about it on a website a few time ago. It showed the old Mr. Wing telling Gizmo how bad drugs can be. Then some gremlins were shown smoking crack and after that, they died. Both commercials are very old (they are based on the first movie) and it's very hard to find more information about them."

Both commercials did exist, though not exactly as they're described here. The Gremlins Cereal commercial -- and you can expect a Gremlins Cereal tribute as soon as I find it, because I've got other materials waiting -- had a cartoon version Gizmo and a great theme song. It was cute, but I don't want to comment too much as memories are sketchy on it and I haven't seen it since childhood....hopefully soon again.

I remember the other commercial much better, and there's probably no other old ad out there I'm more on the hunt for -- save for, maybe, the Ninja Turtle Pies commercial. Anyway, the spot-in-question was kind of a PSA, using new footage of Mr. Wing and Gizmo talking about drunk driving and such and such, juxtaposed with movie clips of the Gremlins drinking at the bar Kate worked at, crashing cars, and basically looking cracked out and drunk. For whatever reason, the PSA made the Gremlins seem 1000x more frightening than they actually were in the film.

Chestnuts roasted by Warx @ 02/22/2005 09:12 PM EST

oh wow! i totally remember the gremlins psa...that was a memory i didn't even think i HAD! god, i love that about x-e. i get these waves of memories from my childhood that i don't think would surface otherwise. thanks again matt!

Chestnuts roasted by annie_bea @ 02/22/2005 09:13 PM EST

your article about the gremlins colorforms brought me waaayyyyy back...I had it!

Chestnuts roasted by gerv @ 02/22/2005 09:14 PM EST

I remember the gist of the jingle from the Gremlins cereal commercial, though I'm a little hazy on a couple of words:

Gremlins! Gremlins!
Bite after bite!
What a (crazy?) way
To satisfy
A (hungry?) appetite!

Or was it a "growling appetite"?

Something like that.

Chestnuts roasted by Steve Brandon @ 02/22/2005 09:46 PM EST

Very close to that. I think it was "What a tasty way to satisfy a Gremlins appetite," but your guess is as good as mine.

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 02/22/2005 09:48 PM EST

Checking the Internet, the consensus opinion (well, three sources and I had to use "cache" to see two of them) on the second adjective seems to be "Gremlins" (used as an adjective somehow), but one source says "crunchy" instead of "tasty" and, now that I think of it, "crunchy" kind of sounds more correct.

Chestnuts roasted by Steve Brandon @ 02/22/2005 09:57 PM EST

That PSA sounds pretty interesting, I wanna see it!

Chestnuts roasted by IHAQ @ 02/22/2005 10:47 PM EST

Ohhhh man, I wanna see that...

Why wasn't a super deluxe special edition of the Gremlins DVD released last year on the 20th anniversary of the movie, with these commercials in the Special Features section? I didn't buy the original because I was hoping for one, and I'm being just as foolish about The Goonies too...this is ITS year, it better get a special DVD.

Chestnuts roasted by Mars @ 02/23/2005 01:53 AM EST

I ate about a hundred boxes of Gremlins cereal. The movie terrified me and my parents dealt with the phobia by telling me that if I could eat Gremlins, they were obviously no threat to me. I used the same trick with my son a few weeks ago when I bought him shark fruit snacks to cure his fear of Finding Nemo.

I will anxiously wait for the Gremlins Cereal tribute, something I expect to see shortly after the whole Chia Pet endeavor comes to an end.

Chestnuts roasted by Shelby @ 02/23/2005 04:38 AM EST

Exciting stuff. I have no memory of those two but they sound like gems. I have a Gizmo figure in my classroom and a pencil bag that reads, "Want to feed my Gizmo?" It also has a warning about not feeding after midnight. Of course, one of my students said, "Ohhhh, those Ewoks were so cute." No respect for the Kingston Falls gang. Extra credit for the ROTJ reference anyway.

Chestnuts roasted by The Manimal @ 02/23/2005 05:50 AM EST

I totally remember the Gremlins PSA! I'm pretty sure it ended with Stripe all deformed and melted in the fountain.

Chestnuts roasted by Lou @ 02/23/2005 09:16 AM EST

I know! The gremlins had soooo much fun at Kate's bar. It made me want to drink soooo baaaaaaaaaad! PSAs never had their desired effect. (Except that one about the track star and the dancer, e.g. I wanna be a dancer when I grow up, and suddenly the ballerina falls into the swimming pool...AND THERE'S NOOOOOO WAAAAATTER!!!!) e.g.

Chestnuts roasted by The Unstoppable @ 02/23/2005 09:28 AM EST

Yeah, you see a guy running and hear a kid's voice say "I wanna be a track star when I grow up." Then a cop's hand comes into the frame and grabs the back of his shirt and you hear "No one ever says I want to be a junkie when I grow up. Just say no." I remember those ones.

Chestnuts roasted by jhnnywalkr @ 02/23/2005 09:38 AM EST

I'll never forget that Gremlins cereal jingle. You guys are right, it's

Gremlins Gremlins
Bite after bite
What a tasty way to satisfy a Gremlin appetite.

That PSA was good too. I seem to recall the Miagi dude saying to Gizmo something like "awwwhhh, if drink alcohol and drive car, cause many dangerous crash." Cut to the evil Gremlins crashing a car and Gizmo making little yelping and whining noises after the clips.

Chestnuts roasted by Pedro @ 02/23/2005 11:29 AM EST

I remember the cereal commercial fairly well.It started out with a voiceover that went"Are you hungry? Hungry as a.......Gremlin"
It then went on to show a live action Gizmo,not unlike the one seen in the movie, gulping down a bowlful of the cereal while the jingle played.I was a Gremlins fanatic as a rugrat so this stuff is permanently burned into my brain.
There was also a third ad for the Hasbro plushie.It showed a kid playing with the thing,showing how to be a responsible Mogwai keeper ( holding an umbrella over it in the rain, eating a cookie in front of it while the clock strikes midnight ) with a jingle that went something like

I love to care for Gizmo cause he's my favorite pet
I love to care for Gizmo and never get him wet.
Keep him out of the light
and never never feed him after midnight
I love to care for Gizmo,cause he's a lovable pet

Strange that I can't remember half the crap I learned in school but I can still remember 20 year old TV commercials.

Chestnuts roasted by robokin @ 02/23/2005 12:22 PM EST

You know, they never tell you when you can again begin to feed mogwais. At dawn? But they can't go in the sun so that should have nothing to do with it.

Chestnuts roasted by jhnnywalkr @ 02/23/2005 12:49 PM EST

I always took it for granted that you could feed them at daybreak.But it is a good question.

I once fed one of my Gizmo Furbys after midnight and he didn't turn into a monster and try to eat me.I was dissapointed.

Chestnuts roasted by robokin @ 02/23/2005 12:53 PM EST

Ok, I've been wondering this for a long time, did anyone else pretend to be a mogwai? I remember being in grade school with friends pretending to be them, I don't remember why of course or how it started. I think it still explains a lot about me now though.

Chestnuts roasted by RAS @ 02/23/2005 01:36 PM EST

So this is probably a long shot since it's so recent, but does anyone else remember a Furby-style Gizmo that came out about five or six years back? I remember seeing one, brought all that Gremlinny goodness back to haunt me. Never did pick it up, though I did get a Furby and skin it when it pestered me too much. Heheh.

Chestnuts roasted by onslaught86 @ 02/23/2005 02:13 PM EST

Aha, missed the reference up thar. In that case, should I go beat myself senseless with garden tools for passing it by?

Chestnuts roasted by onslaught86 @ 02/23/2005 02:15 PM EST

Yes, and while your at it, up your nose with a rubber hose. God it's been a long time since I used that one.
By the way everyone, since reading the lyrics to that cereal jingle, I remember it vividly, and it has been running in a loop in my head all day long. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing.

Chestnuts roasted by jhnnywalkr @ 02/23/2005 02:43 PM EST

I don't remember these commercials too clearly (though I vaguely have memories of the anti-drug ad), but I DO remember the commerical for the stuffed Gizmo doll. The jingle went something like "Take care of Gizmo, 'cause he's my favorite friend!" or something like that. I had a stuffed Gizmo that squeaked when you bounced him up and down or threw him against a wall.

Chestnuts roasted by Melissa Y. @ 02/23/2005 03:02 PM EST

Onslaught,not only do I remember the Gizmo Furby I have two sitting right by my keyboard as I type.One is still in the original box.I bought a bunch of them when Wal Mart put them on clearance.I have about six still in the boxes and three that I actually played with.I love those things.

Chestnuts roasted by robokin @ 02/23/2005 03:40 PM EST

I allways took the whole after midnight thing as saying you can't feed them between 12:01 am and 1:00 am, the Witching hour.

Chestnuts roasted by Mr Mango @ 02/23/2005 03:49 PM EST

i did a google image search for gremlins cereal, and this site came up. http://www.fortheretarded.com/cereal.html frigg'n adams family and jurassic park crunch cereal!! next restaurant i go into, even if its wendys, im gonna say "gimme a bowl of JP Crunch!" i bet the waiter will be so impressed that hell give me a high five (a kiss if its a babe girl waiter!!) and then go tell the chef to make me a free ice cream.

Chestnuts roasted by Eddie Lightning Frog @ 02/23/2005 04:53 PM EST

Hmmm. It'd be great to se these commercials on X-E someday. Hopefully, the hunt for them will soon be resolved.

Eddie-Wishful thinking, huh? LOL

Chestnuts roasted by Nate @ 02/23/2005 06:27 PM EST

I remember that Gremlins PSA too. Probably becuase it was always on during the commercial breaks for G.I. Joe,Transformers,and such.

Chestnuts roasted by Overlord @ 02/23/2005 09:11 PM EST

Hey guys, this is totally off-topic but I wanted to share this with you, because it's totally mindbloggingly...

it's a terror movie done ENTIRELY with nuts. Oh, not those nuts. With real nuts. Specifically with peanuts.
It's a Spanish project and it looks really awesome...

here's my little article about it, and even if it's in Spanish, there's plenty of pics so you can see how it looks like

http://www.meloncorp.com/arch/0065/0065.php

hope you like it as much as I do!!!
oh, and if you don't understand Spanish, you translate it into English and it doesn't make any sense, don't worry. It wasn't making much sense in Spanish anyway

Chestnuts roasted by melonian @ 02/23/2005 09:38 PM EST

Unfotunately, those commercials are before my time, but I do remember a commercial spot for a hotel line that aired when Gremlins 2: the New Batch just arrived in theatres. It started with Brain Gremlin popping out of a suitcase and starting to go into detail about the hotels great accomodations as we see the 4 evil mogwais George, Lenny, Daffy, and Mohawk sleeping comfortably in one of the beds. Why are'nt these guys still around? They're naturals for those "1-800-collect" commercials!

Chestnuts roasted by cheaptrick @ 02/23/2005 09:56 PM EST

Gremlins vs Ewoks would be a fun bloodbath to watch. Ewoks are pretty scrappy despite their fuzziness and they don't have as many weaknesses as Gremlins do, but Gremlins are just MEAN.

Chestnuts roasted by Ed @ 02/23/2005 11:03 PM EST

Nothing could beat seeing Brain Gremlin hocking 1-800-collect with Alf.

Chestnuts roasted by jhnnywalkr @ 02/24/2005 09:39 AM EST

I gotta say the ewoks environment would work against them, where there are trees you can find water and the trees would provide nice shade for the gremlins. The real question would be how tough is an ewoks's hide. They always looked fairly solid to me, so they've got weapons and tough hides. maybe adult swim or some other similar inclined person would animate it?

Chestnuts roasted by RAS @ 02/24/2005 12:06 PM EST

ewoks were able to beat up the stormtroopers but the gremlins were able to beat up hulk hogan

Chestnuts roasted by dr mindbender @ 02/24/2005 03:57 PM EST

Gerv said something about the Gremlins colorforms article and I had to read it for myself..I can't believe I missed that one. Matt, my apologies...I loved it...Gremlins colorforms were one of my fondest toy memories.

Anyways, a little off topic...but what do you guys think of this idea? You know how big those McFarlane horror movie action figures became. What about horror colorforms sets. Seriously...like a Crystal Lake backdrop with Jason colorforms or a "Nancy's house" backdrop with some sick Freddy colorforms....or even a Hell backdrop with some Cenobite-based colorforms? I know its off-topic, but this idea really kicks ass and I need a backer...Anyone know anyone who works for a big company like a television network?? Anyone??

Goody

Chestnuts roasted by Goody @ 02/24/2005 04:25 PM EST

On the subject of the Furbys in general, I recall a time where my friend's younger brother had one. My friend and I decided to take it and place it alongside several other targets for BB gun shooting. I can almost swear we put a BB through one of the damned thing's eyes.

Chestnuts roasted by Nate @ 02/24/2005 10:27 PM EST

Awww man...I was hoping for Crack-Smoking Gremlins.

Hey, what's up with the layout? I haven't been here since 2004, did I miss something? (Please don't reem me out, If this has been mentioned, I'm just curious.)

Chestnuts roasted by Al Creed @ 02/25/2005 01:47 AM EST

Gremlins 2 was the best movie ever!!!

I totally marked out when Hulk Hogan made the Gremlins restart the movie.

Watcha gonna do????

Semper Fi,
Erik Majorwitz

Chestnuts roasted by EMajorwitz @ 02/25/2005 09:16 AM EST

Ah.. those loveable little Gremlins. I think much money is to be made on a new Gremlins film, imagine that.. with today's advancement in technology and film technique? But, then again.. nothing will quite top the original in terms of sheer brilliance. Secondly, why do I and others so closely associate Gremlins with Chrismtas? Yes, it does take place during the holiday season.. but, when it's time for Santa I'm usually much more apt to watch Gremlins than It's A Wonderful Life every time!

Chestnuts roasted by Review the World @ 02/25/2005 12:53 PM EST

Hey, is it just me or was the gremlins cereal commercial sung to the tune of the oompa loompa song from willy wonka?

Chestnuts roasted by KLJ @ 02/25/2005 03:44 PM EST

Hi

is the commecial for Fruit Corners Fruit Bars anywhere on this site? it has haunted me since childhood...so good they're ugly

ps thanks for the Colgate pump commercial, thats another one stuck in my brain
and I say leave the xmas shit up then u won't have to bother changing it next year. and then you can have the joy of endless complaints from folks with loads of time on their hands. Cheers!

Chestnuts roasted by Clueless @ 02/26/2005 12:48 AM EST

Yikes, Matt, your updates are becoming as sporadic as mine are! :S

Anyone here into Team Fortress games? Try this one out, it's based on Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory and it's FREE!! http://www.etfgame.com

Chestnuts roasted by Cyanyde @ 02/26/2005 03:09 AM EST

Darth Vader cheez-its?

Chestnuts roasted by dfgdfg @ 02/26/2005 08:24 AM EST

2005 Toy Biz Preview
Toy Biz Unleashes Marvel Mayhem

Chestnuts roasted by ME @ 02/26/2005 09:18 AM EST

Song of the South DVD?

Chestnuts roasted by ME @ 02/26/2005 09:24 AM EST

Gremlins was the first non-cartoon movie I ever rented by myself from the video store....loved it and hated it at the same time- they were scary, ya know?

I saw Gremlins 2 at the drive in! Man, I miss drive-ins! I was always a little upset that they made the Gremlins so FUNNY after being so scary the first time around....anyone else ever felt that way?

Chestnuts roasted by Muppet Baby @ 02/26/2005 09:53 AM EST

looks like their wont be a third one cause puppets are too hard to do http://www.empireonline.co.uk/site/news/newsstory.asp?news_id=15916

Chestnuts roasted by dr mindbender @ 02/26/2005 01:15 PM EST

Mindbender, the gist of the story (June 2004) doesn't seem to be that puppetry is too hard, just that the technology is too dated and would have to be replaced by CGI. Dante seems to be implying that audiences wouldn't accept the "prosaicness" of the hand puppets anymore. He doesn't completely rule out a G3 though, since he says "Anybody who did a new Gremlins movie would have to make it as different from those [first] two pictures as they possibly could."
I dunno if I agree. Well, I guess I agree that most audiences wouldn't be down with cheesy handpuppets anymore, but I think LOTR (and hopefully the new Narnia movie) find a happy medium between CGI work and creature workshop effects. The right director could pull it off. But how could you make a sequel to Gremlins that's radically different from the first two?
Muppet, most of my nostalgic movie memories come from Gremlins 2 (same thing with Ghostbusters) so for me the odd thing is to watch Gremlins and have it be all Xmassy and totally lacking in Grandpa Munster.

Chestnuts roasted by squee4242 @ 02/26/2005 03:41 PM EST

Ooops, I also meant to thank ME for the South of the South link. I've always wanted to see what the fuss is about. Guess I finally will, in 2006.

Chestnuts roasted by squee4242 @ 02/26/2005 03:52 PM EST

I concur with SQUEE on thanking ME for the SONG OF THE SOUTH link. "Splash Mountain" is one of the best rides at WDW Magic Kingdom. Now, hopefully, the ride will have SOME context. I remember seeing it in the theater for the 40th anniversary in 1986. Then.........
I did pick up the DISNEY ON THE FRONT LINES dvd with the WWII cartoons for myself. Quality all the way.

Chestnuts roasted by The Manimal @ 02/26/2005 07:05 PM EST

Thank you ME! Song of the South was the last film I saw with my dad before he died in 1987. I don't remember too much of him, but I do remember going to the theatre with him and getting Junior Mints. Small things, I know, but important ones just the same. Now I will have the chance to see this great film once again...in a year or so.

Chestnuts roasted by kidneyboy @ 02/27/2005 02:05 AM EST

Hmm, Something Awful's got some fighting words about X-Entertainment up on their front page right now...I thought they were homies? As long as there isn't a Goon invasion here they can call me a mental patient all they want, but I'm sort of surprised. I don't think I'd have ever heard of Something Awful if it weren't for X-E (okay, Photoshop Phriday too).
Fun toy collection links: This guy's got, among many other collections, a huge collection of Kinder Egg toys (scroll all the way down for the BIG toy amassment). This collection's not as ginormous, but has more of those Star Wars toys X-E fans are so infamous for obsessing over.

Chestnuts roasted by squee4242 @ 02/27/2005 03:01 AM EST

ooh, I like this part...CORPSES HARVESTED FOR ORGANS BUT THEN WE REALIZE WE CAN'T USE YOUR ORGANS BECAUSE THEY ARE ENCRUSTED IN CHEESE.

that makes me laugh, I don't know about anyone else! Cause I'm a cheesehead, and I have an organ which was previously harvested! Right on the fucking button, whatshisnuts; you know, that one dude?

that 2nd collection kicked mucho ass!

Chestnuts roasted by kidneyboy @ 02/27/2005 03:16 AM EST

just got back from the store. they have slime blasted goldfish! they turn your tongue green!! pretty frigg'n sweet, huh?

Chestnuts roasted by Eddie Lightning Frog @ 02/27/2005 03:47 AM EST

(In reference to the 2 links SQUEE put up). What's with the hostility? There is nothing more inane than attempts to be controversial for controversy's sake. "Look at me, I use profanity and violent (yet comical) allusions!" It's just bad writing.

The second link was a little creepy. I have a lot of action figures, but that guy has crossed the line. Canned food next to MY LITTLE PONY is never a good sign. Also, I am glad we don't have that kind of message board here. I hope the irony is not lost on those who make those dergatory statements about that guy's house YET still have visited the website and felt the need to drop a comment.
Bottom line.

Chestnuts roasted by The Manimal @ 02/27/2005 08:38 AM EST

Man, I sure have been posting a lot later. Oh well, better than grading papers.
I am sure most of you guys are out of Turner South's jurisdiction BUT they have a show about going to fleamarkets, yardsales, etc. called "JUNKIN'"
Anyway, they list stuff on ebay for auction and this little doozie has an XE shoutout. ENJOY!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=20270&item=6157011114

Chestnuts roasted by The Manimal @ 02/27/2005 09:29 AM EST

Well, I am glad the SOTS DVD link was helpful. I can't remember seeing the movie, so I can't comment on the racial aspect that made Disney nervous. You might get a chuckle out of Tracy Morgan in the SNL sketch Uncle Jemima's Pure Mash Liquor.

I first linked to a twisted pilot called Kidshow over a year ago, but I guess MTV2 is going to air the series, now named Wonder Showzen, soon on Friday nights.

Chestnuts roasted by ME @ 02/27/2005 12:17 PM EST

I should have put a warning with Kids Show. After watching it again it is pretty sick.

One of the creators is Vernon Chatman:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0154074/

Chestnuts roasted by ME @ 02/27/2005 12:36 PM EST

ON imdb's trivia page for The 'burbs:
Early in the movie, when Cory Danziger is eating breakfast, a box of Gremlins cereal can be seen on the kitchen counter in the background. The Burbs' director 'Dante, Joe' also directed Gremlins (1984).

Chestnuts roasted by springsprite @ 03/06/2005 10:06 AM EST