Gremlins / quad / UK

30.07.12

PosterPosterPosterPoster
Title
Gremlins
AKA
Gremlin (Japan)
Year of Film
1984
Director
Joe Dante
Starring
Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Hoyt Axton, Frances Lee McCain, Dick Miller, Polly Holliday, Judge Reinhold, Keye Luke, Roger Garth, Corey Feldman, John Louie, Glynn Turman, Ben Develing
Origin of Film
USA
Genre(s) of Film
Horror | Comedy
Type of Poster
Quad
Style of Poster
--
Origin of Poster
UK
Year of Poster
1984
Designer
Unknown
Artist
John Alvin
Size (inches)
30" x 39 14/16"
SS or DS
SS
Tagline
Cute. Clever. Mischievous. Intelligent. Dangerous.

Gremlins, director Joe Dante‘s classic horror comedy, was one of the biggest box-office hits of the 1980s and this tale of small, malevolent creatures attacking the residents of a small town spawned countless imitations, including Critters and Troll, none of which were able to match the quality of the film they were attempting to emulate. The film was produced by Steven Spielberg through his Amblin Entertainment company, the logo of which features on the jeans button on this poster (see this close up on the American one sheet).

Thanks to several violent scenes, the film is credited, along with Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, for the introduction of the PG-13 rating in America, which was intended to be applied to films that fell into the gap between the PG (Parental Guidance, but safe for children) and R-rated (intended for over 17-year olds). The equivalent in the UK is the 12A rating, which was introduced in 2002 and replaced the 12 rating that had been instigated at the end of the 1980s (for Tim Burtons’s Batman).

The poster artwork on this British quad is by the late American designer and artist John Alvin, who was responsible for over 135 film poster designs over a thirty year period. Alvin painted many unforgettable pieces of artwork, including Blade Runner and E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, and this image he created for Gremlins is definitely one of his most beloved. It was used around the globe to promote the film, including the US, Japan and multiple European countries. Alvin sadly passed away too early, just shy of his 6oth birthday (in 2008), but his fantastic designs will live on for generations to come.

To see the posters I’ve collected by Alvin click here.

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  1. Author
    Posted by paul haine
    Date Posted
    on 30 July 2012

    “The equivalent in the UK is the 12 rating, which was introduced at the end of the 1980s (for Tim Burtons’s Batman).”

    A closer equivalent now is the 12A certificate, introduced in 2002 to replace the 12. The Bourne Identity was the first to use it, and films such as Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man were reclassified.

  2. Author
    Posted by eddie
    Date Posted
    on 30 July 2012

    You’re right – I suppose the addition of the A brings it closer to the PG-13 in bridging the gap. Will update the text!