Secret Screening of ‘Gremlins’ Reveals Assembly Cut of 1980s Classic for First Time Since 1983 (Exclusive)
A previously unseen 2.5-hour assembly cut of the 1984 film 'Gremlins' was screened for the first time since 1983, revealing extended scenes and alternate character arcs. The rough version, long thought lost, was restored from director Joe Dante's personal VHS copy with help from a fan-run archive. Attendees included prominent horror filmmakers and industry figures who viewed the cut as a rare glimpse into the film's original development.
- ▪The assembly cut of 'Gremlins' runs about 2 hours and 35 minutes, roughly an hour longer than the theatrical release.
- ▪Director Joe Dante confirmed the cut's existence this year and provided his personal VHS copy to The Gremlins Museum for restoration.
- ▪The extended version includes unseen character development, a delayed Gremlin appearance, and omits Phoebe Cates' iconic Christmas speech.
- ▪The screening was hosted by Verve and 1201 Films and attended by notable horror filmmakers and studio executives.
- ▪The restored version was digitized and cleaned up by fan Ian Grant, founder of The Gremlins Museum.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Gremlins, 1984, mischief in the audience Courtesy Everett Collection Share on Facebook Share on X Google Preferred Share to Flipboard Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Send an Email Print the Article Post a Comment Logo text It’s a version of a movie not seen since 1983. It wasn’t even supposed to still exist. But we can definitively tell you that yes, Virginia, there really is a 2.5-plus hour cut of Gremlins. And, in its first-ever screening, a select few fans, who also happen to be leading the charge of the new generation of horror, got to see it Thursday night. The audience initially had no idea what they were in for.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Hollywood Reporter.
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