Gizmo (2003) (Gremlins by NECA)

The holiday season is upon us and I’m sure I’m not the only one with a list of must-see holiday movies that I’ve been checking off over the last month. In our house one of the season’s staples is 1984’s Gremlins, now celebrating its 40^th year. Anyone that argues that Gremlins is not a Christmas movie must not have seen the film. The movie’s opening credits accompany shots of a snow-covered town and Christmas music playing. Gizmo is a literal Christmas present and Christmas imagery is abundant throughout the film. So, in trying to find a toy to review for the blog this holiday season my NECA Gizmo, who hangs out by the Christmas tree with a Santa hat on, was a no-brainer.

In the film, Gizmo is a mogwai, which is a creature from Chinese folklore. Indeed, he’s found in a China-town shop. The word mogwai is mandarin for “demon” or “devil” and in Chinese folklore they’re said to mate during the rainy season. This is important to know, since in the film you’re not supposed to get the mogwai wet. In the film, getting a mogwai wet causes it to spawn additional mogwai, a form of asexual reproduction (folkloric mogwai reproduce sexually). Feeding mogwai after midnight causes them to then metamorphize into gremlins. Gremlins, mischievous little goblin-like creatures, are a somewhat recent addition to folklore and originated in the 1920’s to explain aircraft malfunctions within the Royal Air Force. Eventually they would be used to explain any malfunction of a mechanical nature.

There have been a lot of Gizmo plush toys over the years, and several of them were made by NECA. Mine is the 2003 version which is no longer in production. This Gizmo has a hard plastic head and plush body filled with artificial cotton and polypropylene beads. His ears, eyes, mouth and nose, and hands and feet are hard plastic, and his legs bend in such a way that he can sit but they flop down when you lift him. His fur is made of vonnel (acrylic fiber). Gizmo measures 11” (27.94 cm) wide from ear tip-to-ear tip and stands 8” (20.32 cm) tall.

In the days before Grogu and baby Groot it was Gizmo who was melting our hearts. In my opinion, he is still the cutest of movie monsters and this Gizmo wonderfully captures his charm and personality. He has a soft pudgy belly, stout legs and arms, a playful little smirk, and his eyes are looking cheekily off to the side. His pink nose is mostly obscured by fur and his smile is both etched into his face and painted. His eyes are big and bright with black pupils and dark brown irises. Thin brown rings are painted between the pupils and irises. He has pink nails sculpted and painted on his wrinkled hands and feet. His ears have a skin-like texture with sculpted veins on the inside surface.

The 2003 NECA Gizmo is out of production and appears to sell for about $60 on the secondary market. He costs even more if you want the packaging. NECA currently makes two Gizmo plush toys, one that sings and dances and another that does not. Although they’re cheaper than this one I don’t think either of them are as good. I’ve seen them around stores and this Gizmo is fuller bodied, fluffier, and more realistic overall. No matter which Gizmo you decide to get, one thing is for sure, no Christmas tree is complete without a Gizmo sitting under it. But remember…

Keep him out of the light.

Don’t give him any water.

Never feed him after midnight.