The most upsetting death in classic '80s movie.

Now, @fortheloveofoldtoys has recreated one of the Gremlins' death scenes in a new action figure. The figurine is labeled "Kate's Dad" and shows a man in a Santa outfit. However, this man has seen better days, as he has a snapped neck and is covered in soot that shows what Kate's Dad could have looked like after his body was discovered. @fortheloveofoldtoys captioned the photo with "It's Kate's Dad! Happy Christmas everyone."

What This Death Meant For Gremlins

This Gremlins Death Was Tragic & Disturbing

While this action figure takes a comedic approach, Kate's Dad's death is one of the more upsetting moments within Gremlins. In the film, it is revealed that Kate's father has been missing since Christmas Eve. The character's body is later discovered in a Santa outfit in the chimney, where he was trying to surprise Kate but ended up breaking his neck along the way. This made him get stuck in the chimney, unable to surprise his daughter and dying in the process.

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While Gremlins is a dark comedy with monster horror elements, Kate's Dad's death leans into the "dark" side of the dark comedy. The action figure reimagines this storyline in a more concretely comedic light, for using this death as a toy inherently makes light of the subject. This honors the tone of Gremlins itself, which tries to find the humor in otherwise dark and often perilous situations.

Our Take On The Gremlins Action Figure

Gremlins Has Stood The Test Of Time

Gremlins Kate explains why she doesn't like christmas

Regardless of the exact tone, this Gremlins art shows just how much the film has made its way into the cultural zeitgeist in a lasting way. At this point, the film has been out for over 40 years, but that has not stopped people from continuing to watch the movie. This past holiday season, the film made it onto the charts on Max, showing the maintained interest in the film. Gremlins 3 had also been in development for years, and despite an extended production time, continued fan interest could give the threequel an extra push.

Source: @fortheloveofoldtoys/Instagram

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Gremlins
Release Date
June 7, 1984
Runtime
106 minutes
Director
Joe Dante
  • Headshot of Phoebe Cates
    Phoebe Cates
  • Headshot Of Corey Feldman
    Corey Feldman

WHERE TO WATCH

When a father gives his son Billy a magical creature known as a Mogwai as a gift, the boy is given strict rules to follow regarding its care. When a lapse in judgment creates the mischievous Gremlins - creatures intent on destruction that threaten to ruin Christmas for the entire town of Kingston Falls - it's up to Billy and his Mogwai companion Gizmo to save the town from the army of little monsters.

Writers
Chris Columbus
Sequel(s)
Gremlins 3
Budget
$11 million
Studio(s)
Warner Bros., Amblin Entertainment
Distributor(s)
Warner Bros. Pictures