Gremlins is known for being a relatively family-friendly horror comedy movie, but it was originally much darker with much bigger deaths. Joe Dante's Gremlins franchise is more irreverent than it is horrific, with the mischievous horde of Gremlins killing people is cartoonish over the top ways. However, Gremlins' initial script was much more akin to a true horror movie, with the film featuring one death so gruesome that it got cut from the final film.
1984's Gremlins is the movie that got many young viewers into the horror genre, with the Gremlins franchise pushing the line to the point where it was edgy while still being appropriate for children. This made the film quite controversial, with Gremlins being behind the PG-13 rating's implementation alongside Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. However, the final version of the movie was actually significantly toned down, with the original Gremlins script going for a much darker attitude.
The Gremlins Killed Billy's Mom In The Original Script
Gremlins follows Billy Peltzer as he is gifted a mogwai named Gizmo by his parents, Randall and Lynn Peltzer. However, once the mogwai turn into gremlins, things go haywire as the creatures terrorize the town of Kingston Falls, Pennsylvania. Much like in the final film, the original script featured a scene where Billy's mom was attacked by Gremlins, but it initially ended much differently. At first, the mob of gremlins was supposed to kill Lynn Peltzer by decapitation, tragically ending her story. Things would have only gotten darker when the Gremlins rolled Lynn's decapitated head down the stairs upon Billy's arrival home.
This R-rated Gremlins scene ended up getting cut from the final film, with Lynn's story being changed significantly. Lynn is still attacked by gremlins while home alone in the final movie, but she comes out on top, with Lynn stabbing one Gremlin, chopping up one in the blender, and making one explode in the microwave. Billy then arrives home and cuts off the final gremlin's head, with Lynn making it out alive. Billy then takes his mother to a doctor's house, where she remains until the end of the film.
Why The Original Gremlins Story Was So Violent
Many are surprised to discover how violent the original Gremlins story was, but it fit right in line with director Joe Dante's filmography at the time. Although Joe Dante is know known for Gremlins, Small Soldiers, and The 'Burbs, Dante actually made some more intense horror movies before Gremlins changed his career path. Throughout the 70s and early 80s, Dante made movies like Piranha, The Howling, and Twilight Zone: The Movie, and the original Gremlins story would have fit in perfectly with its predecessors.
The reason for Gremlins' changes lie with one man: Steven Spielberg. Spielberg was the executive producer of Gremlins, and although he gave Joe Dante creative freedom, he wasn't happy with some of the original script's more violent moments. Eventually, the script became more lighthearted, leading to Gremlins being released as it is known now.