The Gate (1987)

Considering the large debt it owes to 'Poltergeist', this Canadian horror film stacks up remarkably well to repeat viewings with a similar plot about a house where odd things begin happening after forces are inadvertently summoned from below. One thing that really works in 'The Gate''s favour is the lack of adults with the film instead focusing on two young boys and a teenage sister warding off demons and goblins and protecting their family home while their parents are away on vacation. Their experiences give the brother and a sister a chance to really bond for the first time as well as wrestle with the responsibilities of adulthood, left in charge of the house and expected to take care of it. The best aspect of the film though is unquestionably the special effects; the film achieves a refreshingly different sort of creepiness by having tiny demons to fend off as opposed to more traditional large and ferocious monsters. Sequences in which a human head falls off and smashes and in which the boy discovers an eye inside the palm of his hand are very well done too. It is not a particularly frightening film, with many scenes that feel as if they have been toned down to achieve the film's PG-13 rating, but it is unsettling to watch all the same, full of moments (Louis Tripp realising he is holding the dog) that are still effective even when one knows that they are coming.

Fmovies: Can I really be objective about this film. Things we see in childhood are perceived differently.

This movie is what it means to be 13 years old, up late at night, and finding yourself engrossed in a world of fantasy, horror, and magic. A film to cherish.

What is about this film. The stop motion animation, the eye, metal band lore. The ending and what kills the demon.

This isn't a movie of cliché, and not about people doing stupid things while the villain tracks them down. I think people underrate it, b/c in a way it is a silly fantasy film, but it does take itself seriously and is not campy garbage.

Tibor Takács' directorial debut got minor attention back when it was released, although later it developed a cult following, even spawning a sequel.

"The Gate" follows a 12 year old boy called Glen, played by a very young Stephen Dorff, who together with his best friend accidentally release a horde of small-size demons. With the help of his older sister, the group attempts to close the hole where the demons came from and save humanity.

This film has campy horror vibes written all over it and the plot doesn't have the most ingenious story to begin with. The acting adds to the B-movie feeling of it all, thought watching Dorff as a confused sweet kid is a win on its own.

The special effects consist of stop-motion animations and rubber suits, a technique pioneered by the undeniable Ray Harryhausen decades ago. If you consider this a B-movie then the special effects are decent, but not excelling.

"The Gate" doesn't bring anything original to the table and just dusts off in the ocean of 80's horror films. Nevertheless, it's a good horror film to actually watch with your kids, as it isn't scary and it can bring them into the world of the horror movie genre.

The Gate fmovies. If you are ever in the mood of seeing a funny and thrilling 80's horror movie, please watch The Gate! Don't trust IMDb with the 5 rating it's much better than that! I love the opening scene, the monsters and the thrilling scenes it contains.

The movie is about a Gate to hell or something which lies in a young boy and his sisters garden. Suddenly when it's dark, monsters emerge from the gate and attack the boy and the girl. The monsters are small latex beasts which also like incredible good and monster like. And there are some scenes with a zombie dude which are totally outstanding! I'm not going to spoil the end because this is a special effect extravaganza! Must see!

This is a movie about parents who leave their kids at home while going on vacation. Of course the older daughter throws a wild party. Less predictably, the younger son and his screwed up, heavy-metal listening to friend open up a dimensional gate to a realm of demons.

That's where the fun begins. Some hard-core lovers of horror movies may find this movie to be too heavy on plot and character, but I believe that those aspects are balanced with a good dose of gore and special effects including some pretty amazing f/x feats for 1987.

The only let down for me is the sappy feel-good ending that is seems a bit tacked on. Other than that this movie is good for a scare. So if you are cruising down the bargain priced movies at your local video store and see this title give it a shot. At the very least you'll see Stephen Dorf in his first movie.

Believe it or not, this was much better than I initially anticipated. I expected one of those God-awful, cheesy special effects, mindless eighties horror films - a decade I think was a low ebb for that genre in general. I got to see a 35mm print of The Gate and was impressed with several things. Now before I get out of control here, make no mistake, this is not a great film even in terms of the horror genre, but it is a bona-fide campy, cult favorite from the eighties with good reason. The story is ridiculous about some hole, as a result of an old tree being destroyed in a family's backyard, having demons living down deep in its bowels. A rock band that died tragically also is involved, or at least the record album on hand complete with a huge history of demonology attached. Add a couple more-than-precocious boys, a bunch of teens, looking dreadfully eighties-style, attending a party while the parents are away, and some freaky little demons and you have much of The Gate. The little demons are cute and spooky and the director Tibot Takics actually visualizes them rather nicely - particularly in an era when special effects for horror and science fiction films were quite low in terms of quality. The director was also able to create some suspense and some interesting characters with the 2 small boys in particular. Stephen Dorff and Louis Tripp play Glenn and Terry respectively and give the film some heart. There is not much to recommend as far as the remaining cast is concerned, but The Gate delivers some solid scares, some atmospheric settings and direction, and some surprisingly good special effects. Good campy fun!