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In Gremlins 2 the Gremlins supposedly get into the projection booth and wreak havoc with the film. It snaps and the Gremlin in the projection booth starts making hand shadows.... Etc.

In the home video release, when the same scene occurs, there is a test pattern, the Gremlin then plays in the TV's "White Noise" (Those of you under 30 will have to look that up)

Was this the first time that a scene was changed and adapted for a separate release? I'm not looking for Director's Cuts or remasterings. I'm also not looking for 'edited for TV'. Specifically content changes because of the distribution change.

Both versions are currently viewable online on Youtube in "Jared Jeffries" review of Gremlins 2, "DYAF - Gremlins 2: The New Batch" (Published on Oct 30, 2015):

  • Film (https://youtu.be/L6ZSQy4H1hw?t=162)
  • TV (https://youtu.be/L6ZSQy4H1hw?t=214)
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  • In days of yore ('50s, '60s) movies often has a 'drive-in' version where the sound track added audience reactions (laughter, screams, ...).
    – user18482
    Jan 28, 2015 at 14:16
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    They should have continued with each media release...skipping/scratched DVD...'buffering' for online streaming...:)
    – DA.
    Jan 28, 2015 at 16:41
  • @iandotkelly Thanks for merging my "answer" into the question.
    – handle
    Mar 11, 2018 at 13:57
  • Um... the "TV" scene is right there in the "Film" scene - there is no difference between the two videos you've shown as proof.
    – Tim
    Mar 11, 2018 at 19:05
  • @Tim The videos may have changed since this question was originally posted. There is a "Film" version cutaway that involves the film breaking and shadows puppets from the projection booth and there is a "Video" version which involves the tracking being thrown off and a "Please Stand By" card appearing.
    – Andrei Freeman
    Apr 10, 2018 at 13:17

1 Answer 1

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The gimmick in Gremlins 2: The New Batch with the projector is actually inspired by the film The Tingler which first introduced it.

Apparently The Tingler was screened in theaters and in drive-ins. When the film went black, a voice warned:

Ladies and gentlemen, please do not panic. But scream! Scream for your lives! The Tingler is loose in this theater!

However, in the drive-in version, the voiceover was changed to say

Ladies and gentlemen, please do not panic. But scream! Scream for your lives! The Tingler is loose in this drive-in!

Of course in 1959 there was no such thing as home video.

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  • 1
    Nice find, Jack B!
    – MJ6
    Sep 7, 2012 at 0:21
  • Fantastic. I knew the Tingler blacked out and challenged the audiences. I didn't know that there was a variant release for drive-ins. Thanks VERY much for this find!
    – Andrei Freeman
    Sep 11, 2012 at 20:46

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