The Gate

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Erik B A fun horror geared more towards kids (though with that typical 80's raunch that's no longer kosher) than adults; hadn't seen it in years but it all came flooding back almost immediately. Decent effects and an engaging enough (if not goofy) storyline make this a fun watch. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 12/03/24 Full Review Jay H When this movie was released, I loved it - I was 14. Today, I think the script and dialogue are very subpar. That said, the special effects are very well done. The third act is also pretty scary. I have to take exception with the dead dog humor, though. That isn't funny at all. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 10/16/24 Full Review Lennon B This is by no means suppose to be a serious horror flick. It's self aware with it's goofiness and camp. It's a fun horror movie that oozes 80's charms. This is Goosebumps and Stranger Things before Goosebumps and Stranger Things. The ratings for this film are outrageous obviously most audiences don't get it. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 10/15/24 Full Review Andrew A The ratings for this is criminally insane! This is classic horror movie. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/07/24 Full Review Matthew D The Gate is a very charming film horror that’s perfectly spooky for little kids around Halloween! Hungarian-Canadian director Tibor Takács’ Canadian supernatural horror film The Gate (1987) is fabulous. Tibor’s direction is very creative with giant practical tunnel sets for the gate to Hell and all these neat stop motion clay puppets for the demons. His heavy use of fog and neon purple lighting for the atmosphere is awesome. Smaller children will be actually scared by the spooky haunting of this Toronto house by demons, while their parents will laugh at all the ridiculous jokes between a little boy, his metalhead nerd buddy, and his teenage sister. The Gate is for fans of Gremlins, Goonies, Poltergeist, Small Soldiers, and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. I loved Angus the cute sheep dog. The Gate is simply an underrated Canadian cult classic that’s easily digestible for families. Writer Michael Nankin did a great job of coming up with creepy hauntings around this suburban home. The concept of a boy opening up a portal to Hell by digging in his backyard and his friend reading an evil spell from a heavy metal vinyl record liner notes is hilarious. Nankin said he wrote The Gate about all the nastiest things he could think of in his childhood. We see a boy lose his childhood treehouse, dog, parents not there to protect him, sister abandoning him, friends getting vanished, demons getting summoned, and his parent’s home getting wrecked. Casting directors Mary Gail Artz and Clare Walker cast great Canadian actors and actresses besides the American Stephen Dorff, who was an excellent child actor. Stephen Dorff is fantastic as the little boy Glen, who accidentally summons demons from his backyard. Dorff was engaging and emotional as a child actor already. He grew up to be the cool vampire villain in Blade, Elle Fanning’s father in Sofia Coppola’s drama Somewhere, and in Britney Spears’ music video for “Everytime.” So I’d say his career is pretty neat after starting in The Gate. Christa Denton is adorable and amusing as the angsty teenage sister Alexandra, who Glen refers to as “Al.” Denton is super funny and playful as she hangs out with her bratty very 80’s friends and looks frightened of the demons. Denton acts well opposite Dorff too like they have a sibling bond. Louis Tripp is funny as Glen’s nerdy best friend and metalhead kid Terry Chandler. He’s so over the top that it’s a riot. Kelly Rowan’s Lori Lee and Jennifer Irwin’s Linda Lee are a scream as Al’s goofy gal pals. Deborah Grover’s Mom and Scot Denton’s Dad are surprisingly eerie in their appearances. Editor Rit Wallis’ slick cuts keep the tension building until jump scare or demonic encounter. Cinematographer Thomas Vámos’ moody lighting, long panning shots, atmospheric fog, and haunting purple lights look incredible. All the different camera angles and perspectives make this average suburban home feel huge. Production designer William Beeton’s Toronto house rooms plus the backyard gate set are awesome. Art directors Julia Bourque and Barry Birnberg came up with ugly demons and a cool giant eldritch horror for the creature designs besides all the foggy aesthetic. Set decorators Jeff Cutler and Marlene Graham make each room and basement look like a real family’s with card games, messy beds, kid’s toys, rocket props, and metal band posters. Special effects wizard Frank C. Carere made neat demon puppets that move smoothly for 1987. Visual effects artist Randall William Cook did a cool whirlwind in the. Composer Michael Hoenig’s synth heavy film score is phenomenal and eerie. His dark music adds lots of suspense. Sound designers Terry Burke, Joe Grimaldi, Michael Liotta, and Dino Pigat creepy noises are quite spooky. Costume designer Trysha Bakker provides delightfully 80’s outfits full of weird patterns and a plethora of colors. Makeup artists Linda Preston and Craig Reardon do cute makeup ideas for all the teenage girls. The ghostly makeup for the ghouls are striking. Hairstylists Jenny Arbour pull off several 80’s hairstyles that you just have to see. It’s wild what was popular in 1987. In conclusion, The Gate is a delightfully entertaining 86 minutes for families seeking a cute horror comedy cult classic. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/22/24 Full Review Teddy B Imaginative, well-executed (especially some of the remarkable special effects for such a meager budget), and well-acted enough to distract from the lack of a consistently flowing story structure. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/07/24 Full Review Read all reviews

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