I grew up in the 1980s. I had a close group of friends, the mother of one of whom was really big into horror flicks, and every Friday and Saturday night was a sleepover which included a trip either to the video store or to the movies. Jason Voorhees and Freddy Kruger were the monsters of our nightmares, but while we only would watch their films once in a blue moon, we had horror films that came to be classics among us, the ones we would watch over and over again. One of those films is The Gate, a movie I specifically remember seeing in theaters about four or five times as a kid, and renting on video a dozen times as well.
The Gate is about hole that mysteriously appears in the back yard of Glen (Stephen Dorff) and Alexandria (Christa Denton) when a large tree is removed. Glen and his friend Terry discover a large crystal and go digging for more. They do not know that they are slowly opening a portal to another dimension and letting demons into the world. With their parents away for the weekend, the kids will have to fight the monsters that come out of the pit and find a way to close the gate.
Everything from the out-of-this world story to the effects reminiscent of Ray Harryhausen by effects supervisor and designer Randall William Cook make this film great. Horror films these days rarely have such out-of-this-world content and action as they did in the ’80s. The Gate has a huge fantasy element while being fantastically scary at the same time. The storyline is a bit out there, but it is well-developed and the characters are written so well that almost anyone can relate to them.
What I truly love about this film is that it is one of actor Stephen Dorff’s first roles. He plays the lead role of Glen and gives one hell of a performance. He was only thirteen at the time, yet he looked and acted younger to bring the role to life. The film also features actress Kelly Rowan of television’s The OC in a minor supporting role and also stars Christa Denton, and Louis Tripp as Terry. (He appears in the second film as well).
The film has some really good production value for a film that had only a budget of two and half million dollars. Visual effects designer and supervisor Randall William Cook along with special effects artist Craig Reardon really put together some great effects for this film. The use of the visuals and the creation of the fantastic creatures are truly what make this film what it is.
The DVD has some great features, including commentary from the filmmakers. There are also new interview with cast and crew members including writer Michael Nankin, Randall William Cook, Craig Reardon and director Tibor Takacs. The DVD also features the film’s theatrical trailer.
The Gate is a horror film that I remember all too well from my childhood. It is a horror film that is scary and entertaining at the same time. It is actually a horror film for kids to watch and enjoy as the majority of the film features children in the lead roles. I love this film consider it one of the best horror films from the ’80s. It has great fantasy elements and is a horror film like no other. It may seem a bit outdated for today’s audiences but for me, The Gate will always be a film that reminds me of my childhood. It’s well worth checking out if you never before have seen it.
– Horror Bob
- Interview with J.R. Bookwalter - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Andrew J. Rausch - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Rick Popko and Dan West - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Director Stevan Mena (Malevolence) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Screenwriter Jeffery Reddick (Day of the Dead 2007) - January 22, 2015
- Teleconference interview with Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) - January 22, 2015
- A Day at the Morgue with Corri English (Unrest) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actor Jason Behr, Plus Skinwalkers Press Coverage - January 22, 2015
