- Actors: Louis Tripp, Stephen Dorff
- Format: Closed-captioned, Colour, Dolby, DVD-Video, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
- Language English
- Subtitles: English, Spanish
- Region: Region 1 (US and Canada DVD formats.)
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9 - 1.78:1
- Number of discs: 1
- Classification: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) (US MPAA rating. See details.)
- Studio: Lions Gate
- DVD Release Date: 6 Oct 2009
- Run Time: 85 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B002I41KNC
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 44,627 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)
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Reviews
Amazon.co.uk Review
In 1987 The Gate was at the forefront of what came and went as a purely 80s genre: Kiddie Horror. Just like The Lost Boys or The Monster Squad of the same year, the idea was to let a couple of younger-than-teenage kids loose in a well-worn horror scenario and play it for as many laughs as scares. Its 15 certificate (PG-13 in the States) meant The Gate had an enormous opening weekend, and a considerable shelf life. The kids in question here are a very young Stephen (Blade) Dorff as Glen and his best friend Terry. After some tree felling in Glen's seemingly miles-square back yard they discover a hole full of precious rock. This is of course the Gate to a demonic dimension. As things start levitating, Glen's dog dies and moths get into the most awkward of places, it becomes obvious that the Gate is open! A teenage sister does little to help early on, but naturally the story develops into one about banding together under extreme circumstances. The make-up and stop-motion animation effects remain impressive in scope and there are a couple of frights still just on the right side of cliché. Since it was so successful, the writer and director went on to make an inferior sequel some years later.
On the DVD: Viewers should note this is a very murky transfer that's in an unspecified widescreen ratio. There's also an unspectacular (equally unspecified) sound mix. But a gallery of 10 photos and the theatrical trailer makes up for that, right? --Paul Tonks
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The Gate was a very neat and original 80's horror film starring a young Stephen Dorph. The special fx in my opinion were quite good especially for it's time and was done way before CGI took over. With an interesting story and excellent f/x work, The Gate was a great ride from start to finish. I'd say this is one of the best low budget films of the 80s. After an old tree collapses, friends Glen (Dorph) and Terry find a geode in the massive hole left behind in the backyard of the house. Trouble starts when Glen and his sister Alexandra are left alone for the weekend by their parents. Through an odd series of events, demons and Gods from the old world have been summoned through "the gate" in the backyard. How do they know this? Well, Terry is a metalhead who has an album by Sacrifyx that explains it all. Despite how all that sounds, it works. Yes some parts might be very cheesy but then again aren't all this b-movies supposed to be like this?. Director Tibor Takacs really delivers with this one. The film touches on some interesting themes (brother and sister growing apart; parental neglect) but wins mainly due to its fast pace (it runs just 85 minutes). Takacs succeeds in delivering some real dream-like images such as a father's face melting into slime, an eyeball in Glen's hand and the urban legend "dead workman in the walls" who becomes real. All of this is brought to life via some amazing special effects work (courtesy of Craig Reardon and Randy Cook's teams). Cook delivers some fantastic stop motion animation. Despite being 20 years old, nearly all of the f/x work holds up today. I would say that this was a must see film, a great cult classic that needs a proper dvd release.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I heard of this movie and is now a cult classic in America so I bought it and saw it yesterday. It starts Stephen Dorff (very young here but grew to be such a hot guy!) as Glen who witnesses his tree gets struck by lighting and leaves with a massive hole there. He soon sees things that arren't all what they seem until he turns to his friend Terry (Louis Tripp) who think it's a gate way to hell and will open if two things fall in there. But when things go out of control, will Glen close the gate before hell will come on earth? It's such a eightes movie, the music, the clothes and hair styles are laughable but it's so cool in a way. The problem about this DVD was the picture was very dark at times and the sound was very quiet so I had to turn it up very loud until the loud moments came on which is very annoying. The fact that this film is a cult is really cool and bought the careers of Dorff, Denton and Tripp though I don't know what has happened to the lower two. If you like a pretty scary movie though the special effects are awful but still terrifying, then this is for you and a fan of Stephen Dorff to see his first break-through role. He did well.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Had little expectations of this film as I had picked it up for some 2-3 pounds. All I can say is...wow, really entertaining slice of 80s horror fantasy. Think a more occult-styled Gremlins, a film filled with the supernatural in suburban America, and you aren't to far off.
Also as mentioned above, should be appreciated as one of the last movies to use pre-CGI effects. Can be enjoyed for the stop-motion Lovecraft-esque creatures alone!
Also as mentioned above, should be appreciated as one of the last movies to use pre-CGI effects. Can be enjoyed for the stop-motion Lovecraft-esque creatures alone!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
"..TOP HORROR CLASSIC.."
The Gate is a very cool 90's horror film, a must have for any horror collection, the demons in this film are really cool and very creepy, the effects are brilliant, the cast and... Read more
Published 24 days ago by S. Drury
Classic 80's Horror
There is still something very unsettling about this film. The atmopshere, the music and the sense that something really bad is going to happen. Read more
Published 16 months ago by L. Allen
Mum & Dad Are Going To Hit The Roof!
Some of the demon costumes are as bad as in the early Dr Who tv progs. Make-up tends to be on the over done side and the plot leaves a lot to be desired. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Peter Pan
"80'S HORROR AT ITS BEST"
This film is a great slice of 80's HORROR, Mostly overlooked at the time, it has gained a sort of CULT status now among its fans... Read more
Published 18 months ago by Paul J. Jackson
Pre-C.G.I. Special FX Bonanza!!!
The gates of Hell are open once again, but never before have they spewed forth such pesty, resillient little critters... Read more
Published on 1 Sep 2001
The first horror film I ever saw....
This was the first horror film I saw and it left horrific images in my mind up until this day. Im glad it has been re-released so now I can buy it. This film scared the... Read more
Published on 21 Jun 2000
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