1984 Gremlins

In the summer of 1984, there were three big movies that my classmates had to see over the summer to have a shot at any social life. Indiana Jones & The Temple Of Doom, Ghostbusters and Gremlins. I got to see Temple Of Doom at Ford City Theaters with my dad. This was before the gang problems that plagued the site in the nineties.

Ghostbusters, I saw with my parents at the drive-in. Gremlins, I saw with my dad at the drive-in, in an orange Gremlin of all things. I was captivated by all three movies that summer. I'm sure if I think about it, I could name other movies I saw that summer, but those are the three that stick out.

I don't remember Ghostbusters cards. I vaguely recall Temple Of Doom cards. Gremlins cards were a different story. I probably picked up more packs of that in 1984 than actual sports cards. Where are they all now? They are lost to time. I can fondly remember the bright yellow colors and the comic book frenzied lines framing a movie still or publicity shot.

The set consisted of 82 cards. I was always a few cards short of completing the set. I would literally spend hours sifting through my Gremlins cards in 1984. A few years later they would be misplaced and never seen again. I still have my childhood memories from this set and that's good enough for now.

I could relive the movie without spending $3.00 on a ticket or having to wait until it popped up on cable a year or two later. That may have been why I lost interest in this set. When it finally came on cable, I no longer needed the set to watch the movie. Nor did I need my View Master discs to relive the action. These cards served their purpose and now they are a nice memory.