Hobgoblins (1988) – Nostalgia Central

The 1984 horror-comedy hit Gremlins spawned a pack of furry little cinematic knockoffs, including Ghoulies (1984), Critters (1986), and Munchies, but its most cursed offspring is Hobgoblins, from writer/director/producer/cinematographer/editor Rick Sloane.

In this sleazy slice of ’80s cheese, the Hobgoblins are aliens who telepathically indulge their victims in their deepest fantasies before killing them.

When rookie security guard Kevin (Tom Bartlett) accidentally releases the Hobgoblins from their (suspiciously unlocked) vault, they go on a rampage through town, culminating in an explosive performance at the appropriately-named Club Scum.

Along for the ride are Kevin’s prudish and irritating girlfriend Amy (Paige Sullivan) and his pals: a nympho named Daphne (Kelley Palmer), her army boyfriend Nick (Billy Frank), and Kyle (Steven Boggs), a horny nerd who is addicted to phone sex lines.

The characters are repulsive, the jokes horrendous, and the scares nonexistent, but worst of all – the Hobgoblins are just badly-crafted creepy little hand puppets.

Shot on short ends in a single week for $15,000, Hobgoblins was regularly featured on “Worst Movies” lists. Nevertheless, director Rick Sloane released Hobgoblins 2 on an unsuspecting world in 2009.

Kevin
Tom Bartlett
Amy
Paige Sullivan
Kyle
Steven Boggs
Daphne
Kelley Palmer
Nick
Billy Frank
Fantazia
Tamara Clatterbuck
Roadrash
Duane Whitaker
McCreedy
James R. Sweeney (as Jeffrey Culver)
Dennis
Kevin Kildow
Pixie
Kari French
Club Scum MC
Daran Norris
Sergeant Parker
James Mayberry
Comstock
Don Barrett
Lowlife
David Teague
Thug
Ken Abraham
The Fontanelles
Spit Spingola
Patrick Dean
Mark Hodson
Tony Cisero
Cole Coonce

Director
Rick Sloane