When researching into Gremlins for the mood board I made to visualise the topic, I came across several things I did not know at all about the mythical creature and in my opinion turning this from the more humorous out the four to now have some historical depth. I am referring to the not the typical folk lore of the creature as this is nothing special as folk lore goes, Instead their use and superstition during ww2 and propaganda made at the time.
Gremlins Origins In Folk Lore
In folklore Gremlins very closely resemble the lore of the mythical creature, Goblins, though it is more commonly thought that the stories of gremlins where not popularized till WW2 by pilots. Western folklore shows goblins being small beastly creatures, like other mythological creatures such as Imps and gargoyles. They are known to live in small grottos while they would attach themselves to a household where it is believed they would bang pots and pans, move furniture about and steal night clothes and undergarments. The word gremlin is theorized by folklorist John W. Hazen to derive from the Anglo-Saxon word Gremian which means to provoke/vex. Though this theory has been counted, with the idea that the word could have come about as an adaption of the Irish Gaelic word gruaimin which means "Ill tempered little fellow".
Gremlins Use for Propaganda During the World Wars
The term gremlin was popularized during the events of WW1 and WW2 by British pilots during the conflict, to explain miraculous engine and mechanical failures onboard their planes. The term dates earliest back to 1918 where a British magazine called The Spectator printed “the old Royal Naval Air Service in 1917 and the newly constituted Royal Air Force in 1918 have detected the existence of a horde of mysterious and malicious spirits whose purpose in life was…to bring about as many as possible of the inexplicable mishaps which, in those days as now, trouble an airman’s life.” This new superstition began to find popularity with pilots by the 1920 with some even blaming plane crashes solely on Gremlins being onboard their planes. In 1939 the word was documented in the Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable which refers to accidents reported by RAF bomber crews in India. The myth of gremlins went international after the battle of Britain where pilots from countries such as Canada and United States of America came together and stories of gremlins aboard planes were exchanged.
Later during the war the myth of gremlins would become more commonly known and used in safety posters linked to war production, this is thanks to the Author Roald Dahl and Disney.
There is also several accounts of Gremlins being featured on nose art of Allied Bombers during WW2. Nose art was common among plane crews to unify the plane team under a mascot and give the plane some character. Typically this would be the classic art of a pin up girl though there are several ones that acknowledge 'their fellow crewmate' Gremlins.
Gremlins Novel by Roald Dahl
Before becoming an Author Roald Dahl served in the Royal Air Force during World War 2 and was well adverse in the myth of gremlin creatures which during his service would have been commonly known. During 1942 he was discharged due to a crash landing he endured during combat in North Africa after this he would go on to write his first children's book which would then go on to be published by Disney in 1943. The book depicts Gremlins as little men who thrive on the RAF with their wives being called Fifinellas. There was plans for a Disney animated movie though it is reported that the project went through development hell.
A similar book was also published called Listen Hitler The Gremlins Are Coming written by Inez Hogan though I could find no details on the contents of the book and with it being priced at around £400 I cant tell much the details listed on the front cover.
Gremlins Film Series Directed by Joe Dante
The latest and probably the most well known interpretation of Gremlin creatures is from the film series directed by Joe Dante and produced by Steven Spielberg with the first film being released in 1984. The plot of the film follows the main character of Billy as he's gifted a small creature at Christmas called Gizmo and a set of rules to stick by while looking after him, these being don't get him wet, don't feed him after midnight and don't expose him to light. During the film these rules begin to be broken until a group of gremlins are unleashed on his home town and begin to reek havoc.
The film would be followed up by a sequel in 1990 which would see a new set of gremlins terrorise a New York Skyscraper, the film would be titled Gremlins 2 The New Batch. It would follow Billy and Gizmo again though this film goes to show a more satirical take on the movie industry at the time. The film was not seen to live up to the original though it did have a somewhat positive reception.
With the success of these movies this depiction of the gremlins would find a cult status and would see the release of action figures, Board games, video games and Animated tv projects.
