Leprechaun is one of those classic horror movies that is so bad it's good. The plot is insane, the acting is over-the-top, and the special effects are laughably bad. But somehow, all of that comes together to create a fun and entertaining film. Warwick Davis does an amazing job as the leprechaun, and Jennifer Aniston is surprisingly good in her film debut. If you're a fan of campy horror movies, then Leprechaun is definitely worth checking out. Just don't expect to be scared - this movie is more likely to make you laugh than scream.Warwick Davis's portrayal of a vengeful leprechaun has become the stuff of legend. In the film, the leprechaun is convinced that a family has stolen his pot of gold. He sets out to hunt them down, using all of his cunning and strength. Meanwhile, the family is desperately searching for the gold, in an attempt to placate the leprechaun and keep him from harming them. Davis's performance is chilling and unforgettable, making Leprechaun one of the best horror films of all time.
The Leprechaun film was intended to be more of a straight horror film, but Davis injected comedy into his performance.
The basic premise of every Leprechaun film is this:
Dan O'Grady goes back to North Dakota in 1983 from Ireland, where he was born. There, he kidnaps a leprechaun and steals his pot of gold. After O'Grady buries the treasure, he finds out that the bad leprechaun followed him home and killed his wife. Using a four-leaf clover, O'Grady takes away the leprechaun's powers and puts him in a box. He had a heart attack before he could burn him.
J. D. Redding and his daughter Tory rent the O'Grady home ten years later. Nathan Murphy, Alex, 10, and Ozzie Jones help paint the home. Ozzie misidentifies the leprechaun's screams for help as a child. Using an ancient four-leaf clover, he frees the leprechaun. Ozzie learns from the leprechaun that he's an Irish shoemaker seeking his fortune in America. Ozzie sees a rainbow after failing to convince others he saw a leprechaun, hoping to find a pot of gold. Alex follows Ozzie because he could hurt himself. Before Ozzie, 100 gold coins appear magically. They conceal the riches in an ancient well after Ozzie swallows a coin to mend his brain.
J. D. falls into a trap when a leprechaun on a farm pretends to be a cat and bites his hand. After Tory and others take him to the hospital, he rides a tricycle. When Alex and Ozzie visit a pawn shop to inspect the gold's purity, the leprechaun kills the proprietor, Joe, for stealing his gold and polishes his shoes before departing. On his way home, the leprechaun constructs a go-kart and gets pulled up for speeding. The leprechaun murders the police officer in the woods. Leprechaun returns to the farm and seeks for his prize while polishing shoes. The group returns to the farm after dropping off J.D. When Nathan examines the plundered house, a leprechaun-set bear trap injures him. Outside, they beat the leprechaun with rocks and clubs.
The leprechaun is shot many times when they discover a firearm in the home. When it doesn't work, they try to leave the property, but the leprechaun has destroyed the truck's engine. The leprechaun terrorizes the gang after smashing the vehicle with the go-kart until Ozzie admits that he and Alex discovered the pot of gold. The bag is retrieved from the well by Tory, who then offers it to the leprechaun. They go to the hospital, certain that the worst is past. The leprechaun realizes that he is missing the last coin that Ozzie ate as he counts his wealth. He threatens them, believing they have duped him, until Ozzie informs them that O'Grady had a stroke and was sent to a nursing facility. By hurling filthy shoes at the leprechaun, the gang diverts his attention, and the leprechaun is forced to go shine the shoes as Tory gets in her jeep and drives off. To find out how to slay the leprechaun, Tory goes to the house.
Leprechaun impersonates O'Grady at nursing home. Leprechaun chases Tory to an elevator and throws O'Grady's body down as Tory flees. Before dying, O'Grady tells her the only way to kill a leprechaun is with a four-leaf clover, which grows horror movie reviews outside the property. Tory returns to the farmhouse to get a clover, but the leprechaun attacks. Nathan and Ozzie rescue her. Leprechaun is badly injured while trying to get the final gold coin, which Ozzie ate. Alex ties Tory's four-leaf clover to gum and launches it into the leprechaun's mouth, melting him before he can kill Ozzie. The leprechaun's skeleton says, "I want my gold" despite tumbling into a well. After Nathan pushes the leprechaun into the well, he lights both with gasoline. When police arrive, Tory is reunited with her father, marries Nathan, and has a kid. Leprechaun vows to recover every piece of his money as cops explore the well's ruins.
How well did the 1993 movie Leprechaun do at the box office?
Leprechaun was released in 620 theaters on January 8, 1993, and grossed $2,493,020 in its first week, totaling $8,556,940 in the United States. It was published on VHS by Vidmark in April 1993 and sold over 100,000 copies.
Leprechaun debate explained:
In the months before the film's premiere, Trimark worked with the NBA, NYSE, Domino's Pizza, and Subway. The Domino's and Subway alliance was problematic because franchisees felt exploited. The marketing strategy worked, and Leprechaun remains a cult favourite.
Did Leprechaun have any cinematic sequels?
Leprechaun 2 was released the following year, and it sees the Leprechaun going to Los Angeles in search of a new pot of gold. The third film, Leprechaun 3, takes place in Las Vegas, and it features the Leprechaun getting his hands on a magical coin that grants him wishes. The fourth film, Leprechaun 4: In Space, is a bit of a departure from the previous films as it takes place aboard a spaceship and features the Leprechaun battling (blog post) aliens. The fifth and final film in the series, Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood, finds the Leprechaun returning to his roots in inner-city Los Angeles. Despite the mostly negative critical reception, the Leprechaun franchise has proven to be quite popular, and it remains a cult classic to this day.Leprechaun movie trivia
Several sequences had to be re-shot as the producers requested that the picture be made gorier to appeal to older viewers.
It's well-known that George Lucas had a hand in casting Warwick Davis in Willow. What's less well-known is the reason why. Apparently, Davis was under contract to Lucas, and Lucas had to give permission for him to appear in the movie. As a result, he was given a "special thanks" credit at the end of the film. This little-known fact makes the movie even more fascinating for horror movie fans. It's yet another example of Lucas's influence on popular culture.
At first, it was anticipated that the leprechaun would make his way back to Ireland. However, there was one issue: Warwick Davis, an Irish actor who played the role of the leprechaun, did not have a work visa. Davis was required to secure a visa in a just three days in order to shoot the final sequence, which is an extremely difficult undertaking under normal conditions. Davis was able to wrap up shooting on time because to the fact that the office of Vice President Dan Quayle was able to move the process forward more quickly than expected. Quayle was recognized at the conclusion of the film with a "special thanks" credit in recognition of his contributions.
Warwick Davis regretted creating the picture, but Anniston's TV popularity led to more rentals and a lengthy series of sequels. Warwick reportedly liked it.
Jennifer Aniston made her feature film debut in Leprechaun.
If you're a lover of horror flicks, Leprechaun is absolutely worth seeing. It's one of those rare horror films that's genuinely humorous as well as disturbing, and it boasts some terrific performances from Warwick Davis and Jennifer Aniston. The narrative may not be the most creative, but the movie is nonetheless pleasant to see. So if you're in the mood for a nice fright, check out Leprechaun. You won't be disappointed.