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Comedy Cult Classic

Fuzzy extraterrestrial troublemakers turn wild fantasies deadly in a studio vault's midnight escape.

HOBGOBLINS

Be careful what you wish for... you just might get it!

1988 · 1h 32m · R · Comedy / Horror / Science Fiction · IMDB TMDB

A group of hobgoblins, who allow you to live out your fantasies but kill you in the process, escape from a studio vault, and a security guard and his friends must stop them before dawn.

Quick Answer

What is Hobgoblins about?

Hobgoblins is a 1988 American comedy-horror-science fiction film directed by Rick Sloane about a group of mischievous alien creatures that escape from a film studio vault and use deadly fantasy powers on unsuspecting victims.

Programmer's Pick

If you like your creature features with a side of sleaze and satire, Hobgoblins delivers hand-puppet aliens, disco-fueled dangers, and lots of wish-fulfillment gone horrifically awry. Rick Sloane’s so-bad-it’s-bizarre approach to fantasies and fatalities has earned this film its rightful spot in the psychotronic vault.

— SassyFlix Programmer

Overview

When a security guard meets his demise in a mysterious movie studio vault after experiencing an all-too-real rock star fantasy, the job falls to mild-mannered Kevin. Hoping to impress his girlfriend Amy, Kevin quickly finds himself confronted with a wild mix of oddball friends, romantic rivalry, and a workplace uniquely haunted by the supernatural. The discovery of fuzzy, otherworldly creatures—hobgoblins—adds a bizarre twist, as these beings have the peculiar power to manifest people's innermost fantasies, with deadly consequences. Set against a backdrop of outlandish situations ranging from a sex hotline to nightclub hijinks, Hobgoblins steers its way through campy horror and cheeky humor, reveling in an outrageous blend of creature-feature chaos and ribald teen antics.

Details & Specs

Director
Rick Sloane
Writer
Rick Sloane
Release
1988
Runtime
1h 32m
Country
United States of America
Language
English

Why This Matters

Regarded as one of the worst films ever made, this low-budget indie became a cult favorite due to its infamously poor quality and gained further notoriety after being featured on Mystery Science Theater 3000.
— SassyFlix Curator

Why Cult

Fantasy Turns Fatal

The hobgoblins manifest people's secret desires, but anyone indulging them risks a deadly end.

Low-Budget Creature Chaos

Furry puppet monsters on a rampage bring a distinctive, gleeful slapdash energy to the horror-comedy proceedings.

Studio Lot Sleaze

From sex hotlines to pole dancing and disco, the action skips through a wild variety of 80s B-movie settings.

Psychotronic Cult

As a bona fide Z-movie, Hobgoblins is a staple for fans of the weird, the wild, and the so-bad-it’s-memorable cinema.

Scene Gallery

Threat File

Trigger

Hobgoblins escape from studio vault

Threat

Fantasy-manipulating alien creatures

Effect

Manifest fantasies that kill victims

Countermeasure

Security guard and friends fight to stop them

Setting

Film studio, house, nightclub

Questions from the Vault

Who directed Hobgoblins? +

Hobgoblins was directed by Rick Sloane.

How long is Hobgoblins? +

Hobgoblins has a runtime of 92 minutes.

What genre is Hobgoblins? +

Hobgoblins is a comedy, horror, and science fiction film.

How do the hobgoblins kill their victims? +

The hobgoblins use their hypnotic powers to make people's wildest fantasies come true, but the fantasies turn against the victims and result in their deaths.

Why was the studio vault guarded for decades? +

Mr. McCreedy guarded the vault because the hobgoblins, who crash-landed on the lot, were trapped inside and posed a deadly threat if released.

Trailers & Clips