Hobgoblins (film)

Lore & Background

The film opens with a security guard named Dennis investigating a deserted film vault at an old movie studio. While inside, his fantasy of being a rock star comes to life, but he dies while performing on stage. A young man named Kevin takes the now-vacant job to impress his girlfriend, Amy. The hobgoblins, small hairy demonic aliens, escape from the vault and use hypnotic powers to make people's wildest fantasies come true, but kill their victims when the fantasies turn against them. The hobgoblins go to Kevin's house, where his friends are partying, and cause chaos at a nightclub called Club Scum. Kevin and his friends try to kill the rampaging hobgoblins, with mixed results. The film ends with the remaining hobgoblins blown to pieces in the vault.

Reader's Guide

Hobgoblins is perhaps best known for being shown on episode #907 of Mystery Science Theater 3000, which debuted June 27, 1998, on the Sci-Fi Channel. MST3K writer Paul Chaplin called watching the movie 'torture,' with Hobgoblins at 'the top of the list of the worst movies we've ever done.' Paste writer Jim Vorel ranked the episode as one of the series's best, putting it at #17 out of 191 total MST3K episodes. The film has been cited as one of the most inept movies ever, with bad special effects, bad acting, and a nonsense plot. It has become a cult film due to its poor quality and has been featured on the IMDb Bottom 100, climbing to the #2 spot while airing on the Sci Fi Channel. The MST3K version was released on DVD, and the film was also mocked by RiffTrax Live on October 15, 2021.

Did You Know?

• The film was directed, written, produced, and edited by Rick Sloane, who also served as cinematographer.
• Hobgoblins was featured on Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode #907, which debuted June 27, 1998.
• The film climbed to the #2 spot on the IMDb Bottom 100 while airing on the Sci Fi Channel.
• The original cast reunited for a 20th Anniversary DVD release on June 23, 2009.