'Leprechaun' aimed for entertaining schlock and hit the mark (mostly)

Warrick Davis played the title character in the 1993 horror-comedy, “Leprechaun.” (Lionsgate Home Entertainment)

Ultimate Movie Year finds the best films from weekends past to build an all-star lineup of cinema.

“Leprechaun”
Released Jan. 8, 1993
Directed by Mark Jones
Where to Watch

Hollywood isn’t releasing their best and biggest in the first month of the calendar year, as recent history is filled with critically-reviled, easily forgotten movies. Considering we are limited to movies released only on this weekend in history (and we already struck gold with our previous pick, “Paddington 2”), we might as well turn our attention to the few films we can remember, even if they’re not the greatest. So … “Leprechaun.”

The horror genre in the 1980s was evolving at an accelerated rate. A successful horror picture would help spawn a new franchise centered around a soon-to-be iconic antagonist, such as Jason Vorhees, Michael Meyers, and Freddie Kreuger. While that trend was fading by the early 1990s, that didn’t stop writer/director Mark Jones from creating one more for genre history.

Jones wrote the screenplay to “Leprechaun” years earlier and sold it to Moviestore Entertainment but production was held up in development for a significant amount of time. Finally, Jones was able to regain the rights to the film and connect with Trimark, who produced and distributed the film.

“I had a hard time convincing anyone that a little creature could be evil,” Jones told Fangoria in 1992. “Nobody seemed to understand that scariness could be a little thing coming at you.”

In the title role, Jones cast Warrick Davis, then a young actor primarily known for his heroic roles in Lucasfilm projects like 1987’s “Willow” and various Star Wars projects. Playing the Leprechaun allowed Davis to embrace his dark side, as the villainous creature vows vengeance on a family whom he believes stole his pot of gold. Jones and Davis helped give the Leprechaun character a twisted sense of humor, which elevated the horror film among audiences.

This approach has its pros and cons. On one hand, a famous horror antagonist usually has the benefit of being scary for the first film before the sequels take the air out of that tire, but immediately the Leprechaun is hard to take seriously. On the other, the Leprechaun kills somebody by jumping on him with a pogo stick, so that’s something. “Leprechaun” is filled with that low-key fun “Evil Dead 2” energy throughout.

“Leprechaun” is also notable for being Jennifer Aniston’s first film role, and in hindsight, it’s amazing that she debuts with her unique charisma and personality almost fully-formed. After she was cast in television’s “Friends” a year later, she never returned to the horror genre while gaining international fame. She’s reportedly embarrassed by her role in the movie, which is odd, because it’s not like her filmography is a murderer’s row of acclaimed hits.

However, critics agreed with Aniston’s assessment. “Leprechaun” was reviled by tastemakers and barely dented the box office, grossing $8.5 million during its theatrical run. 

“The title character in the new horror film titled "Leprechaun" is supposed to be fiendish but, though the movie's body count is respectable, he seems to be no more than dangerously cranky,” wrote Vincent Canby in his original review for The New York Times. “That may be because the setting is rural North Dakota, which doesn't suit leprechauns, or because the screenplay and direction are amateurish, which doesn't suit films of any kind.”

“Leprechaun” will never be considered a great movie, but that doesn’t mean it’s all bad. Sometimes a cheap movie can hit the spot for viewers any number of ways, as long as you can get on the same wavelength and mood. This is the kind of movie that takes me back to searching the video rental store with my friends, taking a chance on a flick with an intriguing cover, and enjoying the shared experience enough to say, “Well, that was something, but at least it was fun.”

“Leprechaun” made enough of an impression that it spawned multiple sequels and remakes, along with various merchandising opportunities. It’s a cult movie with memorability, making it enough to stand out in a crowd of mediocrity.

Next Week: “Cloverfield”