This ain't no fairy tale.
"I smell a baby... smells a lot like a baby named Johnny!"
Rumpelstiltskin is a 1995 comedy-horror film by Mark Jones, the man responsible for the Leprechaun series, and it stars Max Grodenchik and Kim Johnston Ulrich.
Much like his green counterpart, Rumpelstiltskin is a Darker and Edgier take on the fairy tale. He grants wishes to those with newborns and takes the babies for their souls.
The film opens in 15th century, where Rumpelstiltskin's baby-exchange deal has gone sour and he is imprisoned inside a statue by a witch. He is then brought back to the present (The '90s) by a mourning widow who accidentally makes a wish (while holding the statue) to bring back her gunned-down police husband. Carnage ensues.
Has the examples of:
- Adaptational Villainy: This version of Rumpelstiltskin is a lot darker than his book counterpart, where he murders people and steals babies for their souls.
- Alliterative Name: Shelly Stewart.
- Antagonist Title
- Cassandra Truth: People have a hard time believing Shelley's story about a murderous fairy tale character.
- Contrived Coincidence: When Shelley and Max are searching for Matilda, they just happen to steal the car she is sleeping in.
- Cranium Chase: One confrontation leaves Rumpelstiltskin beheaded, which leaves his head shouting commands to his headless body to restore himself.
- Eats Babies: Rumpelstilskin's motivation for wish granting is babies.
- Everything's Deader with Zombies: Rumpelstiltskin raises zombies to help him near the end.
- Eye Scream: Rumpelstiltskin rips a man's eye out in the opening and eats it.
- Get A Hold Of Yourself Man: Shelley slaps the panicking Max at one point.
- I Know Your True Name: Rumpelstiltskin's weakness, as expected.
- Kill It with Fire: Burning straw is used against Rumpelstilstkin
- Kryptonite Factor: Fire and straw to Rumpelstiltskin. Straw is even referred to be "like kryptonite".
- Laughably Evil: Rumpelstiltskin himself. The stuff he says is hilarious.
- Mama Bear: The instant when Rumpelstiltskin confronts Shelley about giving him the baby she starts dishing out the pain.
- To make this clear, she starts out just wacking him with a broom. When it snaps, she shoves the handle down his throat. She also cuts off several of his fingers and stabs him in the head. Oh, and kicks him in the balls. And runs him over. All of this is on his first appearence, and she does spend more of the more doing the usual scream and run away thing after that, but it is a pretty awesome sight.
- Neck Snap: Hildy's death.
- Off with His Head!: Trucker's death.
- Ominous Fog: It starts circling Rumpelstiltskin when he starts prematurely celebrating his victory at the graveyard.
- Self-Plagiarism: Mark Jones has a thing for shorter villains.
- Shower Scene: Subverted. As Shelly approaches the shower to be with her resurrected husband, Rumplestiltskin suddenly appears in his place.
- Sunglasses at Night: The biker who confronts Rumpelstilskin in the middle of street.
- Talk Show: Max hosts one.
- Too Dumb to Live: The criminal early in the film decides to hijack a car, with cops right next to him.
- Torches and Pitchforks: The upset townsfolk go after Rumpelstiltskin in the opening with these in hand.
- Would Hurt a Child: Rumpelstiltskin wants to have a baby so he can steal his soul.
- Ye Olde Butcherede Englishe: "Fucketh me!"
