Plot Explained Spoilers guaranteed!
Plot Explained

Browse by genre

Hobgoblins (1988) movie poster

Characters & Themes

Hobgoblins (1988) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
1988 · 92 mins · English
Loading streaming availability…
Directed by
Rick Sloane
Starring
Daran Norris, Tamara Clatterbuck, Duane Whitaker, Ken Abraham, Kari French, James R. Sweeney

When a shipment of mischievous hobgoblins breaks free from a studio vault, they grant anyone who wishes a tempting fantasy—only to turn it into a deadly trap. A night‑shift security guard, his skeptical girlfriend, and a few friends scramble to survive the night and stop the creatures before sunrise.

On this page (8)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (12)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (3)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 Movie threads
  7. 7 Movies like Hobgoblins
  8. 8 Every angle
Loading streaming availability…

12 main characters · contains spoilers

Hobgoblins Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of Hobgoblins (1988), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Kevin — Tom Bartlett

    Kevin is a new hire who hopes to impress his girlfriend and prove his bravery. He starts as a fairly ordinary, uncertain guy who must face escalating danger from the hobgoblins. Over the course of the night, he acts to defend his friends and ultimately shows real courage.

    • 🧭 Ambition
    • 🛡️ Bravery
    • 🤞 Determination
  • Amy — Paige Sullivan

    Amy is Kevin's girlfriend who begins as sexually repressed. The hobgoblins grant her fantasies, pulling her toward Club Scum and testing her boundaries. By the end, she returns to her core self but with a more open, less inhibited view of her sexuality.

    • 💃 Liberation
    • 💖 Vulnerability
    • 🕊️ Transformation
  • Nick — Billy Frank

    Nick is the loud, confident friend who embraces bravado until the fantasy world punishes him. His commandos fantasy leads to dangerous chaos; he appears to die in a fiery scene but returns later, underscoring the Hobgoblins' deadly whimsy.

    • 🔥 Recklessness
    • 🗡️ Bravado
    • 💥 Chaos
  • Daphne — Kelley Palmer

    Daphne is a party-loving friend who flirts with risk and energy. She feeds into the group's dynamics and becomes entangled in the hobgoblins' mischief, though she remains a loyal companion to Kevin and the others.

    • 🎯 Friendship
    • 😈 Playfulness
    • 🫶 Loyalty
  • Kyle — Steven Boggs

    Kyle is the nerdy, somewhat self-deprecating member of the group. He provides comic relief and a counterpoint to Kevin's boldness, while still getting drawn into the chaotic night.

    • 🧑‍💼 Comedy
    • 🧠 Geekiness
    • 🕶️ Skepticism
  • Mr. McCreedy — James R. Sweeney

    McCreedy is the elderly studio boss who has guarded the hobgoblins for decades. He embodies practicality and control, ultimately making the tough choice to end the threat with explosive force to protect Kevin and the crew.

    • 🛡️ Protector
    • 🎩 Authority
    • 🧭 Strategic
  • Club MC — Daran Norris

    Club MC is the emcee of Club Scum, embodying the seedy, over-the-top energy of the nightclub scene that the hobgoblins exploit. He anchors the chaotic atmosphere and the nocturnal setting of the film's climax.

    • 🎤 Emcee
    • 🕺 Nightlife
    • 🌀 Chaos
  • Fantazia — Tamara Clatterbuck

    Fantazia is one of the hobgoblins with the power to bend human fantasies. She uses this ability to manipulate the group's desires, contributing to the film's blend of comedy and horror.

    • 🪄 Fantasies
    • 🧪 Manipulation
    • 👾 Nonhuman
  • Roadrash — Duane Whitaker

    Roadrash is the scruffy nightclub bouncer who becomes a target of hobgoblin influence. He appears in the Club Scum chaos, representing the rough edge of the club environment.

    • 🤘 Bouncer
    • 🧱 Enforcer
    • 🌀 Chaos
  • Comstock — Don Barrett

    Comstock is the burglar introduced earlier who reappears as a phantom created by the hobgoblins. His presence underscores the blurring of real threat and illusion in the film.

    • 🧭 Intruder
    • 🧱 Adversary
    • 👁️ Spectral
  • Pixie — Kari French

    Pixie is a minor character connected to the night scene. She participates in the group's dynamic but does not drive the plot.

    • 🎐 Minor Character
    • 🪄 Whimsy
    • 🗣️ Support
  • Thug — Ken Abraham

    Thug is a supporting antagonist who contributes to the film's rough, menacing atmosphere. He serves as a physical obstacle within the plot's street-level conflict.

    • 🗡️ Threat
    • 🧱 Enforcer
    • 🥷 Henchman

Last updated: October 05, 2025 at 08:25

Was this helpful?

Setting

Where and When Does Hobgoblins Take Place?

The setting of Hobgoblins (1988): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

1980s

The events unfold in a contemporary 1980s setting, reflecting the era’s low-budget horror-comedy vibe. The film’s production design, fashion cues, and club atmosphere situate it squarely in that decade. Nighttime exploits at the studio and Club Scum contrast with daytime routines at Kevin’s home, underscoring a period-specific blend of mundanity and chaos. The overall mood captures the late-80s sensibility of excess and experimentation.

Location

Old Movie Studio, Film Vault, Club Scum nightclub, Kevin's House

The story centers on an old movie studio lot and its desert storm-era film vault where the hobgoblins crash-landed. The narrative shifts between backstage studio spaces and the neon-lit chaos of Club Scum, a sleazy nightclub that becomes a focal point for the characters' fantasies. Kevin's house also serves as a stage for the group’s gatherings and the immediate consequences of the hobgoblins’ powers. The setting blends behind-the-scenes film production with a dangerous, fantastical intrusion.

  • 🎬 Film Studio
  • 🌃 Nightlife
  • 🏠 Domestic

Last updated: October 05, 2025 at 08:25

Was this helpful?

3 major themes

Hobgoblins Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is Hobgoblins (1988) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Fantasy Consequences

    The hobgoblins grant people their deepest fantasies, but those fantasies come with deadly side effects. The movie uses humor and horror to show how desires can spiral when acted upon without restraint. It suggests that fantasies reveal vulnerabilities and can destabilize relationships when they collide with reality.

  • Sexual Morality

    Amy’s sexual repression is amplified by the hobgoblins, pushing her toward a nightclub fantasy that challenges her boundaries. The story probes how culture and personal fear shape sexuality, and how liberation can come at a personal cost. By the end, she retains her core identity but with a more open outlook.

  • Heroism

    Kevin evolves from a nerves-ridden new hire into someone who must confront both human threats and supernatural mischief. He faces escalating danger, tries to protect his friends, and learns to act decisively under pressure. The climax frames courage as a choice to face fear for the sake of others.

Last updated: October 05, 2025 at 08:25

Was this helpful?

Character & theme questions

Hobgoblins Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about Hobgoblins (1988): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where does the movie take place?

The story unfolds primarily at an old movie studio lot and its desert storm-era film vault, where the hobgoblins crashed. Key locations include backstage studio spaces, Club Scum (a sleazy neon-lit nightclub), and Kevin's house where the group gathers. The setting blends behind-the-scenes film production with a dangerous, fantastical intrusion.

  • movie studio
  • film vault
  • club scum
  • setting
  • locations
Q2

What time period is the movie set in?

Hobgoblins is set in the contemporary 1980s, reflecting the era's low-budget horror-comedy vibe. The production design, fashion, and club atmosphere capture late-80s sensibility. Nighttime exploits at the studio and Club Scum contrast with daytime routines at Kevin's home, creating a period-specific blend of mundanity and chaos.

  • 1980s
  • time period
  • era
  • 80s setting
  • decade
Q3

What is Club Scum?

Club Scum is a sleazy, neon-lit nightclub that becomes a focal point for the characters' fantasies and the hobgoblins' manipulation. It anchors the chaotic nocturnal setting where the film's climax unfolds, embodying the seedy, over-the-top energy of the 1980s nightlife scene that the hobgoblins exploit.

  • club scum
  • nightclub
  • setting
  • 80s club
Q4

What is the Fantasy Consequences theme about?

The movie explores how the hobgoblins grant people their deepest fantasies, but those fantasies come with deadly side effects. Using humor and horror, it shows how desires can spiral when acted upon without restraint. The theme suggests that fantasies reveal vulnerabilities and can destabilize relationships when they collide with reality.

  • fantasy
  • consequences
  • desires
  • wishes
  • theme
Q5

What does the movie say about sexual morality?

Amy's sexual repression is amplified by the hobgoblins, pushing her toward a nightclub fantasy that challenges her boundaries. The story probes how culture and personal fear shape sexuality, and how liberation can come at a personal cost. By the end, she retains her core identity but with a more open outlook.

  • sexual morality
  • sexuality
  • amy
  • theme
  • repression
Q6

What is the heroism theme in the movie?

Kevin evolves from a nervous new hire into someone who must confront both human threats and supernatural mischief. He faces escalating danger, tries to protect his friends, and learns to act decisively under pressure. The climax frames courage as a choice to face fear for the sake of others.

  • heroism
  • courage
  • kevin
  • theme
  • bravery
Q7

Who is the main character Kevin?

Kevin is a new hire at the movie studio who hopes to impress his girlfriend Amy and prove his bravery. He starts as an ordinary, uncertain guy who must face escalating danger from the hobgoblins over the course of one night. He ultimately acts to defend his friends and shows real courage.

  • kevin
  • main character
  • protagonist
  • tom bartlett
Q8

Who is Kevin's girlfriend Amy?

Amy is Kevin's girlfriend who begins as sexually repressed. The hobgoblins grant her fantasies, pulling her toward Club Scum and testing her boundaries. By the end, she returns to her core self but with a more open, less inhibited view of her sexuality.

  • amy
  • paige sullivan
  • girlfriend
  • character
Q9

Who is the character Nick?

Nick is the loud, confident friend who embraces bravado until the fantasy world punishes him. His commandos fantasy leads to dangerous chaos; he appears to die in a fiery scene but returns later, underscoring the hobgoblins' deadly whimsy.

  • nick
  • billy frank
  • friend
  • character
Q10

Who is Mr. McCreedy?

Mr. McCreedy is the elderly studio boss who has guarded the hobgoblins for decades. He embodies practicality and control, ultimately making the tough choice to end the threat with explosive force to protect Kevin and the crew.

  • mr mccreedy
  • james r sweeney
  • studio boss
  • character
Q11

What are the hobgoblins in the movie?

The hobgoblins are mischievous creatures that escaped from a studio vault where they had been imprisoned after crash-landing. They grant anyone who wishes a tempting fantasy, only to turn it into a deadly trap. Fantazia is one of the hobgoblins with the power to bend human fantasies and manipulate the group's desires.

  • hobgoblins
  • creatures
  • monsters
  • fantazia
  • creatures
Q12

What genre and tone does the movie have?

Hobgoblins is a horror-comedy that blends elements of science fiction and crude humor. Despite life-or-death stakes with the hobgoblins, the overall effect is heavily mitigated by comedic genre and a light, silly tone. The film features cartoonish violence and zany fun rather than genuine scares or deep emotion, ending happily with the threat neutralized.

  • genre
  • comedy
  • horror
  • tone
  • tone

Movie threads

More Movies Like Hobgoblins, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Hobgoblins tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Chaotic Low-Budget Creature Features like Hobgoblins

Zany and absurd monster movies where survival is a slapstick affair. If you liked the zany, campy chaos of Hobgoblins, you'll enjoy these movies. This list features similar low-budget horror comedies and sci-fi thrillers with mischievous monsters, slapstick survival antics, and a general sense of B-movie fun. Find more creature features with a fast pace, light tone, and absurd sense of humor.

  • campy
  • cheesy
  • zany
  • bizarre
  • silly
  • low-budget
  • Tone: light, silly, satirical
  • Pacing: fast, chaotic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These stories typically follow a simple, straightforward plot: a dangerous creature, often with a gimmick like wish-granting, escapes and wreaks havoc. A small group of protagonists, usually young adults, must survive a single night of escalating, chaotic encounters, leading to a final confrontation that resolves the immediate threat.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread are grouped by their shared low-budget aesthetic, fast-paced and silly tone, and focus on survival against absurd creatures. They prioritize campy fun and chaotic action over deep emotional stakes or complex plots, creating a consistent, light-hearted B-movie experience.

Movies about Mischievous Monsters and Dangerous Desires like Hobgoblins

Creatures that tempt characters with fantasies that turn into deadly traps. Love the premise of Hobgoblins, where monsters grant tempting but deadly fantasies? This list finds similar movies where creatures play on human wishes and inhibitions. Discover more horror comedies and sci-fi stories about deceptive entities, wish fulfillment gone wrong, and the chaotic results of getting what you asked for.

  • bizarre
  • satirical
  • tempting
  • playful
  • dangerous
  • fantasy
  • Tone: light, satirical, bizarre
  • Pacing: fast, eventful
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves a force—be it a creature, genie, or cursed object—that tempts characters by manifesting their fantasies. These fantasies quickly reveal a sinister twist, forcing the characters to confront the hollowness or danger of their desires and work together to undo the chaos they've unleashed.

Why they belong together: These films are connected by the central theme of dangerous wish fulfillment, often used as a satirical tool to explore themes like sexual inhibition or teenage ambition. They blend horror and comedy by presenting life-or-death stakes in an absurd, cartoonish manner, creating a unique mix of temptation and slapstick.

If you liked this

Movies Like Hobgoblins

Similar movies to Hobgoblins: the same genre, themes or kind of story. Each one comes with its own plot summary, timeline and ending explained.

Browse all movie summaries

Every angle

Hobgoblins (1988) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Hobgoblins in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

Plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Catch up on any movie in minutes, save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private, always.

Learn more about the app