10 Best Examples Of Movies With A ‘Chekhov’s Gun’
5. Gremlins – Sword
An obvious weapon, but a slightly odd wall decoration, the pair of ornamental swords are shown early in the film hanging by the door in the Peltzer family home. They are clearly visible as Billy is opening his present from his father, and he fiddles with one of them, allowing it to be shown for a second longer than is necessary, but not highlighting it to any great extent more than the other decorations in the room.
After managing to kill a few of the gremlins with household appliances, Lynn is hunting around the house looking for the others and is captured by one of the monsters hiding in the Christmas tree. It starts to strangle her with tinsel when Billy arrives home just at the right moment and grabs one of the swords off the wall, killing the creature and shooting it into the burning fireplace.
It seems unlikely (and slightly dangerous) that an ornamental wall hanging should be sharp enough to decapitate someone, but it does make a good visually dramatic ending for the murderous little monster!