Incredibly under-rated filmmaker whose films often have a commercial sheen to them, backed up by a fiercely satric edge.
The tough topics that Dante has tackled in the past include the cult-like, new-age self-help movement (The Howling), the negative aspects of Christmas and other holidays that are often glossed over (Gremlins), nuclear paranoia and censorship (Matinee), corporate life and capitalism (Gremlins 2: The New Batch), as well as militarism/war, pop-culture, commercialism, and violence in general (Small Soldiers).
Although many people have heard of Dante's work, most have not heard of the man himself. Perhaps this is because he often works under the banner of more famous producers. For instance, when Gremlins is shown on television, it is advertised as "Steven Spielberg's Gremlins" Another contributor to Dante's relative obscurity may be that he works in the commercially popular but critically slammed genres of horror, science fiction, action and comedy.