Thursday Movie Picks: Halloween Edition - Dolls
My grandmother was a doll maker. She's very good at it, but she's made her fair share of creepy ones. My older sister used to terrorize me with one we swear looked like a brown haired version of Chucky. Speaking of that little bastard, here are three dolls I'd love to avoid:
1) Child's Play 2
My parents let me watch the Child's Play movies when I was a kid because I explained to them that I understood they were fake. They were good about that with some horror movies. Child's Play 2 is my favorite of this ridiculous franchise.
2) Puppet Master
Now this one, even though I knew it was fake scared the shit out of me for some reason. I could handle Chucky, but these dolls and puppets were too much.
3) May
Poor, lonely May. She just wanted friends. Now she's forced to make one herself..
I chose the first Chucky...really stupid movies. I haven’t seen the other 2 but just what you show here freak me out
ReplyDeleteI think they do succeed at being a little creepy even with all their stupidity lol
DeleteI chose 3 of the Chucky franchise but not Child's Play 2. It was okay though. I haven't seen the other two but I think I'll check out The Puppet Master.
ReplyDeleteApparently there's some newer straight to DVD sequels in the Puppet Master franchise. I should probably check those out too.
DeleteWell I saw the first Child's Play and thought it was silly, I know these are geared to be fantastical but it was absurd, and stopped there.
ReplyDeleteI heard of the Puppet Master films but never seen a one. That clip isn't persuading me to check them out. Never heard of May and it sounds too grisly for me but it's the one I'd be more apt to give a try.
As with most horror this theme was a challenge for me but I did manage to find three that fit in within the parameters, though one in a very roundabout way.
Magic (1978)-When ventriloquist assistant Corky Withers (Anthony Hopkins) makes his first public performance alone he’s a bust. Afterward he’s given a dummy, Fats to work with. Slowly he improves and eventually is approaching the big time but something strange is happening, Fats seems to be taking control of not only their act but Corky’s actions. Feeling uneasy he takes a break at a cottage owned by his childhood sweetheart Peggy Ann Snow (Ann-Margret) where the hoped for relief doesn’t come but thanks to Fats things become increasingly dire. Creepy and unsettling. Notorious for having its initial TV preview pulled after a massive series of complaints that it was too frightening for children.
Attack of the Puppet People aka I Was a Teenage Doll (1958)-Mad doctor is lonely for companionship so he invents a machine that shrinks people to miniature size. When he pulls the trick on his secretary and her boyfriend they desperately try to discover a way to escape and once again return to normal size. Strictly drive-in stuff with a budget to match but John Hoyt gives it everything he’s got as the wacko professor with the human doll collection.
Magnificent Doll (1946)-Dolley Payne Todd (Ginger Rogers!?) is a young widow living in 17th century Philadelphia when she meets two men with great futures, Aaron Burr (David Niven) and James Madison (Burgess Meredith). Both court her but she picks Madison and from that point on according to this history is decided by two lovesick puppies quarreling over the supposedly Magnificent Doll. Ginger, completely at sea, obviously thinks the way to portray one of the Great Ladies of History is to declaim rather than speak her lines and act as if she were made of wood throughout this stately bore. A horror show of another kind and a real disservice to its subject perhaps the most vibrant, interesting woman of revolutionary times who did have tremendous influence on events just not in the drippy, empty way shown here.
You know, you might like May. It's a bit gory but the commentary alone is really fascinating, I think anyways.
DeleteI've never heard of any of these films. I was a Teenage Doll sounds pretty wild.
I'm not really entirely sure if I've seen all of Child's Play, but I remember being terrified by that stupid doll as a kid.
ReplyDeleteChucky is probably responsible for so many nightmares.
DeleteTotally loved the first Child's Play...but I don't recall much about it. I tried to watch that one where Chucky and the other doll get it on...but I'm pretty sure I gave up.
ReplyDeleteMAY! My friend was visiting me from Chicago...and somehow bought that movie while he was staying at my house. I just looked at him at the end....what the Hell was that???
Great list! (and thank you for all your comments!!!)
I love your blog, you don't have thank me. :)
DeleteI really want to watch May again after writing this. I had a similiar reaction to the friend who showed it to me.
Wow, we share a pick and a half. I also picked May while I also chose the first Child's Play. The 2nd one was fun. That is an entertaining franchise.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad someone else gave May a bit of love.
Deletewow, i can never look at dollmakers quite the same way again after Annabelle lol. tight list. Check this out: http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2017/08/16/on-annabelle-and-talky-tina-a-brief-history-of-horrors-dolls
ReplyDeleteThat's another great piece! Now I really want to watch that Twilight Zone episode.
DeleteYay, we have a match. But, you already knew that. I think that one scared you more because there wasn't much humor to it, if any at all. It was just creepy. Nice call going witg CP2 instead of the very popular original. Guess I'm going to have to check out May.
ReplyDeleteYou're probably right. Child's Play looked very goofy and from what I remember of Puppet Master it was all pretty intense.
DeleteYes, you do need to watch May!