I am a product of the home video era. I was raised in a
video store. The earliest memories I have as a child were running up and down
the isles of the numerous local video stores my mother managed. See, My mom had
been working in the home video industry for quite some time when I came around.
I can recall sitting in back rooms of NUMEROUS video stores watching any video
I wanted... As long as I didn't get out of line and start acting them out. One
of the first horror movie covers to really intrigue me was Full Moon Video's
Puppet Master. I thought it was great, dolls that come to life to do their
masters bidding! I was instantly hooked. Every chance I got I would pop in the
series and just watch terrified of the possibilities that my action figures
could do the same. But unfortunately we all grow up sometime, some faster than
others, some just look grown up. I always held on to this film, even after all
my wrestling and cartoon action figures had long been goon and forgotten.
While this movie is definitely not perfect, there is a
quality of charm that make up for the continuity issues and goofs. And while
this film doesn't give me the awe struck feeling it used to, it still manages
to take me back to a time when things were simpler. Charles Band's Puppet Master
is a creative film with very innovative villains. The dolls are my favorite
part of this film. Blade, Leech Lady, Pinhead, Tunneler, and Jester all struck
a chord with me. I even at one time had a small jester action figure. All the
creative elements in this film make it a stable in the horror genre, & also
did enough to spawn 9 total films, the 10th which is due out in October of this
year. While critics have almost nothing but hate for these gems, the fans have
giving their stamp of approval on this Full Moon Franchise.
Long story short this film is about a group of psychics
brought together again by the death their colleague. Soon things in the Bodega
Bay Hotel starting getting strange when friends start disappearing and the
group begins to have violent visions of the demise. Aside from the creativity
and amazingly crafted puppets, this film is hit or miss. Most of the acting is
subpar at best, and there are so many continuity errors if your playing a
drinking game to them you would probably be passed out on the floor before the
movie ends. Fortunately as I said before this film has this charm about it that
really keeps me interested, even when I am utterly disgusted by the events that
are unfolding on the silver screen. Maybe is nostalgia, or maybe not.
Even though the actors could have stepped up their game, the
gore and special effects are very well done. Full Moon Entertainment thrives
off putting out B-Movie's with gore and t&a. This film delivers both in
rather creative style. Without giving away anything, lets just say the endings
practical effects really carry the film. Let’s not forget the animatronics! At
the time of Puppet Masters release Child's Play had come out only a year before,
and Stuart Gordon’s Dolls (Produced by Full Moon's Charles Band) the year
before that. The animated doll had not been done so well before this point,
with the exception of the Made-For-TV classic Trilogy Of Terror in 1975.
I rather enjoy the work of Full Moon Entertainment, even if
they are low on production quality and full of campy cheese. I thrive to be entertained
and Full Moon delivers the goods. With all that said Puppet Master is no
masterpiece. While full of awesome effects and creativity, the acting is lack
luster at best. In the case of this film, the dolls carry the work. The dolls
make you want to watch the whole movie. I mean, come on... Killer Puppets... That’s
pretty sweet in my book. GLP gives this Full Moon effort a 3 out of 5 stabs for
creative villains, great special effects, and amazing puppet design. If you
would like to know more about Full Moon Entertainment or the Puppet Master
series please check out Full Moon Direct or Full Moon Horror. This film is
currently available in many different forms, The Box Set Collection featuring all 9
of the Puppet Master films. Single DVD, Blu-Ray, and Midnight Horror TriplePack with Puppet Master 2 & 3. View the trailer below.
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