Dolls (1987)

They're cute they're cuddly...and they kill! From horror director Stuart Gordon (Re-Animator) and screenwriter Ed Naha (Troll) comes this "fiendish nightmare" (The Hollywood Reporter) that combines the pint-sized playmates of childhood with bone-chilling fun resulting in "a bloody bonbon you chew with relish" (Los Angeles Times)!A precocious girl her nasty parents two punk-rock losers and a weak-kneed salesman inadvertently become the guests of two ghoulish senior citizens in their dark haunted mansion. The old couple make and collect dolls that when not sitting still like good little mannequins creep around in the night offing the guests one by one! You may laugh at first but if they turn on you you'll regret it...for the rest of your short life!System Requirements:Running Time: 78 Min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR Rating: R UPC: 027616926616 Manufacturer No: 1008651 Product Description

Good Dolls Gone Bad; You'd Better get in Touch with Your Inner Child.

Before I waste too much of your time, you really need to know that this is a gruesome fairytale and not a wanton creature / slasher film. Oh, there's enough blood, gore and violence but there's a catch; it's the good guys who bestow all the mayhem. If this puts you off then you've read enough. For the rest of you; let's skitter along...

-WHY DID YOU SPOIL THE PLOT EK!?
I knew who the bad guys were 5 minutes into the movie. I knew who was going to be killed just as quickly. So, telling you the good guys are the killers is hardly a spoiler. Now if I told you how and why they get killed, that would just ruin everything. Besides, good and bad are never as simple as they sound.

-THIS IS NOT A DISNEY FAIRYTALE.
Most fairytales not told by Disney are actually good fodder for a horror movie. Fairy tales, by tradition, are full of grotesque creatures, violence, death and peril; just the way it should be. Well folks, this is a pretty good, traditional fairy tale with modern (circa 1988) sensibilities. The gore is timid by Stuart Gordon standards and without a flash of skin in sight (also puzzling for a Gordon film). Still, I found the story very satisfying. Make no mistake; this is horror. However, it is a relatively light horror film by Stuart Gordon standards and it ends very much like a traditional fairy tale.

-DERIVITIVE? WELL, YES AND NO.
The first thing everyone thinks of when they see a living doll horror movie is "Puppet Master". I would bet (I don't really know) that this actually inspired that series since this was made first. The big difference is that "DOLLS" has a much more pointed story without so much focus on the "creative kill". The next thing you might notice while viewing it is similarities with the "Zuni fetish doll" in "Trilogy of Terror's" "Amelia" episode (a "must see" if you haven't). This is no accident as Director Stuart Gordon used that "made for TV" classic as inspiration. However, this story is unique in it self and turns horror conventions upside down.

-YOU CAN'T DENY GOOD STOP MOTION ANIMATION!
Animation veteran, David Allen (Pop n' Fresh) did a good job of animating these dolls with a fair amount of expressive movement. Thank god there was no CG in 1987 because nothing is quite as creepy as stop motion. Not too surprisingly he ended up animating the puppets in 1988s "Puppet Master". Though his skill could never be compared to the Master, Ray Harryhausen, he was better than adequate and may have been the last of his ilk; A true horror animation craftsman.

-WANTED: FAIR ACTORS WHO WILL WORK CHEAP.
This is a fairly small ensemble of a cast. A few of them rise up to the occasion while the rest just took up space (temporarily). There's the old, kind and creepy couple who make the dolls. I loved how they pulled of "kind and creepy" all at the same time. There's the stranded obnoxious couple with the sweet little girl. The couple was played by "Re-animator" veterans (one of them Gordon's wife) and they were quite over-the-top. Though I didn't love their performances, they at least served their purpose; being loathsome. The little girl was a bit dull but appropriately real. She did a good job. Our final stranded arrivals are a pair of British punk chicks who are (surprise) obnoxious. They both were as shallow as could be expected and their certain demise was eagerly anticipated. They were brought to the party by a man-child salesman. This character lacked range but you couldn't help but like him. Do you still have any doubts about the body count? It's pretty simple, huh?

-THE DVD
I wish this DVD had more "Making of" material. There's enough going on visually in this film to make me hunger for that. At least we get Stuart Gordon commentary. He is amongst the best at making comment tracks enjoyable even for his lesser films. The picture and sound are at least adequate and I love the cover art. I have no reasonable complaints by today's standards considering the film I'm talking about.

-PAINT ON A FROWN OR A SMILE?
I actually enjoyed "DOLLS" as a change of pace. To put things in perspective, I've been watching a lot of horror films lately and this was a nice, well put together change of direction while still scratching my pre-Halloween horror itch. This film has nice production values, fair acting and a fairly creative story. I would strongly caution traditional horror fans that this might not float your boat. The gore is limited, there's little focus on creative kills, there is no nudity at all and you're pretty sure from the beginning who's going to get offed. The good news is you probably want them dead. Another thing to keep in mind is I'm a huge fan of stop motion animation; if that doesn't mean much to you then neither might this film. I do recommend this film for old-schoolers who might like a clever horror fairytale with some fun stop motion animation.

Story.......4 Stars
Acting.....3 Stars
Visuals....4.5 Stars

Average...3.83
September 24, 2008

Good Movie

I first saw this movie when I was in the 5th grade and I fell in love with it. I love the spookiness and the fact that it is an 80's movie is all the more better. I love this movie and I'm happy that it's part of my collection. August 11, 2008

Totally awesome

I have waited a long time for this movie to come out on DVD. It always scared me as a child, and now my son who is 13 will not watch the movie, he says even the song scares him. Great movie!! May 11, 2008

Bad special effects...bad actors...BAD MOVIE !

The only thing i like, is the music and the dolls...but the rest is bad...i don't like the actors and the special effects.

I don't recommend it. April 16, 2008

FORGET TEA PARTIES AND SLEEPING BUDDIES...

this is the movie that made me stir in my sleep back in the day. it wasn't chucky, or dolly, it was all these girls and boys from this killer classic dolls. i got to give it to them for old time sake. back then it was horror, as horror goes, and even to this day it still sends a creepy chill up my spine. some of these movies stand the test of time, and this is one of them no doubt. the acting is still great, the whole idea, and if it still makes you look twice at that doll then they did something right. it's a whole different fear. it all begins on a rainy dark night. a little girl and her dad and step mom (who could care less about her) get stuck in the mud. to find shelter from the rain they enter this huge mansion of a house. they find shelter all right, and a whole lot of cute little dolls as well. the owners, an old married couple, make them feel welcome along with 3 other people that find shelter there as well. they welcome you, it's up to the dolls to accept you. that is there joy and hobby, collecting and making dolls. just one thing some are real people and they all come alive at night. so one by one, people start disappearing. killed off one by one. they decide if you make it through the night or not. so behave and treat them right, or you might end up becoming one. these are not your average dolls, all these dolls think about is KILL, KILL, KILL. you can't help but get creeped out by the old couple too, not your typical grandparents. creepy sweet. great movie, i love it because it's old skool horror. i mean come on a huge creepy house, dolls that come to life, and no escape. it can't be any scarier. January 22, 2008

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