The first in an interminable series of low-budget comic shockers from Full Moon Entertainment, PUPPET MASTER is exactly the sort of horror film that you'd expect the late 1980s to produce. It's often cheesy, with an extraordinarily slim plot that consists of characters wandering around a haunted hotel and getting offed in various grisly ways, and the only thing that matches the fashions and haircuts for awfulness is the quality of the acting. Yet this film has something about it to distinguish it from more general run-of-the-mill fare, and that's the puppets. For those who don't know, there are five different killer puppets, all with their own special methods for killing. The little dolls are equipped with knives, huge hands, leeches, and drills, while the ringleader has a cool rotating head effect which is often put to good use.
As mentioned, the plot is little more than the 'old dark house' style of horror that was clichéd back in the 1930s! Characters have boring flashbacks, engaging in unnecessarily gratuitous sex sessions (anything to keep the viewer's attention) and generally act in less than impressive ways. With a bunch of B-movie stars and TV actors, the only one who really stands out is MIDNIGHT EXPRESS's Irene Miracle, but her screen time is limited. Perpetual old-timer William Hickey is the titular puppet master, but his screen time is limited to a few minutes at the beginning of the flick.
So what of the puppets? The most interesting thing is the quality of the special effects – they're fantastic. Forget all the other 'killer doll' movies, PUPPET MASTER is tops when it comes to creepy animated creations, and that's primarily because they're animated through stop motion, with lots of all little cool tricks thrown in to keep the viewer guessing as to how they did it. Dave Allen is the guy behind the animation, and he does a brilliant job as always. For a guy who began his career on a prehistoric Hammer flick and ended it on straight-to-video horror cheese, he doesn't disappoint. There's a pretty outrageous level of gruesomeness on display, with the sickest moment being the death-by-leeches scene which manages to out-gross SLUGS. Most of the disgust is saved up for the final scene, in which the puppets take their revenge on a living zombie filled with embalming fluid. The result is a viscous, vicious moment. Surprisingly, some of the scare scenes – like Miracle being stalked through corridors and lifts by the puppets – are effective and the film as a whole is easy to watch and pretty entertaining whenever the puppets are on screen, and that's a lot.
As mentioned, the plot is little more than the 'old dark house' style of horror that was clichéd back in the 1930s! Characters have boring flashbacks, engaging in unnecessarily gratuitous sex sessions (anything to keep the viewer's attention) and generally act in less than impressive ways. With a bunch of B-movie stars and TV actors, the only one who really stands out is MIDNIGHT EXPRESS's Irene Miracle, but her screen time is limited. Perpetual old-timer William Hickey is the titular puppet master, but his screen time is limited to a few minutes at the beginning of the flick.
So what of the puppets? The most interesting thing is the quality of the special effects – they're fantastic. Forget all the other 'killer doll' movies, PUPPET MASTER is tops when it comes to creepy animated creations, and that's primarily because they're animated through stop motion, with lots of all little cool tricks thrown in to keep the viewer guessing as to how they did it. Dave Allen is the guy behind the animation, and he does a brilliant job as always. For a guy who began his career on a prehistoric Hammer flick and ended it on straight-to-video horror cheese, he doesn't disappoint. There's a pretty outrageous level of gruesomeness on display, with the sickest moment being the death-by-leeches scene which manages to out-gross SLUGS. Most of the disgust is saved up for the final scene, in which the puppets take their revenge on a living zombie filled with embalming fluid. The result is a viscous, vicious moment. Surprisingly, some of the scare scenes – like Miracle being stalked through corridors and lifts by the puppets – are effective and the film as a whole is easy to watch and pretty entertaining whenever the puppets are on screen, and that's a lot.