Last week we looked at a killer that haunts and kills children in their nightmares. This week we look at a demonic killer doll. So while people debate at which one came first, it turns out that the first Child's Play film came about six or seven years before the first Toy Story film. Both of course about toys coming to life, but while the toys in Toy Story are the actual toys and have no killing intentions, the toy (later on toys) in Child's Play is basically a human serial killer whose soul transported into a toy doll. The films play on the idea that no one would suspect that a toy would come to life and kill things. But of course that is what happens in these films. Some could compare Chucky (voiced by Brad Dourif in most of the films) to Freddy Kruger in that both killers for the most part managed to get away with the murders that they committed due to the former being an inanimate object to people that he has no beef with and the latter only appearing in people's dreams and very rarely appears in human form. But both killers get what's coming to them in the end. Perhaps this is the reason why a crossover is in the works. But anyway let's dive in and take a look at these films as well as the most recent film which is set in an alternate universe and isn't a remake or reboot (it would count as one if the original series wasn't still going, but it is even to this day):
Its 1988 and a serial killer known as Charles Lee Ray (played by Brad Dourif), is being chased by police officer and homicide detective Mike Norris (played by
The Princess Bride's Chris Sarandon). The chase leads the pair into a toy store where a few gun shots are fired at Charles. With death on the horizon, Charles finds a Good Guys doll and uses a Haitian Vodou spell to transfer his soul into the doll. The result causes the story to be struck by lightning and explode, though Mike makes it out in time. A day later, the doll winds up with a homeless guy (played by Juan Ramirez) and is immediately purchased by widower Karen Barclay (played by Catherine Hicks) to give to her son Andy (played by a very young Alex Vincent). Andy later believes that the doll is saying things that Good Guys dolls are not known to say, but sure enough one thing leads to another and the soul of Charles brings the doll to life and calls himself Chucky (voiced by Dourif). Chucky begins going on a murder spree and sure enough sets his sights on Andy to become his human host. It's up to Andy and those closest to him to stop Chucky before he gets away with his crimes. This was the first of three films to be pure horror and I got to say while it does occasionally go into comedy, it is a horror film done right. A doll can be a known fear to people and the film does well to capture the fear and portray it as if the doll is a killing machine. So yes a good start to the series. 9/10
2
Two years have passed since the last film and Chucky gets reassembled in an attempt for Play Pals (the corporation behind the Good Guy dolls) to reclaim the public's trust following controversy surrounding the murders connected to Chucky. Chucky comes back to life and once again tries to find Andy and use him as his human host. Since the last film, Andy has gone into foster care, his mum has been admitted to a mental hospital and the police have remained quiet about the incident. But none of that stops Chucky as he tries to find Andy again while having another murder spree. This film does feel like a rehash of the first one. But unlike say
The Hangover: Part II where it almost feels like a complete rehash,
Child's Play 2 manages to add new things such as Chucky's body now very much looking like a killer doll. I should also note that while the first film was made by MGM, this one and most of its sequels were done by Universal. This came as a result of a purchase of MGM content taking place and them deciding that horror is not for them going forward. So the rights to the franchise was up for sale with all the major film studios wanting to have it (Disney surprisingly being among them). But ultimately it went to Universal after Steven Spielberg convinced the head of the company at the time to seriously consider it. But going back to this film, it's a great sequel that may feel all too familiar. But still as horror as you can get with some occasional laughs here and there. 8/10
3
So interestingly this film was released only nine months after the last one and yet takes place eight years after the last one. Play Pals has at long last recovered from the further controversy surrounding Chucky and resumes the manufacturing of the Good Guys dolls. But little do they know is that what's left of Chucky at the factory gets mixed into the vat of plastic, and he awakens once again. Chucky is then given to the Play Pals CEO Mr. Sullivan (played by Peter Haskell) whom he kills at what I'm guessing is his apartment. Afterwards Chucky uses a computer to track down Andy. A now 16-year-old Andy (this time played by Justin Whalin) has landed himself in military school when he is declared insecure following several attempts to be in foster care. Chucky infiltrates the school under the guise of a new Good Guys doll, but decides to change the human host when he learns that this is a new body. He sets his sights on Ronald Tyler (played by Jeremy Sylvers) who instead of giving him to Andy, decides to have the doll for himself and is the first human that Chucky in his new body, reveals his secret to thus allowing him to use Tyler as his new human host. When Andy learns of this, he tries all he can to stop Chucky who begins to kill off a few people in the school as he tries to find Tyler through a game of hide-and-seek. While changing the setting to a military school rather than a city is OK I guess, this film is probably the weakest of the three films to have Child's Play in the name (until the most recent one of course). There is still some scary moments and because it's a military setting, there are of course characters that get what is coming to them. So overall not the absolute best film in my opinion, but its still horror in every way with some occasional laughs too. 7/10
Bride of Chucky
Its around this point in most slasher horror film franchises that the films start to become unintentionally funny. But in the case of the Child's Play films, the filmmakers decided to embrace this by having the next two films be horror comedies with occasional fourth wall breaks. In addition, they chose to make both films be focused on Chucky himself which as a result, meant that the Child's Play title would be abandoned in favour of "something something something Chucky" being put in the title. The film begins in an evidence lockup facility where we see a bunch of serail killer things which in a way would make out that the slasher horror franchises all exist in the same universe (something of which was further confirmed in a way in
Freddy VS Jason and with the announcement of a potential Chucky VS Freddy film). Anyway, so a lady by the name of Tiffany Valentine (played by Jennifer Tilly) bribes the police officer from the facility into giving her the remains of the Good Guys doll that became the new body for Chucky. As she was his former lover, Tiff makes efforts into bringing Chucky back to life even after stitching him back together. Although the voodoo spell initially fails in the first instance, Chucky reawakens and kills her annoying goth friend (played by Alexis Arquette) which excites Tiff. A misunderstanding takes place where Tiff believes that Chucky wanted to marry her prior to the events of
Child's Play, but Chucky tells her that the ring was stolen. One thing then leads to another and Tiff is then tricked by Chucky and her soul enters the body of a female doll she bought to mock Chucky. With both of them as dolls now, the pair set out to retrieve an amulet that can be used to transport their souls into new bodies. With the amulet still being attached to Chucky's former human body and Tiff's neighbours going on the run, the pair hatch a plan to kidnap Tiff's neighbours and have them go to find the amulet so that the dolls can be human again. I probably said more than I wanted to there, so I do apologize for that. I have always seen Chucky as a character who knows how to have a good time and always up for a laugh even though he is a killer in nearly every way. This film as expected is very different to what has come before, but for the fourth entry, I like that it embraces the funny side more now than it has before. Its not an overall good film by any right, but the humor, eye candy and silly moments make this a fun film even if it's not as we were expecting the fourth film to play out. 7/10
Seed of Chucky
Sure dolls can have children. Why not? Its not like anything bad could come out of it right? Well that's what this film looks into. So interestingly Universal decided not to be involved with this film because they were not too keen on the idea of having a character who is unsure of their gender. The film was then passed on to Focus Features who had Rogue Pictures (now both part of Universal ironically) produce the film. In the film, six years have gone by and the bodies of Chucky and Tiff become animatronics for a feature film in Hollywood called Chucky Goes Psycho. Unbeknownst to being reawakened once again, their legitimate child who they later call Glen (voiced by Pippin himself, Billy Boyd) learns of their existence and attempts to escape from his abusive owner to find them. But when he learns of their killing habits, he becomes conflicted of his gender and whether to accept his parents or remain an orphan forever. It's an interesting film that explores the idea of a character who is unsure of their gender and despite the character being a doll anyway, it works out quite well. I also find amusing how they take advantage of the setting being Hollywood so throw in there some cameos and a side story featuring a fictionalised Jennifer Tilly. Its probably more silly than the last film, but still has some laughable moments and Chucky embracing what he has become. 7/10
Curse of Chucky
For the next two films, Universal returns and decides to have the films mainly be straight to home media with some countries being allowed to show the films in theatres. I guess they saw how DC have been doing in that market and decided to do the same for their slasher horror franchise. As well as this, these two films returned to being pure horror with some funny moments which actually works well in their favor. So it is 2013 and Chucky (who is disguised as a newly refurbished Good Guys doll) manages to infiltrate the home of paraplegic Nica Pierce (played by Fiona Dourif and yes she is the daughter of Brad Dourif who voices Chucky) who is unaware of what the doll is and his intentions. But when her mother mysteriously dies suddenly, her extended family come to visit and stay with her for comfort which allows Chucky to kill them off one by one as revenge for something that one of her family members did to him as Charles Lee Ray in the past. This film is actually pretty good. A lot better than the last few sequels and it is scary in nearly every way. Surprising how such a very different film from what came before is still considered part of the original series. But heyho it is what it is and it is great. 9/10
Cult of Chucky
So this film is currently the final film in the original series and because of when it was released, this means that the franchise is the only known slasher horror franchise to still be releasing films and other content that is part of the original series. I mean we already know that there is a TV series in the works that is meant to continue on from this film. But anyway, let's talk about this film. Four years have gone by and what was left of Chucky's body from the last film is now with an adult Andy (reprised by Alex Vincent who yes is the same Alex Vincent from the first two films) who chooses to torture him for all the crimes he commited. Meanwhile Nica has been admitted to a mental hospital following the last film's events where she was framed for the crimes that Chucky commited. But as she slowly begins to accept that Chucky may have just been a manifestation in her mind, Good Guys dolls myseriously arrive in the facility with each one containing the soul of serial killers much like Charles Lee Ray. But there may be more to it than that. While not as scary as the last film, I like how the focus is on the idea that Chucky is nothing more than a figment of imagination in the minds of those who know what he has done. Because let's be honest, no one would suspect a toy doll to be a killer let alone a being that can come to life. I also like how the film is a defeat to the heroes but a win to the villains which yes is a spioler, but at least I didn't say how they go about it. So yeah for the last film of the original series so far, yeah its good. Not as scary as before, but its good and I liked the direction it went to. 8/10
The Alternate Film
It is debateable as to what this film is. Some say its a remake of the first film. Others say its a reboot as it doesn't follow everything that the first film did. I and many fans on the other hand, call it a film set in an alternate dimension because the original series is still going. But regardless we can all agree that it follows the same concept, but differently and with a different cast and crew. But MGM return this time after having made the first film with their company Orion Pictures making this one. So in this film, Chucky (this time voiced by The DCAU Joker himself, Mark Hamill) is portrayed as a robotic doll that functions as a smart device that can control other devices much like Amazon's Alexa. But as a result for being fired for daydreaming, the guy working on one of the Buddi dolls as they are called in this film, decides to reprogram this particular one so that all its saftey procedures are disabled. The defective Buddi doll manages to find a home with a different Andy (this time played by Gabriel Bateman) and his mother Karen (played by Aubrey Plaza) who grows attached to Andy even having killer intentions to those who dare harm or hurt him. I like how they changed Chucky from being a serial killer possessed doll to a defective killing robotic doll. Its not the same sure, but it does show that even without a soul, a doll with batteries or just generally robotic can still be a killing machine. Also to those who thought he didn't laugh, he did. You just need to pay a bit more attention to certain scenes. But yeah unlike most horror remakes, reboots or alternative films, this one is actually pretty good and anyone who is a fan or not will enjoy this. Even though it is a much different film to the ones that came before. 8/10
And that is the end of that. Killing dolls may not be as much of a threat than nightmares, but never underestimate them. I really liked how the series is based on the fear of dolls because that is a genuine fear that many of us have and the films portray it very well even if it becomes less scary as time goes on. I do look forward to seeing where Chucky goes in the future. But for now, enjoy what there is on offer (most of these films are on Netflix at the moment anyway) and maybe keep well away from your dolls for the time being (if you have any of course). 8/10
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