I first review the Child's Play series as a whole, and later in this write-up (And time) I get into the movie of the same name (the first in the series). As I watch the other Child's Play(s), I will node them. If you have any fun facts or comments, let me know.
Warning, spoilers abound.
Child's Play is a series of movies based on Chucky, a voodoo-wielding psycho killer embodied in a popular doll. He can terrorize a kid named Andy all he wants, because nobody will ever beleive a doll is doing it, with hilarious consequences!.
Of course, watching a doll say "Fuck you, bitch! I'll cut you!" is so very very funny to me.
The Child's Play series is rather recent compared to other horror series, being an average of about 10 years old (from now). This is probably due to the fact that the Chucky doll needs quite a bit of money to keep him moving. He has a full animitronic system as well as a bunch of stunt doubles for torturing - yes, this is no cheap-ass claymation set of movies.
Chucky himself is usually the focus of attention - him and his fun & brash language and quick one-liners. My friends and I were quoting Chucky lines for a week following the movie(s).
If you've been trying to find a hilarious (super) dark comedy / horror movie, this is an excellent series to watch. Have a few beers, invite the friends over, and have a great time.
There are currently 4 movies in the Child's Play lineup (linked as they are noded), spanning 10 years.
- Child's Play (1988)
- Child's Play 2 (1990)
- Child's Play 3 (1991)
- Bride of Chucky (1998)
TOTAL BODY COUNT: 27 The fact that Chucky makes a joke before nearly every kill really reduces the severety of them. Plus he has a sense of humor in the way he kills people, and the deaths more often look goofy than grisly.
Child's Play (1988) - Weasello Rating: {>---} (Uh) {{ Sequel }}
Please note that this review is laden with spoilers.
The first movie in the classic Chucky series.
Body count: A first time killer doesn't usually have a high body count, and this fact remains true for Chucky. One female, and 3 males - 4 in total.
Chucky's Injury Tally: As a human, chucky is shot first in the leg, then in the chest. Then, in a never-before-seen injury I have never tallied before nor since, he was struck by a bolt of voodoo lightning in the midst of an exploding toy store. As a doll, he sustained a cigarette burn to the cheek, was shot in the shoulder, shot in the leg, lit on fire and burned to a charred crisp, shot in the chest again, shot in the neck so that his head went flying off, shot in the arm so it went flying off, ditto for the leg, shot yet again twice more in the chest, and finally shot through the heart, "killing him."
Scream Count: 4 female, 5 male, 9 total.
Plot Outline: The movie opens up with a gunfight between notorious killer Charles Lee Ray and a police officer. Mortally wounded, Charles limps around looking for a hapless victim to pour his soul into using the power of Voodoo Magic. Unable to find anybody, he decides to chant the magical phrase that turns him into the doll we call "Chucky."
Chucky is then purchased and given to a child, Andy, for his birthday. Of course, noone beleives Andy when he says that Chucky pushed his babysitter out a window, and he gets locked up in a mental institution for a few nights. Chucky goes to his Voodoo magic teacher and asks how he can get out of this doll body... and Voodoo Magic Man says he has to funnel his soul into the body of the person who he first told his name Charles Lee Ray.
Andy is now in trouble!
As Chucky tracks down Andy for sweet vengeance, his mom and a police officer track down the truth and ambush Chucky. Shooting him to bits and pieces, and finally through the heart, the horror ends.
My Opinion: As this movie is first in the series, I suppose it adds some credibility to the second and third movies... And it explains the entire voodoo back-story. Other than for the sake of plot continuity, however, I don't see a reason to be watching this movie.
This movie is slow, unsuspenseful, not very actiony, and not even a lot of deaths. It doesn't even have the esteemed horror-movie nudity scenes.
Though this movie wasn't horrible, and it didn't have me groaning or wanting to turn it off, I can' bring myself to recommend it. Watch only before the rest of the series, and even then it's optional.
Interesting Notes:
- Chucky's full name is "Charles Lee Ray" - which was derived from Charles Manson, Lee Harvey Oswald, and James Earl Ray... All notorious killers.
- In the other movies of the series, Chucky is an animatronic doll usually suspened by wires or otherwise supported to give the illusion of movement. In this movie, however, a lot of the non-close-up action was done by a child dressed in a Chucky suit (such as running, climbing, and other complex motion tasks)
- Apparantly, random women are allowed to run through a crowd of reporters, under a line of police tape, past several police officers and fire crews, through a guarded door, up 6 flights of stairs, and allowed to run unquestioned through a crimescene apartment chock full of policemen unchecked. Go Chicago!
Fun Quotes!
- "What an ugly doll..." -Old Woman
"FUCK YOU!" -Chucky
Lead roles:
Directed by: Tom Holland
Writing credits: Don Mancini (I)
Filmed In: Chicago, Illinois
Tagline: You'll wish it was only make-believe.
Sources: The oh-so-wonderful IMDB, my head, and the box.
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