Welcome one and all to part 44 of my weekly blog, The 52 In 52. Each week this year I have hand picked a DVD or Blu Ray from my collection that has been gathering dust and I watch and review it. Last week I talked about the superhero/horror crossover Brightburn.
Every October I spend the entire month watching horror movies why not follow along on Instagram and let me know what you're watching. As always if you have any comments or feedback leave a comment in the section below or by following me on Twitter and Instagram.
This week I will be talking about Puppet Master. Released in 1989, Puppet Master was written by Charles Band and directed by David Schmoeller. The story follows a group of psychics, led by Alex Whitaker (Paul Le Mat) who come together in a hotel to solve the mystery behind their former associate, Neil Gallagher (Jimmie F.Skaggs) death. The group soon discover a mystical force has willed a band of puppets to life to wreck havoc on everyone that gets in their way.
I must admit I knew very little about Puppet Master, or the vast franchise that spun off from the original film, before I watched it. After watching it I can see why it has a cult following and why it did very well in a straight to video capacity. The story told throughout the film is told in such a way that even after you have finished watching Puppet Master you feel like you don't know everything, in the best way possible. I loved the opening scenes that established a story as to why the puppets were in the hotel and why nobody knew why they were there until much later. The story that unfolds in the present times narrative is told well and instead of being driven by the puppets and heavy gore that a lot of horror films that were being made at the time the story is what really drives the film. The 3rd act of the film really ramps up the action and horror to a fever pitch without being long and drawn out.
The acting throughout the film is a little on the melodramatic side but, in a story where puppets brought to life by a long dead master and being used by a dead psychic to attempt to take over the world it's hard to see why the acting wouldn't be a little on the melodramatic side. Jimmie F. Skaggs has a joker esque quality to his delivery and facial expressions and has the ability to terrify and bring an air of unease without moving a muscle. Paul Le Mat is great as Alex Whitaker and he really pulls all the over dramatic elements and characters together and acts as the glue of the motley crew of characters.
The effects work is really well done through out Puppet Master. The blood and gore are done to such a level that in a fantastical film it seems real and I mean that with the upmost compliments. The puppetry through out the film is done to such a strong level that for a film of it's time seems to be almost impossible and impressed me greatly. I loved the way in which the camera switched to a POV when the puppets were on the move, especially in the opening scenes where the inclusion of sound effects almost humanised the puppets. I also really enjoyed the use of musical score. The theme is an almost circus like dizzying song that really sets a tone for the film to come. I also liked the way in which there was little to no score during the human interaction and it is used in short sharp bursts to highlight the encroaching menace of the puppets.
Overall Puppet Master is an under rated gem that shows that with a decent story even the scariest of horror films can still entertain an audience without the over use of effects and gore.
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