After the fall of Empire Pictures, Charles Band relocated to the US to form what would become Full Moon Productions. Prior to this, he had produced the 1987 Stuart Gordon-directed Dolls. Band was fascinated by the concept of killer dolls, so he decided to create a new film with that idea. While coming up with a title, he was reminded of another movie he made at Empire called The Dungeonmaster. He remembered people really liking that title, so he decided to use the word “master” to create Puppet Master. He tasked David Schmoeller, who we worked with on Tourist Trap, Crawlspace, and Catacombs, with directing. Originally intended for a theatrical release, Band decided to release it direct-to-video believing that it would be more successful. Turns out he was right as this one film managed to spawn 10 sequels, a crossover, and a reboot. So how did this franchise get started?
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We open on the Bodega Bay Hotel in 1939, where puppeteer Andre Toulon (William Hickey) is working on his puppets. However, two Nazi spies are after him because they want the secret to his puppets. Turns out Toulon has found a way to bring life to the puppets, and the Nazis want this knowledge. Before the Nazis break in, Toulon packs up the puppets, hides them in a wall panel, and kills himself. Cut to several years later where college professor Alex Whitaker (Paul Le Mat) has been having strange visions. Alex is summoned to the Bodega Bay Hotel, along with Dana (Irene Miracle), Frank (Matt Roe), and Carissa (Kathryn O’Reilly). Turns out a former associate of theirs, Neil Gallagher (Jimmie F. Skaggs), has died and has brought them together. As they try to figure out what’s happening, Toulon’s puppets come alive and start killing them off one by one.
For a low-budget direct-to-video horror film, this film is much better than one would expect. While the story is fairly basic, it’s still engaging and moves at a pretty good pace. Luckily, this movie is only 83 minutes long, so it never overstays its welcome. As for the acting, it’s not really anything special, but everyone still does a decent job. The characters aren’t given much in terms of personality, but you’re never annoyed or bored by them. In terms of stand-outs, Irene Miracle is pretty fun with her sarcastic quips and sassy attitude. Paul Le Mat is alright, but it does somewhat feel like he’s just going through the motions. David Schmoeller’s direction is pretty solid, especially when it comes to the POV shots of the puppets. Plus, the movie has plenty of violence, nudity, and blood to keep you entertained.
Of course, the real highlights of the movie and the real reason to see it are the puppets. While their screen-time is limited at around 10-15 minutes, they’re still the best part. Not only are the puppets well-designed and each have a unique look, but the stop-motion animation is top notch. The stop-motion was done by animator David Allen, who worked with Band before and would continue up until his death. Given than Allen was nominated for an Oscar for Young Sherlock Holmes, it’s not surprise the animation is superb. Allen really helps bring the puppets to life, giving their movements a very uneasy feel and look. While it would have been preferable to have them here more, they still end up stealing the show. Overall, in spite of the puppets’ limited screen-time and a fairly basic story, Puppet Master is still worth a watch.
