Puppet Master (1989) Review

"I had this dream, and I came here to make sure it didn't come true" - Alex.

I'd bet that when Full Moon Features released Puppet Master back in 1989 that they had no idea that it would be followed by nothing short of 10 sequels (though 2004's Puppet Master vs. Demonic Toys is not considered official). Due to this ridiculous amount of sequels, the Puppet Master franchise has gained a cult following over the years, and looks to still be as popular as ever with their most recent film, Puppet Master X: Axis Rising, being released in 2012.  But does the one that started it all still hold up today?

The story begins in 1939 at a hotel situated on the coast, the Bodega Bay Inn. Andre Toulon (William Hickey) is staying there, where he makes puppets and brings them to life with a magic incantation. However, he is being pursued by spies, and so he locks the puppets away and takes his own life before they arrive at his room, forever protecting his secret of how he gives life to inanimate objects. Fast forward 50 years later, and a group of psychics arrive at the inn after one of their colleagues, Neil (Jimmie F. Skaggs), has supposedly discovered Toulon's secret. When the group arrives, Neil's wife Megan (Robin Frates) reveals that Neil has passed away. As night draws closer, Toulon's puppets awaken and the group must try and survive, and learn that their colleague may not be as dead as first thought...

If you decide to watch Puppet Master, then no doubt the attraction is seeing the puppets come to life and cause chaos. If that's the case, you may be disappointed with this film. With a horror film, I like there to be a good amount of tension leading up to the scares, but just enough so that the film doesn't drag. A perfect example is Ridley Scott's 1979 classic, Alien. In Alien, there aren't any scares for a long period of time, but the build up is great as we learn more and more about the environment the characters explore before the horror is unleashed. In Puppet Master, the moments before the puppets get started tend to drag, which isn't helped by the fact that the characters aren't that interesting. This is an especially weak point of the film as having characters with psychic powers creates potential for interesting personalities and set-pieces. Sadly, the groups psychic abilities are very downplayed, as are the actor's performances. Our leading man is Alex (Paul Le Mat), who is likeable enough, as he doesn't seem to be impressed with the other's more immature approach to solving the mystery. He's the only character I didn't want to be killed off, whereas the other's were either insufferable (Irene Miracle as Dana) or not memorable enough for me to care (everyone else). The real stars of the film are of course the puppets, and provide easily the best entertainment value. This is largely down to the creative choices for each puppet, with all five of them easily distinguishable. My favourite of the puppets is Tunneler, who has a deadly spinning drill attached to the top of his head. I also love Jimmie F. Skaggs' performance as the resurrected Neil. He blurs the line between acting sinister and hammy and is immensely enjoyable to watch. 

I have to commend Puppet Master for its creative special effects, easily by far the best thing about the film. Most of the effects are achieved through practical means, and they look fantastic considering the limited budget. There are a few instances where the puppets are stop-motion, but these shots aren't lingered on too long, allowing greater focus on the practical effects. As well as the effects, I was also impressed with the music and cinematography. Both are used to give the film a surreal atmosphere, especially in the dream sequences, where Alex has visions of Neil dancing with Megan, only to shoot her after taunting him. The melodic soundtrack offers a contrasting mood to Alex's horror, perfectly complimenting the surrealist style of the film. 

Had the story not dragged so much and the characters better developed, Puppet Master could have been a truly great horror film. The atmosphere is terrific and the puppets themselves are a real treat. With this potentially winning formula done right, maybe we wouldn't have had so many sequels. If you're a fan of cult horror cinema, this one's worth checking out, at least to see the puppets run wild. If you're wanting to be scared silly with a satisfactory combo of characters and atmosphere, then you may want to skip this one.

Pros:
+ Haunting musical score creates a great horror atmosphere.
+ Cinematography that compliments the film's surrealism.
+ The puppets, and the special effects that bring them to life.

Cons:
- Forgettable characters.
- Slow moving plot.