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Puppetmaster (1989)
Starring Paul Le Mat, William Hickey, Irene
Miracle, Jimmie F. Skaggs & Robin Frates
Written by Charles Band & Kenneth J. Hall
Directed by David Schmoeller
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The Puppet Master is not quite as silly as it's title suggests, as far as B-movies are concerned I'd say it's more of a B+ rather than B-! Directed by David Schmoeller, and committed to celluloid for our pleasure/disdain in the taste defunct 80's. It's perhaps most notable for its character's hideously over-coiffured hairstyles (check out in particular the balding baddie who insists on keeping his long hair in a fetching ponytail/comb-over combo - hot!). Fashion faux-paus' aside, Puppet Master tells the tale of an eccentric old man who makes creepy looking puppets for a living. He commits suicide in the opening scenes, just before two shady looking figures break in to his room.
Many years later a group of 'psychics' return to his past dwellings to obtain what they believe is The Puppet Master's secret to the elixir of life. What they actually come face to face with are a gaggle of badass puppets who, amongst other things, spew bloodsucking leeches onto victims and bore holes into people with a, erm, drillbit for a head!
The special effects in the film are fairly impressive, in a rather basic, tacky way and that's all down to SFX wizard David Allen, who as the front cover of the DVD cheerily notes 'won an academy award' for, no, not this film, but a totally unrelated one - Young Sherlock Holmes! Visuals aside, the script ain't winning any awards any time soon, but, there is a little guilty pleasure to be had in a slightly kinky sex scene - tights on the head get you off? Then this is your film!
Stars include William Hick (from Prizzis Honour, we are told) and a few other randoms. Do be warned, there are no distractions in the form of a dumb but cute actor/actress in this film. Sometimes its hard to think who looks scarier, the cast or the puppets! Watch this one for the laughs and as a lesson to us all - that 80'S fashion must not be allowed to make a comeback!!
Now maybe its just me embracing my inner movie geek, but I definitely spotted some homages to horrors of old in this film, such as 'Carnival of Souls' and 'Suspiria' Call yourself a movie nerd? Have a watch and see if you can get what I'm talking about here, or alternatively just watch the film and feel rather unimpressed by the whole thing! Either way you'll get a small fix of faux blood and unwitty oneliners. What better way to start the week?!
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sophia