By Melissa Antoinette Garza
Since the first movie, I have been addicted to the Child’s Play franchise. I was 9 years old when the original came out. Back then, certain scenes definitely freaked me out, but I just couldn’t turn away.
I enjoy the entire series. Even Child Play 3 (1991) and Seed of Chucky (2004), which few horror fans enjoy, I watch with affection. I love Brad Dourif. Whether it’s the underrated horror film Spontaneous Combustion (1990) or Dourif’s amazing performance of the evil Deputy Pell in Mississippi Burning (1988). He’s just fantastic in everything he’s in, and though he’s a horror icon, he can play any part magnificently. For example in 1990, he was in one of my favorite unknown gems called Horseplayer where he portrays a gambler working at a liquor store who falls victim when a woman with ulterior motives seduces him.
By far, Chucky is Dourif’s most widely known and beloved character and within reason. We only see Dourif in the very beginning of Child’s Play as Charles Lee Ray. He portrays the Lakeshore Strangler who is caught by Officer Mike Norris (Chris Sarandon). He’s trapped in a large doll store where prior to succumbing to gunshot wounds he transfers his soul into a Good Guy Doll which for those who didn’t grow up in the 80s, Google pics of the real dolls My Buddy and Kid Sister to see what the design was obviously based on. I always wondered if the Child’s Play films hurt the sales of that line. I remember as a child I had an expensive doll called Baby Talk. When I saw Child’s Play, I became convinced that doll was possessed. I’d walk into a room and it would say, “hello, mommy” as it had a computer chip or a sensor so when anyone walked by it, it would speak. I remember shaving the dolls head and selling it at a tag sale because I didn’t trust it. My poor mother spent over a $100 on it, but in the end I think I did the right thing. You can’t take chances! It wasn’t as if Chucky was attacking a belligerent Telly Savalas. No, Chucky was going after a cute kid….and I was a cute kid! Well, I was a kid anyways. Close enough for me so I wasn’t taking the risk!
So, as mentioned Andy (Alex Vincent) is a really adorable little boy. I for one definitely prefer bunnies over humans, but I’d go as far to say that Andy is nearly as cute as a bunny. His single hard-working mom Karen (Catherine Hicks) thinks so too. She works at a jewelry counter inside a store similar to Sears or JC Penney. It’s right around Christmas which is also near Andy’s birthday. All he wants is a Good Guy doll but they’re out of Karen’s price range. So she does the logical thing. She finds a weird homeless guy selling one much cheaper. Still in the box, she jumps at it.
When she returns to her counter, her geeky douche-bag boss tells her she has to work overtime despite it being Andy’s birthday. She runs home in time to give him the doll, but then leaves him in the care of her smart-mouth friend Maggie (Dinah Manoff).
Odd things begin to happen nearly immediately. The news is suddenly on TV detailing the death of Ray, and Andy insists that Chucky wants to watch it. Maggie thinks Andy is just blaming the doll and chastises poor Andy. Of course, things don’t end well for the babysitter. When do things ever end up good for babysitters in horror flicks?
Well, the case goes to Officer Norris who suspects Andy as the killer. Karen doesn’t believe the doll murdered Maggie, but believes Andy is just so traumatized that he’s using Chucky.
Soon, Ray learns he’ll have to stay in the doll unless he uses his Voodoo to transfer himself into Andy. Andy sensing his mom’s upset tries to reassure her and says that he knows it’s just a doll, but he becomes overwhelmingly aggravated and fearful of Chucky. When the police take Andy into custody, Karen’s intent on getting to the bottom of it.
It is only when she discovers the batteries to make the doll talk were never taken out of the box that she finds out the truth.
Child’s Play doesn’t get old. It’s a great Halloween or Christmas treat. It encompasses everything great about 80s horror, has some suspenseful moments and a fantastic villain.
Scared Stiff Rating: 9/10
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