DOLLS
A film review by Michael C. De Masi
Copyright 1988 Michael C. De Masi
I love Empire Pictures.
For those of you who don't know, DOLLS is another little sickie from the same folks who brought us REANIMATOR and FROM BEYOND. Unbelievable horror, generously laced with gore and a truly perverse sense of humor is their trademark, and they live up nicely to their reputation with this little gem.
The story is familiar. A bunch of assorted characters get stuck on a winding country road in the middle of a sudden storm and stop to spend the night at the lavish home of a kindly, but somewhat strange old couple. Of course, they have to spend the night, and are soon introduced to the handiwork of their hosts: Toys, dolls, hundreds of them. These, of course, are not your regular Mattel issue Wetsy Betsy's, but a truly fun loving breed of little playthings that just want to have some fun. And some fun they have!
Nothing unusual so far, right? Basic horror formula with some NIGHT GALLERY and TWILIGHT ZONE thrown in (Rod, where are you when we need you?) So what makes this movie memorable: The casting, it's damn near perfect. Don't expect the usual Empire crowd (No Jeffrey Combs, no Barbara Crampton, no Barbara Crampton's breasts, no big bosomed lady with the Dutch accent. There's one vet, though.) but a great ensemble cast with just the right blend of camp and seriousness. I love a movie where you can hear the people around you saying "No, don't go in there, you fool. Don't you know what's behind that door?" and this is definitely one of them.
Another difference between this flick and the other two is that the psycho-sexual aspect is really toned down. It's also not quite as bloody, but probably even more frightening. *Do not* show this movie to your children, unless you want to spend at least a few nights awake with them warding off the "Bad dollies." I was keeping a close eye on my sister's teddy bear for about a week, myself.
See it with an easily scared friend,
Mike D
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