Director – Tom Holland (Fright Night, Amazing Stories)
Starring – Catherine Hicks (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Tucker’s Witch), Chris Sarandon (The Princess Bride, The Nightmare Before Christmas), and Alex Vincent (House Guest Massacre, The Dark Military)
Release Date – 1988
Rating – 3/5
Blu Release – 4.5/5
I’ve been writing poorly written reviews now for right at a decade and sometimes I find myself wondering why in the fuck someone would send a particular movie my way for review. Most of the time these films are known the world over and have a large and loyal fan base. Regardless, I’m grateful for any movie sent my way for review and always try to be as honest as I can be while being respectful.
Sometime back Umbrella Entertainment sent over Tom Holland’s 1988 classic Child’s Play. This release was part of their Beyond Genres line. I know that Child’s Play is one of the most popular films to come out of the 80s and Chucky is, arguably, one of the many faces of horror but it’s a film that I could live without. For me, the Child’s Play series never really gained traction until Bride of Chucky but the first film still has it’s moments. Like always, I want to thank Umbrella for sending this one over.
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows a single mother and her young son who has a birthday approaching. He really wants a Good Guy doll but because money is tight she is unable to get him one. That is until a homeless man sells her one that he rescued from a burning toy store. What they don’t know is that the toy store fire was created when a detective chased notorious serial killer Charles Lee Ray who transferred his soul into a Good Guy doll after he was shot. Now, the possessed doll is, Chucky, is trying to get his hands on an amulet so he can finish the soul transfer and put it in the little boy and he will let no one stand in his way. **Spoiler Alert**
I know that most of the horror community loves this one and I do like watching it from time to time but I feel like the film missed so many opportunities. It’s still a fun film but the characters and story was better handled in films like Bride and Seed of Chucky than the first three films.
The acting in this is the film’s high point. Catherine Hicks and Chris Sarandon is absolutely fantastic together. Sarandon’s hardened detective character really works well with Hick’s loving mother. Both are cliched but they match the story perfectly. Also, Brad Dourif absolutely shines in the role. He’s an amazing serial killer but his voice of Chucky is absolutely fantastic. He’s one of the highlights of the series and really comes into his own in later installments.
The story for this one takes itself too seriously for what it is. We have a serial killer with a knack for voodoo that voices a child’s toy. It has one hell of a set up for a horror comedy but the serious tone falls of deaf ears. If the killer was a little more grounded it would have worked as a serious horror film but the killer doll with the voodoo doesn’t really fit the tone of the film.
Finally, the deaths fit the film very well with some solid practical effects. However, the deaths don’t really stand out. Chucky and his relationship with the young boy is the focus of the film instead of the blood and gore and it shows. Overall, Child’s Play is a horror classic but I feel it may be a bit overrated. Regardless, Umbrella put out a release that should satisfy the most die hard fans. Check it out.
Special Features:
Audio Commentary with director Tom Holland, moderated by Nathaniel Thompson
Behind-the-scenes special effects footage
Vintage featurette
TV spot
Audio commentary with Alex Vincent, Catherine Hicks and Chucky designer Kevin Yagher
Audio commentary with producer David Kirchner and screenwriter Don Mancini
Scene specific Chucky commentaries:
Chucky’s Thoughts
The Advantages of Being Chucky
Chucky on Filmmaking
Up Close and Personal with Chucky
Evil Comes in Small Packages
The Birth of Chucky
Creating the Horror
Unleashed
Chucky: Building a Nightmare
A Monster Convention
“Introducing Chucky”: The Making of Child’s Play
Theatrical Trailer
