This article needs additional citations for verification .(May 2011) |
Dolls | |
---|---|
![]() Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | Stuart Gordon |
Written by | Ed Naha |
Produced by | |
Starring |
|
Cinematography | Mac Ahlberg |
Edited by | Lee Percy |
Music by |
|
Distributed by | Empire Pictures |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 77 minutes [1] |
Country | United States [1] |
Language | English |
Dolls is a 1987 American horror film directed by Stuart Gordon, written by Ed Naha, and starring Stephen Lee, Guy Rolfe, Hilary Mason, Ian Patrick Williams, and Bunty Bailey. Its plot follows six people who seek shelter during a storm in the mansion of an elderly puppet maker and his wife, only to find that the various puppets and dolls in the home contain the imprisoned spirits of criminals. It was produced by Charles Band and Brian Yuzna through Band's Empire Pictures.
The film was shot in Italy at Empire Studios prior to the making of Gordon's From Beyond (1986), but went unreleased until 1987, when it premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival.
A violent thunderstorm strands young Judy, her father David, and her stepmother Rosemary in the English countryside. Seeking shelter, the trio break into a nearby mansion, where they meet the owners, a kindly older couple named Gabriel and Hilary Hartwicke. Learning that Judy has "lost" her beloved stuffed bear Teddy (in fact, the cruel Rosemary threw Teddy into the bushes), Gabriel gives Judy a doll named Mr. Punch. Three more people arrive at the mansion, also seeking shelter from the storm: Good-natured American businessman Ralph and English hitchhikers Isabel and Enid. Gabriel invites them all to stay the night.
Judy soon discovers that the mansion is full of beautifully detailed toys and dolls like Mr. Punch; Gabriel explains that he and his wife are toy makers. Judy and Ralph are both overjoyed, and the latter is something of a child at heart who has never given up his love and fondness of toys.
Isabel and Enid are actually petty thieves who hitchhiked with Ralph intending to pick his pocket. That night, Isabel sneaks out of her room to rob the mansion. Instead, she is brutally attacked by dolls who caught her in the midst of her thievery who then drag her into the darkness (having rammed her repeatedly into a wall). Judy, in the hallway, briefly sees the attack and she rushes to tell her father David. However, David is a neglectful and uncaring father; both he and Rosemary refuses to believe Judy for making up stories. Instead, Judy convinces Ralph to check out the hallway with her. Ralph is initially very skeptical, but he eventually begins believing Judy after her Mr. Punch doll briefly speaks to them.
Rosemary is later attacked by the dolls; in the midst of escaping them, she ends up accidentally overleaping out of a window to her death. Enid searches for Isabel and finds her almost entirely transformed into a doll version of herself. A horde of toys (including actual projectile shooting soldier figurines) attack and kill Enid (as she attempts to fight them off and escape). Meanwhile, Ralph gets accidentally caught in a trap the dolls set for the other adults before Judy convinces them to save him; because he is her friend and has done nothing wrong (with the Dolls stopping in their tracks and seem to argue with one another over the matter). David discovers Rosemary's dead body placed in his bed and believes that Ralph killed her.
Now safe from the dolls, Judy and Ralph enter the workshop where the irate David finds them. Ralph tries to explain that the dolls attacked the others for their actions, but David refuses to listen, knocking both his daughter and Ralph unconscious in his rage. Then, Mr. Punch comes to life and attacks David. Other dolls intervene, dragging the unconscious Ralph and Judy away to safety as Mr. Punch is destroyed by David after a fierce struggle.
The Hartwickes appear and explain that they are a magician couple who see toys as the heart and soul of childhood. Gabriel and Hilary dislike the bitterness of adults, and when people seek shelter at their mansion, the dolls serve as a test for the visitors. People like Ralph (who appreciate the joy of childhood) and children like Judy are spared and leave the house with a fuller appreciation of life. However, those who refuse to change their ways (like David, Rosemary, Enid, and Isabel) can never leave and have to start all over and play a new role in the world as toys forever. As the Hartwickes explain this, the incredulous yet insane and threatening David is slowly (and agonizingly) transformed into a doll to replace Mr. Punch.
The next morning, the Hartwickes convince the reawakened Ralph and Judy that the night's events were just a dream (despite Ralph being dubious). Gabriel reads a fake letter from David explaining to Judy that he and Rosemary are changing their names and leaving the country with Enid and Isabel. Judy will be able to stay permanently with her caring mother in Boston and that "David" has left Judy and Ralph enough money to buy plane tickets to Boston. Before leaving Judy says goodbye to Mr. Punch (and Ralph hears it whisper in the voice of "David", conforming to him that the Hartwickes aren't being truthful). Judy finds Teddy in Ralph's car, and gives him to Hartwickes. Ralph and Judy leave the house, and as they drive away, Judy hints to him that if he would like to stay with her and her mother, he could be Judy's new father. Ralph seems interested in the idea.
The film ends with dolls of David, Rosemary, Enid, and Isabel sitting on a shelf (with Rosemary looking at the others to then face the window) while outside another car with a set of obnoxious parents gets stuck in mud near the mansion (eventually dragging the children out of the vehicle to head towards the building).
Director Stuart Gordon came across Ed Naha's script for Dolls at Empire Pictures and became interested in directing it. [3] Inspired by the book The Uses of Enchantment by Bruno Bettelheim, Gordon conceived the film as horror fairy tale in the vein of "Hansel and Gretel". [3]
Dolls extensively uses stop motion animation by David W. Allen. [3]
Dolls premiered in the United States at the Seattle International Film Festival on April 27, 1987, before opening in Los Angeles on May 22, 1987. [1] It was released theatrically in New York City that fall, opening on November 6, 1987. [2]
Dolls received mixed reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 60%, based on reviews from 15 critics. [4] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 55%, based on reviews from five critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [5]
Michael H. Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram favored the film, describing it as "a nervy mix of whimsy and jolts," praising the cinematography, performances, and special effects. [6]
Roger Ebert's review of the film was mostly negative, commenting that Dolls lacks the energy and unapologetic excess of Stuart Gordon's two previous films. He also opined that dolls are intrinsically not frightening due to their cute appearance, writing, "The haunted house looks magnificent, but so what, if it's not haunted by great and frightening creatures? At some point Dolls remains only an idea, a concept. It doesn't become an engine to shock and involve us." He gave it two out of four stars. [7]
Ain't It Cool News reviewed the DVD, calling it "a movie that really stands above the type of film you might expect from this era, with this subject matter." [8] HorrorNews.net's Jeff Colebank listed the toymaking couple as one of the 13 Best Horror Movie Couples, stating that Rolfe was "the creepiest toymaker of them all". [9] Allmovie 's review of the film was mildly favorable, calling it "a serious-minded, lovingly-crafted modern fairy tale that only misses classic status by a few clumsy, low-budget moments." [10]
Dolls was released to DVD by MGM Home Entertainment on September 20, 2005, as a Region 1 widescreen DVD and by the Scream Factory division of Shout! Factory (under license from MGM) on November 11, 2014, as a Region A widescreen Blu-ray. [11] In 2023, Arrow Films released a new Blu-ray as part of a multi-film box set featuring other Empire Pictures films, entitled Enter the Video Store: Empire of Screams. [12]
Stuart Gordon was, at one point, interested in directing a sequel to this film. The initial story would have followed Judy and Ralph back to Boston in which Ralph would have married Judy's mother and they would become a family. One day Judy would receive a box sent from England that contained the toy makers, Gabriel and Hilary, as dolls. The sequel never entered production. [13]
Child's Play is a 1988 American supernatural slasher film directed by Tom Holland, from a screenplay he co-wrote with Don Mancini and John Lafia, and a story by Mancini. The film stars Catherine Hicks and Chris Sarandon with Brad Dourif as Chucky. Its plot follows a widowed mother who gives a doll to her son, unaware that the doll is possessed by the soul of a serial killer.
Tales from the Crypt is a 1972 British horror film directed by Freddie Francis. It is an anthology film consisting of five separate segments, based on short stories from the EC Comics series Tales from the Crypt by Al Feldstein, Johnny Craig, and Bill Gaines. The film was produced by Amicus Productions and filmed at Shepperton Studios in Surrey, England.
Re-Animator is a 1985 American comedy horror film loosely based on the 1922 H. P. Lovecraft serial novelette "Herbert West–Reanimator". Directed by Stuart Gordon and produced by Brian Yuzna, the film stars Jeffrey Combs as Herbert West, a medical student who has invented a reagent which can re-animate deceased bodies. He and his classmate Dan Cain begin to test the serum on dead human bodies, and conflict with Dr. Carl Hill, who is infatuated with Cain's fiancée and wants to claim the invention as his own.
Puppet Master is a 1989 American horror film written by Charles Band and Kenneth J. Hall, and directed by David Schmoeller. The film stars Paul Le Mat, Irene Miracle, Matt Roe and Kathryn O'Reilly as psychics who are plotted against by a former colleague, using puppets animated by an Egyptian spell.
Stuart Alan Gordon was an American filmmaker, theatre director, screenwriter, and playwright. Initially recognized for his provocative and frequently controversial work in experimental theatre, Gordon began directing films in 1985. Most of Gordon's cinematic output was in the horror genre, though he also ventured into science fiction and film noir.
Dolly Dearest is a 1991 American supernatural horror film starring Denise Crosby, Rip Torn, Sam Bottoms, Chris Demetral, Candace Hutson and Lupe Ontiveros. The film was initially supposed to be direct-to-video, but it did get a limited theatrical release in the Midwestern United States. Despite being critically panned, it has been sometimes credited as being the inspiration for the 2014 film Annabelle.
Trilogy of Terror is a 1975 American made-for-television anthology horror film directed by Dan Curtis and starring Karen Black. It features three segments, each based on unrelated short stories by Richard Matheson. The first follows a college professor who seeks excitement with her students; the second is about twin sisters who have a bizarre relationship. These two segments were adapted by William F. Nolan. The third, adapted by Matheson himself, focuses on a woman terrorized by a Zuni fetish doll in her apartment. Black stars in all three segments, and plays dual roles in the second.
House of the Long Shadows is a 1983 British comedy horror film directed by Pete Walker. It is notable for featuring four iconic horror film stars together for the first and only time. The screenplay by Michael Armstrong is based on the 1913 novel Seven Keys to Baldpate by Earl Derr Biggers, which was also adapted into a famous play that gave birth in turn to several films.
Guy Rolfe was a British actor.
From Beyond is a 1986 science-fiction body horror film directed by Stuart Gordon, loosely based on the short story of the same name by H. P. Lovecraft. It was written by Dennis Paoli, Gordon and Brian Yuzna, and stars Jeffrey Combs, Barbara Crampton, Ken Foree and Ted Sorel.
Robot Jox is a 1990 American post-apocalyptic mecha science-fiction film directed by Stuart Gordon and starring Gary Graham, Anne-Marie Johnson and Paul Koslo. Co-written by science-fiction author Joe Haldeman, the film's plot follows Achilles, one of the "robot jox" who pilot giant machines that fight international battles to settle territorial disputes in a dystopian, post-apocalyptic world.
Scavenger Hunt is a 1979 American comedy film with a large ensemble cast which includes Richard Benjamin, James Coco, Scatman Crothers, Ruth Gordon, Cloris Leachman, Cleavon Little, Roddy McDowall, Robert Morley, Richard Mulligan, Tony Randall, Dirk Benedict, Willie Aames, Stephanie Faracy, Stephen Furst and Richard Masur. The film was directed by Michael Schultz, and released by 20th Century Fox. It includes an appearance by Arnold Schwarzenegger, and features cameos by Meat Loaf and Vincent Price.
H.G. Wells' The Food of the Gods, also billed as just The Food of the Gods, is a 1976 science fiction thriller film released by American International Pictures and was written, produced and directed by Bert I. Gordon.
Rosemary's Baby is a 1968 American psychological horror film written and directed by Roman Polanski, based on Ira Levin's 1967 novel of the same name. The film stars Mia Farrow as a newlywed living in Manhattan who becomes pregnant, but soon begins to suspect that her neighbors are members of a Satanic cult who are grooming her in order to use her baby for their rituals. The film's supporting cast includes John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon, Sidney Blackmer, Maurice Evans, Ralph Bellamy, Patsy Kelly, Angela Dorian, and Charles Grodin in his feature film debut.
The Brotherhood of Satan is a 1971 American supernatural horror film directed by Bernard McEveety, produced by L. Q. Jones and Alvy Moore, and starring Jones, Strother Martin, and Ahna Capri. Its plot follows a widow, who, while traveling through the American Southwest with his young daughter and girlfriend (Capri), arrive in a small California town where a coven of Satanist witches are kidnapping the local children with the intent of transferring their own souls into the children's bodies as a means of achieving immortality.
Demonic Toys 2 is a 2010 American horror comedy slasher film written and directed by William Butler and produced by Charles Band. It is a slasher film featuring killer dolls. It is technically the fourth film featuring the evil ‘Demonic Toys’ in the Demonic Toys film franchise. It follows two previous crossover films that expanded lore into both the Dollman universe, with 1993’s Dollman vs. Demonic Toys and the Puppet Master franchise with 2004’s Puppet Master vs Demonic Toys. It is the official direct sequel to the 1992 original classic, Demonic Toys.
People Toys is a 1974 American slasher film directed by Sean MacGregor and an uncredited David Sheldon and starring Sorrell Booke, Gene Evans, Shelley Morrison, and Leif Garrett, along with Garrett's real-life sister, Dawn Lyn and their mother, Carolyn Stellar. The film follows a group of four sociopathic, homicidal children who, accompanied by a mysterious nun, seek refuge with a number of snobbish vacationers at a lakeside chalet, only to systematically murder them one by one.
La bambola di Satana is a 1969 Italian gothic horror film written and directed by Ferruccio Casapinta.
Annabelle Comes Home is a 2019 American supernatural horror film written and directed by Gary Dauberman, in his directorial debut, from a story by Dauberman and James Wan, who also served as producer with Peter Safran. It serves as a sequel to 2014's Annabelle and 2017's Annabelle: Creation, and as the sixth installment in The Conjuring Universe franchise. The film stars Mckenna Grace, Madison Iseman, and Katie Sarife, along with Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson, who reprise their roles as Ed and Lorraine Warren.
Hansel and Gretel is a 1987 American Israeli fantasy musical film, part of the 1980s film series Cannon Movie Tales. It is directed by Len Talan and stars David Warner, Cloris Leachman, Hugh Pollard and Nicola Stapleton. It is a contemporary version of the classic tale of Hansel and Gretel of the Brothers Grimm. Like the other Cannon Movie Tales, the film was filmed entirely in Israel.