Director: David Schmoeller
Cast: Paul Le Mat, Jimmie F. Scaggs, Irene Miracle, Robin Frates, Barbara Crampton, William Hickey
Screenplay: David Schmoeller
90 mins. Rated R for strong graphic horror/fantasy violence, a strong sex scene with nudity and strong language.

I remember scouring the racks of VHS tapes at my local video store as a child. It was called Arnold Avenue Video (located on Arnold Avenue, of course), and its selection always wowed me. I remember seeing the tapes for several Puppet Master films but being told that they were Cult films. When I asked for clarity, I was informed that Cult films were movies that would make you join a cult. I never did join any cult, but I was eventually, many years later, allowed to finally see the first Puppet Master. I’ve seen it a few more times since, and the most shocking thing about it is the fact that it somehow spawned such a mega-franchise.

Four gifted psychics are invited to the Bodega Bay Inn to mourn the death of a friend. They had, years before, tried to research the ancient magical secrets of Andre Toulon (William Hickey, The Nightmare Before Christmas), who had found a way to bring life to inanimate objects. As unusual goings on happen at the abandoned locale, it becomes clear that they’ve been brought here for a more nefarious purpose.

Given its extremely low budget, it’s quite admirable what writer/director David Schmoeller (Tourist Trap) is able to accomplish with Puppet Master, and I honestly didn’t mind that so much of the puppet sequences are seen through the eyes of the little creatures, because when they’re onscreen, they mostly work, even if some of the editing choices leave them visible for too long.

What really dulls the affairs is the lackluster human plot, which takes up too much time and is rather uninteresting from the get-go. None of these characters are all that worth following, with the exception maybe being Alex Whitaker (Paul Le Mat, American History X) but he’s just not enough to uplift some generally boring melodrama that only gets mildly interesting in the climax. The toys are the strength of the film, and they’re just absent for so much of the movie.

Schmoeller is still working his ass off to supply the film with enough style, including some dream sequences and visions that, although feeling like they came from a different movie, did work to unnerve frequently.

Puppet Master is admirable though occasionally bland. Producer Charles Band’s decision to release the film directly to home video is probably responsible for the franchise’s longevity, as the video store lived and breathed on great VHS box art, and Puppet Master certainly had that. As for the film’s merits, it sinks without the puppets, while some of the later sequels would make better use of the creatures for a more dynamic piece of Cult Horror Cinema. This first film never convinced me to join a cult, but there are many more installments that have a chance to try.

2.5/5
-Kyle A. Goethe