TR Reviews horror franchises: "Child's Play"

Child's Play
1988
Director: Tom Holland

In the late '80s, Universal pictures received a screenplay from Don Mancini, concerning a serial killer, a voodoo chant...and a killer doll. Even more, a killer doll with a personality. Believing that the public was thoroughly burnt out on Freddy Kruger on the "monsters with a personality" ticket, they were skeptical - but they saw something in the screenplay about a kid and the evil secret he seems to share with the strange doll, and went with it.
It paid off. The original "Child's Play" is a movie that seems to play on one of our most innate fears - dolls. Maybe it's just me, but I have noticed that many people are afraid of dolls for some strange reason. And when we see children with their dolls, it becomes even creepier, as the lifelike figures grow into lifelike friends for the kids - and strangely, the kids always seem to share some evil secret with them...
Of course, much like the "Nightmare on Elm Street" series, this movie shares a simple setup for the "killer doll" scenario. Charles Lee Ray (the incomparable Brad Dourif), voodoo-practicing serial killer extraordinaire, is finally cornered, shot by police, and left for dead...only with his last breath, he uses a voodoo incantation to transfer his soul into the thing that is most close to him...a Good Guys Doll.
From here ensues classic horror. Of course, the child who ends up with the cursed doll, Andy (Alex Vincent, doing about as good of an acting job as you could possibly expect) is thrilled to have the brand-new, state-of-the-art doll in his possession, and the mother (Catherine Hicks), who can't believe that she was able to find it so cheap. And from here the horror and madness ensues, as Mr. Chucky comes home with the single-parent family...
"Child's Play" is a different kind of horror film for the time it came from. Unlike "Friday" or "Nightmare," these movies (and especially the first) depended heavily on the acting, even moreso as it depends on the tried and true "the kid knows the doll is evil, but who will believe him?" storyline. And indeed, this film is even more effective because you don't actually SEE any of Chucky's malice firsthand until more than an hour into the film. Indeed, when Hicks finally realizes that the doll talks while the batteries are out, the moment that Chucky comes to life in her arms is very shocking for those who haven't seen the film before.
Of course, as the first in a long series of films, this film covers the backstory of the Charles Lee Ray character and the voodoo storyline excellently. It boasts some good, creative special effects for the times, the unbelievable voice acting of Mr. Dourif, and excellent performances from Hicks and Vincent.

*** 1/2 / ****