The Big Picture: Schlocktober 2013: Puppet Master

[schrodinger]

Schlocktober is back bitches!
It's fun to learn or rediscover older schlocky horror movies, especially a series like the puppet master. The whole nazi theme in some of the films were always bizarre to me, but in an odd way, it works. Then again, it's a series about living puppets who can't decide to be evil or good with a clusterfuck of a backstork.

Time to post a vaguely related song

 

[Devin Barker]

I NEVER got to comic con without hitting the Full Moon booth. I own the Puppet Master boxset and watch them constantly to torture my GF (who also has a puppet phobia)

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

I remember watching the second one years and years ago and absolutely loving it.

It's probably one of my favorite silly horror movies ever.

Also, YAY SCHLOCKTOBER IS BACK!

 

[Callate]

I remember seeing one or two of these as a teenager on cable. Nothing to brilliant, as Bob says, but generally better crafted than a lot of the lower-budget, "hey, red corn syrup is cheap, let's make a horror movie" films of the era.

I have to wonder, though, if it becomes harder to take the not-terribly-serious movies even vaguely seriously after having taken in Robot Chicken.

 

[shogunblade]

Bob, PLEEEEEASE bring up and do a full episode just on Dollman. That is one of the greatest movies even committed to video. Jackie Earle Haley screaming literally every minute on camera that he's on, shitty one liners, and possibly the great stunt ever performed. Please, DO IT.

Also, great review. I have never seen Puppet Master, but I did see Demonic Toys. If it has something resembling a plot (and from your take, it kind of does), I might check these out. Great review.

 

[kade_zero]

I really enjoyed this episode. I?m a long time fan of Charles Band, and Full Moon. So of course I love the Puppet Master series.

 

[Vault Citizen]

I think that it is a shame that you only do movie reviews for your Halloween themed stuff Bob. There are so many things you could do with a Halloween themed analysis show of the sort of stuff you look at that it feels like you're only tapping into a fraction of the show's potential by having the theme for October being movie reviews every year.

 

[daxterx2005]

I still like vs Demonic Toys.
Its in my personal Continuity :3

 

[Canadamus Prime]

I've heard of the Puppet Master movies, or at least the first few of 'em, but I've never seen them. And you know what? I think I still won't.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

Safe to say that this is a series I will never, ever watch. I don't care if it's good or not, I'm staying away. Talking toys, dummies, puppets, whatever...that's where I draw the line. They freak me right out, although I admit that it is impressive hearing how much world building went into this series.

 

[WittyInfidel]

This movie series was terrifically horrible, but that didn't stop my friends and I from having a Puppet Master movie marathon every Halloween. And I'll never forget the nightmare I had in which I was being chased by a flying Tunneler.

Ah, good times. Makes me want to watch the whole series again.

 

[K_Dub]

I might actually have to check this out. Off to my local video store!

 

[BlueHighwind]

Love this movie, great choice. Probably the wackiest slasher series ever.

 

[Strain42]

Bob, October has always been one of my favorite months with the good, and the holidays and all that good stuff...but seriously, Schlocktober has just made it even better. I always look forward to these episodes. Here's to another great month of movies.

 

[Metalrocks]

i think i saw one of them. but that has to be ages ago. not sure i would care to get them all. maybe if i would see them at my rental store, i might get them.

 

[keniakittykat]

Oh, Full moon. Please tell me Bob is coming around to the Subspecies series! just tell me!

 

[Noswad]

Thank god for Schlocktober, the Escapist has been getting far too serious recently.

 

[Guffe]

I never saw Schloktober my thing as I'm not too fond of scary movies.

But still I find it great to watch these episodes as I still think I get some small amount of "common" knowledge from this, like now I know what Puppet Master is and a bit of its history.

 

[gridsleep]

What amazes me about a series like this is that the German military would concern themselves so obsessively with a single little puppet show, albeit with sapient puppets, to the total disregard of 50,000 B-17s bearing down on German cities with two million pounds of TNT and white phosphorus. It was nice of the film makers to help keep things in proportion. Really, what's the piddling power of the combined British and American air forces compared to the awesome might of a handful of animated toys? I guess a strategic bomber can't jump out of the cupboard and go BOO! It can just reduce your entire existence to stone age rubble. But, what's the horror in that?

 

[Wolfenbarg]

I hate Schlocktober, please stop. You have a whole other show dedicated to movies. Do you really need to do this for a whole month? Whatever, I just won't watch.