Oh man, with the talk of a television series and now a remake in the works, I figured I would go ahead and revisit the Child’s Play series. I am not in love with the idea of a television series that would follow up the Cult of Chucky, but I am less happy about a remake. This is one of the few remaining slasher horror franchises that has yet to get the remake. It also makes less sense to remake it, while there is a show coming. I want to see one more follow up movie to Cult of Chucky, that would give us 8 Chucky movies, which is more than I thought would ever happen after the Seed of Chucky.
Looking back, I really grew a hatred for this series, But why? It took me to 2017 to add this and the rest to my collection. Well, it was Seed of Chucky killed any love for Chucky or the series I ever had. So, when Curse of Chucky came out, I took the chance and watched the series again, because Curse of Chucky was damn good. I looked back at the first three movies and I then remembered the Child’s Play movies were not some kind of joke of horror movies at all, just the shit fest that is Seed of Chucky.
Synopsis:
Gunned down by Detective Mike Norris (Chris Sarandon), dying murderer Charles Lee Ray (Brad Dourif) uses black magic to put his soul inside a doll named Chucky — which Karen Barclay (Catherine Hicks) then buys for her young son, Andy (Alex Vincent). When Chucky kills Andy’s baby sitter, the boy realizes the doll is alive and tries to warn people, but he’s institutionalized. Now Karen must convince the detective of the murderous doll’s intentions, before Andy becomes Chucky’s next victim.
On the surface, Child’s Play is a movie about a possessed doll who kills some people. It can be looked at as a simple twist on a slasher film. This may be what most think and it is fair. But you have to take in to account what kind of trauma the kid would go through, his doll is making him go down his hit list. His mom looks like a crazy person, I mean, who would believe anyone that a doll has come to life? Poor Andy, he is so young and naive to even understand what in the hell is going on. Then the movie goes a little further into the spiritual side by saying Chucky has to put insert his soul into a human host, or he will forever remain in the body of a doll. So then Chucky’s motivations which are to get revenge and find out how to get out of the doll body, move to take over Andy’s body. It really is some bat-shit crazy stuff if you thinking about the plot of the film.
We only get to see a little of Brad Dourif, who is simply a great fucking actor. In the HBO series, Deadwood alone we see what kind of actor he is. But in Child’s Play, he has probably about 4 or 5 minutes of screen time. But, his voice over work, playing Charles Lee Ray’s voice on as Chucky the doll. Get the fuck out of here! It is amazing and really it goes for all 7 movies. To think he is going to be replaced in the remake is fucking preposterous.
Child’s Play is a very good movie and I do think it is under-rated. People look at it as as a simple possessed doll movie and damn it, it is more than that. Halloween and Child’s Play were the only 80s slashers to survive the 1990s and 2000s. Jason and Freddy couldn’t make it, but Chucky and Michael Myers did.
Go back and watch Child’s Play and tell me it’s not good. Watch the ending and tell me if those effects were not top notch. When Chucky is burnt to a fucking crisp, crawling around, still going after everyone. That was one of the more terrifying parts of the film, the ending and the unstoppable force that is a possessed doll. God, how many little kids saw Child’s Play and have the burnt Chucky imprinted on their brain? I was about 9 or 10 when I saw the movie, but I know my brother was messed up after seeing this, and Zelda from Pet Sematary.
If you’re one of those who didn’t care for Child’s Play or got turned off by one of the sequels, well look again. The first 3 movies are really good movies. Bride of Chucky is ok, Seed is awful, but Curse and Cult are very good and get the series back on track, in my opinion.
Child’s Play is one of the best possessed doll movies for sure and I think, it deserves the respect it has, if not, it deserves more.
I hate to think it is getting remade and there may be too much CGI, where in the original 3 films we saw awesome practical effects. I am curious to see what the series could do, but I think it is a mistake. I would make one more movie. Shelf the damned remake until the story is wrapped up and in 2028, remake Child’s play for its 40th.
IMDB.com has a rating of 6.6, which really is not bad at all
I give Child’s Play a higher mark of 7.4