“Toulon’s Revenge” is by far the best of the “Puppet Master” movies and the peak of the series. After the third installment, the series pretty much spiraled in to abysmal depths. “Toulon’s Revenge” is a smartly crafted revenge tale that takes a step back in the mythos and discovers Toulon’s life. Where parts one and two explored the evil of the puppets and madness of Toulon, “Toulon’s Revenge” is a prequel that explores a time where Toulon was a noble genius, and his puppets an innocent group of anti-heroes. With “Toulon’s Revenge,” director David Couteau manages to comprise a strong back story for Toulon, whose entire hatred toward humanity and lunacy is given a rhyme and a reason, thanks to his battle with the Nazis, and the officer that takes the life of his wise.
Puppet Master II (1991) [Blu-Ray]
For reasons I can’t possibly understand, the subtitle “His Unholy Creations” has been taken off the title for “Puppet Master II,” and now it’s just “Puppet Master II.” Which is a shame, considering “His Unholy Creations” is a fine summary of the film’s entire premise. A direct follow-up to the first film, “His Unholy Creations” is a notch above the first film with a better story, thicker tension, and much more interesting grue. The characters of Toulon’s puppets are also given a clearer definition and motive. As well, they’re given a larger screen time, allowing them to wreak pure havoc on all kinds of hapless humans and really causing intense pain.
Rocco (2011)
I’m assuming “Rocco” is open to interpretation for audiences everywhere as it’s a particularly twisted and demented short film about an imaginary friend and a man that may or may not be psychotic. Much of the film is incredibly muddled and not very explanatory, so I’m essentially left to figure out for myself what, if anything, the plot is alluding toward. After a series of deaths involving his old friends from his home town, a man is greeted with a box at his door. Of course logic tells us that he should open it to see what’s in it, and he does.
Popcorn (1991)
There aren’t many movies that come along every so often like “Popcorn,” but it’s safe to say long before “Scream” stomped in to theaters to pay tribute to the classic horror tropes, movies like Mark Herrier’s “Popcorn” came and showed audiences how to do it first and better. Which is not to say “Popcorn” is as landmark as “Scream” was. In fact it’s about as unremarkable as any old shelf filler from the eighties. But for a film that came along during the death of the slasher genre in the early nineties, it’s a safe bet that “Popcorn” will whet the appetites of anyone looking for an eighties romp in the cinema with some classic devices of the slasher and mystery genre.
Basket Case 3: The Progeny (1992)
Thanks a lot to Frank Henenlotter for only making three “Basket Case” movies. I really couldn’t mentally handle eight or nine movies about Belial and his life with his moronic brother Duane. These two buffoons have to be the most non-threatening horror figures since Chucky. Duane went from a tortured soul to a goofy sidekick in three films, while Belial started life as a rabid monster incapable of speak to a daddy expecting children. After diddling fellow freak Eve in “Basket Case 2,” Belial unwittingly knocked her up, and now is expecting babies. Duane, after killing cardboard cut out Susan, and involuntarily stitching Belial back to him, has been locked up in a padded cell left to consider what he’s done.
Basket Case 2 (1990)
It’s pretty hilarious how though the sequel to “Basket Case” is said to have taken place the night after Duane failed to commit suicide with Belial, actor Kevin Van Hentenryck seems to have aged since the first film from eight years prior. “Basket Case 2” embraces the idiocy this time around, taking the route of the “It’s Alive!” sequels. Rather than Belial being a rare case of a deformed monster, we learn that there are in fact a tribe of deformed monsters of various dispositions living in the suburbs. And they’re all being cared for by the eccentric Granny Ruth who not only cares for them but acts as their therapist. The line “I understand your pain, Belial, but ripping the faces off people may not be in your best interest.” is actually delivered with a dead pan expression.
Basket Case (1982)
Sometimes with the good Grindhouse titles of the seventies and eighties, there are also the truly awful ones that make it through the ringer and come out looking pretty. Unfortunately Frank Henenlotter’s “Basket Case” is a piece of junk that has managed to garner a massive reputation as a horror classic. For what reasons? I have no idea. I guess because Henenlotter is such a creative and interesting director. I won’t lie, a movie about a guy walking around with his deformed brother in a basket is original, but that doesn’t mean it’s watchable. Duane Bradley is an average guy with a large secret who has just made it in to New York, and is living in a hotel with some of the most idiotic neighbors around. They’re all so eccentric and colorful it becomes obnoxious after their second introduction.