Child’s Play (1988)

Trailer:

*Spoilers Throughout*

What’s It About: Young boy, Andy Barclay only wants one thing for his birthday—His dad to come back home A Good Guy’s doll! However, the one he gets for his birthday is possessed by the soul of infamous serial killer Charles Lee Ray. In a race against time and logic, Chucky must try to possess Andy in order to become human again. This is also the plot for the next two sequels.

Here are some of my observations as I watched the film:

• I know it’s for dramatic effect but why would doing a voodoo spell invoke a lightning storm? So bad in fact that it strikes and destroys the toy store.
• I forgot how cute and sweet Andy is. He can’t make breakfast for shit though.
• Even without being possessed by serial killers, the Good Guy doll is creepy as hell. 
• What a tease! Why would his mom put clothes in such a huge box for Andy’s birthday? The box was the size of a huge toy but there was only a pair of pants in it.
• Jeez, Aunt Maggie lighten up. Even if Andy did put Chucky in front of the TV it was a cute prank and its his birthday, don’t be so hard on him.
• And does Chucky really need to kill Maggie for turning the TV off on him? He can simply read about it in tomorrow’s papers. Is he that impulsive of a serial killer? The more people he kills involving Andy, the harder it is to get away.
• Why do PJs have sneakers to sleep in? That’s just absurd.
• Why would Chucky tell Andy his real name? Why would Chucky tell Andy ANYTHING?!? Is he bored?
• Besides bringing a large kid-sized doll to school being a terrible idea, I’m sure the school would stop Andy from bringing it in.
• Andy hears gun shots and immediately runs toward them. What a dope.
• Good Guy batteries? Haha. And never did Chucky tell Andy to put in the batteries so not to raise suspicion? He told him his real name; he couldn’t tell him to hide the batteries too? But again, what toy has its own brand of batteries?! Fisher Price doesn’t even make batteries!
• Chucky is probably the most hilarious serial killer/villain ever. Hearing this red-headed, cherubic dopey doll cuss and fight and yell is downright hysterical.
• Why did Chucky not stab in the middle of Det. Norris’ driver seat? He actually misses him because he stabbed off to the right. And why is Norris still driving instead of stopping and getting out of the car?
• “No good Mikey! You can’t hurt me!” Says the doll who had to stop straggling Det. Norris because Norris burned his cheek with a cigarette lighter.
• Why would someone have a voodoo doll of THEMSELVES?!

Is this the limited edition 12″ Storm Shadow?!

• So in order for Charles Lee Ray to exit the Good Guy doll he has to possess the body of Andy because he revealed himself as a real person to Andy first. But how did the shaman John know this really since possessing dolls is odd and not the regular way of possession (according to him). I’m sure the voodoo books never made mention of this.
• Alex Vincent, who plays Andy, is not very good at walking backwards around medical equipment. I’m glad they worked that into the script.
• This is one awesome death scene when Chucky fries the doctor with some sort of head defibrillator thing. I’m not sure what the device is for but it gives shocks and is a large strap that fits on someone’s head. Why the doctor can’t simply pull the strap off is a question for the ages but after a few moments his eyes and mouth are bleeding badly.
• Best line in the movie: Old couple who see Chucky on the elevator:“Ugly doll.” Chucky: “FUCK YOU.” I laughed as a 11-year-old and I’m still laughing at it.
• Why would you throw Chucky away from you and turn your back on him?! You throw him and then attack the shit out of him until he’s dead!
• Why is Karen leaning against the door while Chucky is repeatedly stabbing through it?
• How’d Chucky’s headless body get in the vent and through to the bedroom? Without his head how’d be even see?!

Is It Actually Scary: A very decent slasher movie. Still holds up as a classic in the genre to this day. It actually has some genuine scary moments and Chucky is one ugly doll despite the suspenders and striped-shirt and cute shoes. Brad Dourif, who voices Chucky, is as always an excellent villain and brings a lot of weight to the character.

OK Andy, show us on the doll where uncle Bob touched you.

How Much Gore: Chucky disposes of his victims in varying ways and not all of them involve stabbing utensils. The aunt is thrown from a window and one of his victims is fried to death by a defibrillator. So there’s some grisly deaths but not that much gore per se.

Best Scene: I was always impressed by the defibrillator death scene.

Worst Scene: There’s really nothing that stand out as worst. This film is good by today’s standards but the ending is just as bad as The Return of the King with how many deaths Chucky goes through. First he’s burned. Then he’s shot a few times even severing his head! Then he somehow pops out of a ventilation duct and is again shot but this time in the heart finally ending the film. But not the franchise!

Everybody’s talking at me…I don’t hear a word they’re saying…Only the echoes of my mind…

Any Nudity: Not really. Chucky has a steamy sex scene with a Kid Sister doll but there’s no genitalia.

Overall: Chucky was never my favorite slasher villain. Back in 1988 I watched and enjoyed this movie a lot but since I never saw any of the following sequels shows how much I didn’t love Chucky. I mean with Brad Dourif as the voice, he’s great but the movies are hard to suspend the belief that a 2 & 1/2 foot tall doll can over power most people. Like I said it still holds up as an original concept horror movie and is totally worth watching. Tune in this week for my reviews for the next two sequels.

Score: 8 Pairs of Pajama Shoes (out of 10)