Puppet Master II (1990)

This direct to video movie is by no means, a puppet masterpiece. It's mindless fun from the mind from Charles Robert Band, the Founder of Full Moon Features, a company known for its direct-to-video B-List horror & sci-fi movies. Coming off, their first success, 1989's Puppetmaster, Full Moon quickly capitalize on a sequel to that film. It's just sad, that Puppet Master II: His Unholy Creations doesn't bring anything really new to the concept, and felt like a remake of the first film. Instead, of a film about a group of psychics coming to a hotel to investigate a recent murder; this movie has a group of parapsychologists, coming back to the abandoned hotel to investigate, the recent mysterious murders, a year prior. Without giving away too much of the movie, I have to say, it was somewhat disappointing to see that none of the previous human surviving characters from the first movie, return for this film. Megan Gallagher (Robin Frates) & Alex Whitaker (Paul Le Mat) are only given, toss away mention lines and never really explore, beyond that, but I kinda also glad, they didn't. I felt that the first movie was trying too hard to be a 1980's Shining, rip-off with its psychics and the film didn't need any more of that mess. This film feels a bit more focus on the anthropomorphic puppets being the killers than super naturals. However, I really don't get why the new batch of characters lead by final girl, Carolyn Bramwell (Elizabeth Maclellan) had to be ghost-hunters. They rarely seem like they were good at their job. They were more focus on, having making jokes and doing stupid stuff, than trying to solve the case. They get more irrational as the movie goes on, when members of their crew, started disappearing. Instead of; I don't know, seeking the police's help with the crime, they would rather partake in having sex with each other. Who does this!? This movie is so clichés. The age-old movie formula of people wandering off alone and getting killed one by one, stupid scenes of nudity, and toilet humor makes them, some of the worst caricatures of people, ever. Ever, when the evidences start to pile up, that the puppets are killing their members, they still think, it's has to be ghosts. I have to say, these are some of the dumbest ghost hunters, I have, ever witness. None of them, were really that, likable. The puppets in the other hand, were. They were the best thing, about this film. It's a bad sign, when the villains are more fascinating than your heroes. Each of them having an interesting way of killing people. Blade looks like a small version of the Fisherman from 1997's I Know What You Did Last Summer with a hook. Pinhead is a Conehead lookalike muscle man mixed with Addams Family Uncle Fester who punch and strangles people. Tunneler has a drill on his head that drills into people. Ms. Leech who is a Leech-puking doll that sadly was quickly killed off, in the film, due to producers finding the character way too disturbing and disgusting. In my opinion, she was one of the best puppets, out-there. Why couldn't they just killed, Jester instead. He's pretty much, useless for most of the series. Anyways, she was replace, by a new puppet, call Torch. By far, one of the coolest puppets to ever come into the series. The action scenes with them are quite enjoyable, but I never bought the struggle between man Vs puppets. I just can't see, how people in these film, can't overpower them. Anyways, their stop motion movement was always fantastic and creepy. It also helps that, the director of this film, is Dave Allen. Considered among the finest stop motion model animators of all time. One thing, I didn't like, about this film is how the puppets are now control, by a new owner called Eriquee Chanee (Steve Welles), whom in no surprised to anybody, turn out to be the reanimation body of Andre Toulon; looking for a new body to take over. First off, it's a bit jarring to see that body of Toulon was able to reanimation, due to the fact, that the character somewhat blew his brains out in the first movie. Isn't brain tissue, the secret ingredient that makes that reanimation formula to work in these films? Also, Toulon's death doesn't match up, with the first movie's timeline, in which he killed himself on 1939, not 1941. Anyways, like the first movie, what was Toulon's plan on betrayal his puppets. It seem very odd to do. Yes, a recent comic book adaption somewhat gives a motive, but it's never truly answer on film. Like the first movie, this film got a cult-following, to the point, that puppets were turn the good guys in most of the subsequent films, fighting various enemies including Nazis, Demonic Spirits and inter-dimensional aliens. Overall: The movie is watchable, however, the somewhat downer ending to this film is a bit hard to watch. In my opinion, the subsequent films, such as 1991's Puppet Master III: Toulon's Revenge are truly, the ones worth-watching, but if you find yourself, watching this film. At least, you might find it, somewhat entertaining.

I think this is an improvement over the first movie, I find the characters to be moderately more likable and the plot to be much more coherent and it just flows better. It takes what was established in the original movie and builds on it, and I find it an all-round more entertaining and scarier picture. Man I love the score! That is such a beautiful piece of music by Richard Band that never fails to get my inner cogs turning! I find that it greatly enriches the movie's tone and gives it an added depth, as does the tremendously effective setting. To me the desolate inn by the sea is itself very much a character in the first two films of the series at least. From its gaudiness, to the marble floors and the angles on all of the empty dark corridors, it's like your really traditional haunted house. In my own unflattering way I'm trying to say that for the time it was made, this movie was scary! Never scarred me for life or anything, but there's some very freaky stuff in it, once it starts with the creepy stuff it doesn't let up. You don't have to wait for the last act for everything to really pay off, there's effort done to keep folks entertained and unnerved. There's a lot more focus on the puppets this time around, there way more out in the open right from the beginning. I love the fantastic style of the opening scene with them all engaging in a little necromancy, the macabre image of the zombie arms reaching out of the grave is such a classic image it's like it's taken straight from the cover of an old E.C. horror comic! Also the violence is more graphic and chilling, with the diminutive terrors ambushing people in the dark and in their sleep, as a kid I almost wet my pants when the Driller gets that Patrick guy! And the scene where the puppets assault the hillbillies is a blast! The hefty woman might just be crazy enough to take them on if only they didn't have a freshly-constructed little walking furnace friend to help them out who promptly torches the bitch in the first of two impressively done full body burns! A puppet of iron, Torch is a great addition, I like the design of the Kaiser helmet head and bullet teeth. He's always so mad and ready to scorch at the slightest provocation! It's probably mean, but I love when he charbroils that kid who somehow manages to make himself so completely unsympathetic in his few minutes of screen time that you frankly can't wait! By far my favourite thing about this flick and what I personally feel holds it all together is the performance of Steve Welles as the reanimated Andrei Toulon who, while the spiteful and demented version of the character is a world apart from the kindly old man in other entries, is one that I enjoy tons more. He's way more interesting this way, he's an insane Toulon! Maybe half a century of being dead will do that to a guy.. I think the Puppet Master should be as frightening as the puppets themselves. I love all the scenes where it's just him and puppets. They can't talk back, but he does a great job of working with them and conveying all the back and fourths of it. I like the moment where he looks around his eerie chamber and settles on the old "Faust" poster and remembers the past. It captures the bizarre hell that this 'man' has wrought upon himself and is trapped in forever. He's so spooky just to look at. He's like a mummy, but also the Invisible Man, and he's looks like a zombie underneath his wrappings to boot - and he uses the fake name "Chainey"! I still find it downright mortifying when he puts his spirit into the horrifying dummy man! Jesus, those frozen blue eyes and that waxy skin, and when he makes that horrible noise still sends a chill down my spine to this day! I enjoy the plot of how he believes the woman to be the reincarnation of his long-dead wife and how at the end it turns out that he hasn't been quite entirely honest with his 'beloved' creations and betrays them. He's certainly making the alchemy that keeps them alive, but it won't be for them. To hell with the puppets, he wants his Ilsa again! And of course when they realise this the puppets rightly turn on their master in another scene of violent madness that sees him set on fire and sent plummeting to his third and hopefully final death! You look back on these kinds of horror movies and yeah they're 'cheesy' and 80s and all of that, but also with the ones that I like at least, they're still fun and they work, and I think this is because back then it was just about trying to make the best movie that you could with what you had, and this will always be a little classic to me, this and the first one are two of my favourite horror movies of all time. Thank you, you've been a wonderful audience!

Puppet Master II is a good sequel to its predecessor. We are introduced to more of the mythology and a better look at the toys, including a few new ones. The story is good, the acting isn't great and the special effects are good...well for its time.This is definitely a fun film to watch, especially with friends and a keg of beer, or not depending on your taste.Like other great cult horror film classics you are introduced to a lot of corny moments, but that is what makes this film so amazing. The corniness is supposed to be there and it works.As for the VHS transition to DVD not looking good, I think the quality of it makes the cult of it even more enhanced. I like the VHS look, even if it is on DVD. It seems interesting and brings back a lot of memories from my childhood as I as taking my first steps into the horror genre. Definitely worth watching!

A group of paranormal researchers visit the late Andre Toulon's palatial hotel on top of the cliff overlooking Bodega Bay, coming in contact with the deceased German creator's killer dolls, unfortunate for them. Stop motion effects maestro David Allen got his chance to sit in the director's chair for PUPPETMASTER II, the decision making sense considering it's more or less an f/x movie. Nita Talbot(haha, nice homage to THE WOLF MAN) is Camille, a mystic hired to possibly spot what science can not..mostly she spouts psycho-babble and mumbo jumbo, but she comes in useful when it's time for dolls to execute folks. Elizabeth Maclellan is Carolyn Bramwell, head of the research team, her brother Patrick(Gregory Webb)along with students Lance(Jeff Celentano) and Wanda(Charlie Spradling) also part of this group hoping to discover some sort of paranormal activity. What they do not expect is a resurrected Toulon(Steve Welles), under the disguise of Eriquee Chaneé, wearing bandages to hide his hideous visage due to the deterioration of his corpse(a hat and black cape paying obvious homage to THE INVISIBLE MAN), claiming he owns the property for which they are conducting research. Toulon allows this because Carolyn reminds him of his wife, Elsa. Michael(Collin Bernsen), an author of westerns, is Camille's son and when he is told she has "disappeared", he comes to the hotel resort to seek her out, falling in love with Carolyn in the process. Meanwhile, the puppets, including a new one called Torch(a blow torch on it's arm sets victims on fire), decide to take up where they left off from the previous movie, killing people. Their brains are of interest to Toulon for he needs the human material for a serum which keeps the puppets active and alive(including himself), but eventually the creations are offended that the dolls' creator would choose to have his Elsa(Carolyn)in a human-sized marionette form(there's also a male marionette version for himself)than to keep them restored and living. Dave Allen's creations are the real highlight of the Puppetmaster series and I think that's why there have been so many movies since 1989. The drill-head doll shows up momentarily to burrow a hole in a victim's forehead. Hook also gets in on the fun, slicing and stabbing, but most of his damage is done off screen. George "Buck" Flower and Sage Allen have supporting parts as a couple putting up electrical barb wire around their cabin which doesn't do any good.