Dolls (1986) – Review

Killer dolls have been a popular horror mainstay ever since Talky Tina murdered Telly Savalas in that classic Twilight Zone episode, so leave it to B-movie producer Charles Band to proclaim “Hold my beer” and give us a dark and gloomy mansion that was simply chock full of tiny toy terrors with dash of gore and death.

With producer Charles Band teaming up with director Stuart Gordon you knew you were in for a treat and Dolls does not disappoint.  Gordon was already well known for his work in the genre with such horror films as Re-Animator and From Beyond but with this entry he takes viewers into the realm of dark fantasy and it is a twisted journey filled with creepy dolls, atmospheric settings and a unique blend of horror elements. The story revolves around a group of individuals who find themselves stranded in a storm and seek refuge in an old mansion inhabited by a peculiar doll maker named Gabriel Hartwicke (Guy Rolfe) and his wife (Hillary Mason) and as the night unfolds these characters become trapped in a nightmare as the dolls that inhabit the house come to life and unleash their sinister intentions.

 

“How about a nice fairy tale to set the mood?”

While Stuart Gordon’s Dolls is a dark fantasy fairy tale it also has the classic “Old Dark House” setting, with a group of disparate people holding up inside a gloomy mansion, and in this story those visitors include David Bower (Ian Patrick Williams), his seven-year-old daughter Judy (Carrie Lorraine) and wicked stepmother Rosemary (Carolyn Purdy-Gordon), who not only does her best to channel every evil stepmother from Disney but also a little of Cruella de Ville as well. Of course, even at a meagre 77-minute running time the film needed more victims so we also have two hitchhikers, Isabel Prange (Bunty Bailey) and Enid (Cassie Stuart), who couldn’t have been more 80s if they tried.  They are picked up by the child-at-heart Ralph Morris (Stephen Lee) and are they are all brought to this scary abode to get their just deserts.

 

“Hey Isabel, Madonna called, she wants her outfit back.”

The stories told by the Brothers Grimm were cautionary tales for children, such as don’t take candy from strangers especially if their house is made of something as structurally unsound as gingerbread, but this film is more a warning to adults about not being complete asshats. While Judy is your typical evil stepmother David isn’t much better, wanting to ditch his daughter so that can run off and spend his new wife’s money – who needs a kid spoiling all his fun – and both Isabel and Enid are self-centred women who think that the world owes them something and will take whatever they want. It’s only Ralph who shows any sign of humanity and it’s his childhood love of toys and a budding friendship with Judy that will see him “safely” through the night.

 

“To infinity and From Beyond!”

Stray Observations:

• The movie opens with Judy sitting in the backseat of their car reading Hansel and Gretel which gives us an early clue that this is a modern take on a Grimm’s fairy tale.
• Even before we get to the creepy house full of dolls, Judy imagines her Teddy bear transforming into a full-sized monstrous bear that mauls her father and stepmother to death. Is this what we are calling foreshadowing now?
• The porcelain dolls with bloody sharp teeth reminded a lot of the killer dolls from the science fiction classic Barbarella.
• I don’t know if exploring bloodstained hallways on a stormy night, with a little girl in tow, can be considered brave but I do know you wouldn’t find me holding a candelabra and traipsing up and down dark attic stairways looking for someone who had presumably been dragged off by elves.
• It’s never explained why some dolls are hollow porcelain or plastic while others have organic skeletons beneath their facades.

 

Is this an answer to the question “How can you make dolls creepier?”

Apparently, the dolls have various magical origins and we have to assume some of them were animated by witchcraft while others are dark fairies, and the rest used to be terrible humans who were transformed into dolls to pay for their crimes. That we get no on-screen explanation of any of this isn’t surprising as the dolls weren’t initially meant to have an organic structure but director Stuart Gordon wasn’t fond of the dolls being wholly toys and came up with the idea of having organic skeletal systems underneath their porcelain faces to make them creepier. In fact, one of the notable aspects of Dolls is its imaginative and skilful use of practical effects to pull off each variety of killer toys. The dolls were brought to life through an impressive combination of puppetry, stop-motion animation and animatronics, giving them an eerie and lifelike presence on screen. The attention to detail in the doll designs and their movements adds to the film’s unsettling atmosphere, making them truly memorable and chilling entities.

 

Nightmare fuel, pure and utter nightmare fuel.

The film benefits from its Gothic and claustrophobic setting, with the mansion serving as a character in itself. Its dark shadowy hallways, creaking staircases and dimly lit rooms create an oppressive sense of foreboding, amplifying the tension and suspense as the characters navigate their way through the house. The production design and cinematography work hand in hand to create a visually captivating and atmospheric experience and the film thrives on building an unsettling ambience, with the mansion becoming a character of its own. The creaky wooden floors, dimly lit hallways and endless corridors add an air of suspense to every scene, additionally, the unnerving doll collection is both mesmerizing and terrifying, making for some genuinely spine-tingling moments. On the acting side of things, the performances in Dolls are generally solid, with the standout being Guy Rolfe as Gabriel the doll maker, his portrayal of a seemingly benevolent yet enigmatic character is both engaging and unsettling as is Hillary Mason in a very bewitching performance as the doll maker’s wife and partner.

 

A kinder, gentler couple you will never meet.

While Dolls does deliver on its horror elements, it also offers deeper themes and commentary. The film explores the consequences of greed, materialism and the mistreatment of others with the dolls themselves serving as allegorical figures, embodying the retribution that befalls those who succumb to these vices and this underlying message adds depth to the film, elevating it beyond a mere horror spectacle. The film also strikes a delicate balance between horror and dark fantasy, incorporating those elements of morality tales and cautionary fables into a reminder of the importance of compassion and kindness in a world that can sometimes be cruel and unforgiving.

 

Be good or be punished is a pretty basic lesson plan.

In conclusion, Dolls is a creepy and atmospheric horror film that showcases Stuart Gordon’s talent for blending horror and fantasy elements. With its imaginative use of practical effects, Gothic setting and deeper thematic undertones, the film offers an unsettling and thought-provoking experience for fans of the genre and remains a cult classic that stands as a testament to the creative and macabre vision of its director. This haunting and atmospheric horror gem from 1987  effectively blends the charm of childhood innocence with the terror of the supernatural and is well worth checking out.