Entertainment
With the new reboot of Child's Play, Hollywood adds yet another terrifying doll to the annals of moviedom. There are loads of horror movies about toys, almost as many as there are about creepy kids, making it one of the genre's favorite subjects. There's just something about turning the things that seem the least threatening — like toys and children — into terrifying monsters. The new Child's Play continues that tradition, but in a way that sets it apart from previous killer doll movies.
In the original Child's Play, Chucky was a doll that was inhabited by the spirit of a serial killer thanks to a curse. The new film, however, does away with that plot completely. Instead, this Chucky is a high-tech doll from a new line of toys called "Buddi." Buddi dolls effectively act as Amazon Echos on steroids, with the ability to control all of your home's smart devices while also acting as an artificial companion. But the Buddi doll from the film, nicknamed Chucky, isn't much interested in being anyone's friend, and he uses his connectivity abilities to wreak havoc on all who get in his way. That's a far cry from a doll simply coming to life, but with the preponderance of high-tech toys these days, it's a change that makes a decent amount of sense.
Despite the changes to the genre the new Child's Play brings, it's still safe to say the film wouldn't exist without the scary toy movies that came before it. So take a look at below to see a toymaker's dozen of some of the most memorable.
'Child's Play'
The original from 1988 first introduced Chucky the doll, and though its numerous sequels delved more and more into comedy and campiness, the original was a pretty straight up slasher film.
'Annabelle'
The latest scary movie doll to enter the zeitgeist, Annabelle made her debut in 2013's The Conjuring before starring in her own trilogy of spooky films that began with this 2014 entry and is set to continue later this year with Annabelle Comes Home.
'Puppet Master'
One of the more successful evil toy films, this 1989 tale about puppets brought to life has seen a dozen sequels so far.
'Demonic Toys'
This ultra-campy direct-to-video release from 1992 is about exactly what the title says.
'Poltergeist'
The Spielberg-produced classic isn't necessarily about evil toys, but it does feature one memorable scene with a clown doll.
'Dead Silence'
This 2007 James Wan film features the ghost of a vengeful ventriloquist and her many creepy dummies.
'Dolls'
This '80s cult-favorite is about an old married couple who turn the terrible people that visit their mansion into dolls.
'Amityville Dollhouse'
There are a ton of movies about the Amityville house, but only one that features a haunted dollhouse replica of the famous home.
'Attack Of The Puppet People'
This B-movie from 1958 sees a toymaker turn people into dolls, a relatively common theme in horror movies about toys.
'Dead Of Night'
One of the first films to ever depict an evil toy, this acclaimed British horror classic from 1945 features a ventriloquist and his evil dummy.
'Krampus'
Like Poltergeist, the plot of this Christmas creeper doesn't center on a toy, but the film does feature some very scary playthings that assist the titular antagonist in his evil shenanigans.
'Tales From The Hood'
This '90s anthology film is one of the few horror films that actually gets you to root for its living dolls, as they contain the spirits of slaves who are out for revenge against a former KKK member.
'Toy Story'
Don't think this Pixar classic is scary? Take a look at this Halloween-themed ad from when the movie was first released on home video and you'll be singing a different tune.
All of these films will make you second guess that favorite toy that you've kept from your childhood, so make sure it's locked up tight... if you can find it.
