It is hard to believe it has been 20 years since I sat in a darkened theater and watched what was supposed to be a standard slasher film, and instead turned into one of the more original and refreshing entries into the genre that would spawn four follow up films.
The film is “Child’s Play” and with Halloween around the corner it is coming to DVD in a very impressive 20th Birthday Edition which is loaded with tons of bonus features from MGM and FOX DVD.
The film opens with wounded mass murderer Charles Lee Ray (Brad Dourif), on the run from the cops. Sensing his pending death from a gunshot wound, Charles takes up refuge in a toy store, and using his knowledge of the arcane arts, transforms his essence into the body of a plastic Good Guy Doll before he expires.
In time, the doll winds up in the hands of young Andy Barclay (Alex Vincent), who is given the doll as a birthday present by his mother Karen (Catherine Kicks).
In no time, the doll, named Chucky is wrecking havoc as Charles has resumed his killing spree and soon has Andy and his Mother in his sights. It is learned that Charles can only remain in the doll for a limited amount of time and must soon transfer his essence into a new body or else he will become forever trapped in the body of the doll.
Since Andy is the first person he has revealed his secret identity to, Andy becomes the intended new home for Charles and what follows is a taught and tense thriller as Andy and his mother seek to end the murderous campaign of Charles Lee Ray AKA Chucky once and for all.
Directed by Tom Holland who has directed many horror films, the movie works not only as a fresh take on a genre that had grown somewhat stale, but as a tense thriller. While the films in the series that followed were often hit or miss, the first film stands out as a true genre classic.
DVD Bonus Features include Audio Commentary with Alex Vincent and Catherine Hicks, Screenwriter Don Mancini numerous featurettes and much more.
