Dolls (1987)

Dir: Stuart Gordon

Cracking, underrated Empire Pictures movie from Stuart Gordon's golden period of overwhelming creativity (one a year with "Re-animator", "From Beyond" and "Dolls"! Wowser!). This one plays with the classic motif of travellers seeking shelter from the storm in a spooky old house. The house is inhabited by the Hartwickes, a pair of hospitable dollmakers who seem glad of the company. The only problem is that, during the night, their loyal and protective dolls made come alive and have plans of their own for anyone who's been naughty ... Part fairytale, part classic horror and part rampant splatter flick, "Dolls" is a successful and original blend of styles. At 77 minutes, it zips along and manages to be funny, poignant and shocking, all without pretense. John Carl Buechler provides some top-notch FX work; his evil little dolls are simply marvelous. This beats the stuffing out of most deadly toy movies. ***1/2