Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Curse of the Puppet Master Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman August 4, 2017

Charles Band and his Full Moon empire certainly seem to have a good thing going, or at least did back in the day. He and his studio have mastered the art of the small budget B-film and understand the value not of a simple sequel or two but of a bonafide franchise in keeping fans invested in a particular character, characters, world, or worlds. Nothing exemplifies the Full Moon formula and Band's vision for it quite like the Puppet Master franchise, a stalwart of the Full Moon vault and the proverbial granddaddy of the B-grade budget Horror franchise. Memorable characters, crazy plots, and plenty of twists and turns over the years have kept the franchise fresh. 1998's Curse of the Puppet Master continues with the legacy. The sixth film in a franchise of, now, 13 films if one includes the upcoming Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich, it's easily one of the best of the franchise and a pretty solid standalone film in its own right, too.

Dr. Magrew (George Peck) has just welcomed his daughter Jane (Emily Harrison) home from college for a short break. The good doctor has been making a killing in his small town by putting on a fantastical puppet show where the dolls -- Pinhead, Blade, Six-Shooter, Jester, Leech Woman, and Tunneler -- entertain the masses without ay human manipulation. They're fully autonomous and a big hit. Magrew yearns to learn the secret behind bringing them to life; he picked them up at an auction and had no hand in building them. He's close. He just needs someone to precisely carve his own puppets to his exact specifications. That someone is a local nobody named Robert (Josh Green) whom the Magrews meet working at a gas station. He's an expert wood carver and just the man Magrew needs. Robert is immediately put to work, all the while the local authorities push the Magrews over a recent disappearance and several local bullies interfere with Robert's work and desire to have their way with Jane. Of course, the puppets will have none of it, but there may be an even darker evil lurking in the shadows.

Curse of the Puppet Master easily stands as one of the best films in the series and one that makes for a fairly good standalone, too. It does a fine job of introducing characters and narratives without much need to be reinforced by the handful of Puppet Master films that released prior. More a side story than a continuation or origins story, its more human character-centric narrative explores the best and worst of people and holds several surprises as the story progresses. The puppets themselves are certainly an integral part to the plot, and their autonomy -- both in movement and in thought -- is certainly key within the story. But so too are the human characters. One gets the feeling that none of them -- Dr. Magrew and Robert in particular -- are exactly as they seem, that there's more to their story and destinies than the basic plot alignment established in the first act would lead the audience to believe.

Hints of plot elements from movies like Sling Blade and I Spit On Your Grave are obvious, but they play into a much darker, more sinister central narrative that develops organically as the film moves along. Some is as it seems, some is not. The audience is always engaged and left to wonder what's really happening behind the scenes, what's really going to happen if, and when, Robert finally puts the finishing touches on that masterpiece. The performances certainly aid the movie. The three primaries, played by George Peck, Emily Harrison, and Josh Green, deliver solid work, in-depth and as nuanced as the script, itself well-rounded, allows. For as absurd as parts may be, there's an underlying seriousness and intensity that the actors introduce into the parts that help the rest of the film explore its details and enhance the plot giving the movie a weight it might not otherwise enjoy. Director David DeCoteau's contributions are clear. The film is well paced, smartly assembled, and given an A-list treatment despite its B-movie roots.

Curse of the Puppet Master Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Upon beginning playback, viewers are greeted with the following text regarding the Blu-ray presentation:

Note that Curse of the Puppet Master is presented totally uncut in HD using the original 35mm negative but, due to the fact that some of that negative was also lost over time, the original SD and digi-beta videotape master were also used in order to fully restore the film. This release stands as the definitive version.

With that in mind, Full Moon's 1080p Blu-ray presentation of Curse of the Puppet Master delivers a very good picture when it's on, sourced from the original film elements (where available) and restored at 2K. The image is pleasantly filmic and organic, presenting with a healthy, largely even and unobtrusive grain structure that only sees a snowy spike in shadowy corners that are themselves a bit too pale to fully enjoy. But facial textures are organic and adequately complex, puppet close-ups are intimately revealing, and various environments, particularly evenly lit exteriors, showcase sharp, accurate textures. Colors are even and neutral, lacking extreme vividness and saturation but never appearing faded or overly pushed to warm.

The first SD insert may be seen around 2:44 mark, the second at 9:25, that one lasting an entire sequence rather than a single shot. Several others appear throughout. One can spot the massive degradation in quality instantly. There's no denying that the transition is jarring, particularly as one becomes more absorbed in the film. Unfortunately, one of the film's most grotesque kills at the hands of the puppets around the 51 minute mark is in SD, too, severely limiting the scene. Ignoring the unavoidable insert shots that are the difference between a handful of poor quality shots, scenes, and sequences and not having the movie on Blu-ray at all, it's hard to argue with the results. Better to have the movie as a patchwork presentation than not have the movie at all.

Curse of the Puppet Master Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Curse of the Puppet Master's Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack scuffles along at times, but for the most part it's serviceable-to-good. Musical width is fine, surround implantation is light and balanced. There's a crunchiness to a few notes here and there, but nothing too disconcerting. The familiar Puppet Master refrain can be little sharp. Natural exterior ambience settles in nicely, and rolling thunder around the 55-minute mark proves engaging and effortless. Surrounds are engaged sparsely in all areas. Dialogue is generally fine, well positioned and prioritized, though a few stretches do sound a little shallow. On the whole, the track gets the job done, but without much fanfare or excellence.

Curse of the Puppet Master Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Curse of the Puppet Master contains a commentary, a vintage VideoZone, and some trailers.

• Audio Commentary: Director David DeCoteau delivers a brand-new track recorded in June 2017 specifically for the Blu-ray. He discusses the Blu-ray's technical merits, 2K remaster and color corrections, and laments some other studios' substandard efforts. He further covers this transfer's limitations thanks to the absence of source material and the expansive elements and formats stored in the Full Moon vault. This is a terrific track, a quality blend of the Blu-ray presentation, technical merits, director work, and film (plot, characters, etc.) insight. This is one of the best commentaries out there; format and film fans will definitely want to pick ups this release if only for this commentary.
• VideoZone (480i, 19:35): Charles Band catches fans up on what the studio is (was) up to. That's followed by a quick behind-the-scenes look at the film, including story details, character examinations, and visual effects breakdowns. The piece concludes with some previews for other Full Moon films.
• Trailers (1080p): Evil Bong 666, Ravenwolf Towers, Puppet Master, Puppet Master 2, Puppet Master 3, Retro Puppet Master, Puppet Master 9, Puppet Master X, and Puppet Master 11.

Curse of the Puppet Master Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Curse of the Puppet Master is certainly one of the best in the series, right up there with the original for sure. A solid plot, some good kills, well developed characters, and an agreeable cadence make the movie. Drawbacks are few, particularly for a B-grade film. For established franchise fans and newcomers alike, it's a solid watch. Video is very good considering some unavoidable gaps in the original film elements. Audio is imperfect, but effective enough. The included audio commentary is first-rate. Highly recommended.