Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Let My Puppets Come Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf September 2, 2019

I’m not entirely sure writer/director Gerard Damiano is aiming for titillation with 1976’s “Let My Puppets Come,” but that’s a deep dive down a kink hole I’m not currently prepared to investigate. Instead of overwhelming sexuality, the X-rated feature is more of a cartoon where marionettes and hand puppets are brought in to put on a show, albeit with adult movie interests. Over the years, there have been a few stabs at raunchy entertainment featuring felt stars (including 2018’s borderline unwatchable “The Happytime Murders”), and Damiano deserves credit for jumping into the wilds with this production, which resembles a vaudeville show, only instead of unleashing a steady stream of one-liners, the performers use their stage time to molest one another.

Damiano certainly nails the tone for “Let My Puppets Come” right away, making it clear that while the feature is X-rated, it’s an exercise in silliness, boasting puppet stars such as “Robert Redfoot,” “Clark Gobble,” and “Clitoris Leachman” (now there’s a drag name for the taking). There’s a loose story concerning cash flow problems facing a group of brothers, who owe Mr. Big $500,000, spending the loan on a professional bocce league. A job hunter has the bright idea to turn to pornography to collect a fast buck, leading the siblings as they embark on a filmmaking adventure, gathering a crew and managing talent. Damiano doesn’t hold on to plot for very long, enjoying the episodic nature of the picture, which ventures into various porn scenario pitches (including bestiality) and commercial parodies, selling “Lusterine” to the masses. There’s plenty of outrageousness to embrace here, with Geppetto hired to create puppets for the shoot, while Pinocchio uses his long nose to…well, not always smell things. Musical numbers populate the endeavor as well, as Damiano loves his song and dance, keeping the effort going with off-Broadway-style sequences. The tunes aren’t memorable, but the execution is, unleashing the tiny stars and their propensity for sexual antics into a packed frame.

Let My Puppets Come Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation pulls a rather obscure movie out of the depths of cultdom, with Vinegar Syndrome bringing "Let My Puppets Come" to Blu-ray, working with "35mm archival elements." There's significant wear and tear throughout the viewing experience, working through scratches, speckling, rough reel changes, jumpy frames, and blemishes. These are a reality but not a distraction, as detail is strong, offering spongy textures on the puppets, and costuming retains fibrous qualities. Sets are open for inspection, and the few street encounters maintain dimension, offering a glimpse of New York City in the mid-1970s. Colors are bold, dealing with lively hues on clothing and puppet design, while human co-stars retain natural skintones during scenes of nudity. Delineation isn't problematic. Grain is film-like.

Let My Puppets Come Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 1.0 DTS-HD MA mix is a straightforward understanding of dialogue exchanges, with dubbed puppet encounters coming through with proper volume, never obscuring the zaniness. Musical numbers are louder but retain reasonable stability, with acceptable instrumentation. Sound effects are pronounced. Hiss and pops are periodically encountered.

Let My Puppets Come Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features film historians Heather Drain and Samm Deighan.

• Audio Conversation features puppeteer and puppet designer James Racioppi, which plays during the film.

• "Kumquats" Show Audio (9:31) is a snippet from "The World's First Erotic Puppet Show," which credits Wayland Flowers as the creator and designer.

• Audio Conversation (41:58) features "Kumquats" director Nicolas Coppola.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:19, HD) is included.

Let My Puppets Come Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Let My Puppets Come" is goofy, and because Damiano seems like he's winging it for most of the run time, the picture runs out of steam early. Oddity tends to pick up the movie when it comes to a stop, with nightmare fuel provided by Pinocchio's wish to become a real boy, magically turned into a young woman wearing a horrible mask. A few humans arrive to play, including Lynette Sheldon and Viju Krem, but the puppets are the main attraction, and while they lack Henson-style detail and movement, Damiano sure loves what they do, dreaming up as much absurdity as possible to keep the endeavor raunchy and, at times, charmingly ridiculous.