6.3 | / 10 |
Users | 3.1 | |
Reviewer | 2.0 | |
Overall | 2.2 |
Psychics find themselves plotted against by a former colleague, who committed suicide after discovering animated, murderous puppets.
Starring: Paul Le Mat, William Hickey, Irene Miracle, Jimmie F. Skaggs, Robin FratesHorror | 100% |
Thriller | 21% |
Sci-Fi | Insignificant |
Fantasy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
None
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 2.0 | |
Audio | 2.0 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 2.0 |
This isn't going to be easy.
Released straight to VHS (remember that?) back in 1990 and under the Paramount Pictures label,
Full
Moon Entertainment's Puppetmaster -- and its numerous sequels -- have enjoyed great
success among genre fans and attained that sought-after "cult classic" status. Now some 20 years
later, the first picture in the series -- and the newly-minted 10th film to bear the
Puppet Master name -- have been released on Blu-ray, and two questions spring
immediately
to
mind: does Puppetmaster hold up as a genre classic, and does Full Moon Features' Blu-ray
breathe new life into the movie? Unfortunately, the short answer to both questions is "no." The
film
has its moments but lacks flow and cohesion between its slasher and psychological elements, and
the Blu-ray presentation leaves much to be desired, though it
is,
finally, being offered on home video for the first time in its original aspect ratio. It's a dubious
release
and one that many longtime series fans may find lacking, but it's hard to complain too loudly given
its low budget and, now, its status as Full Moon's first foray into the Blu-ray marketplace.
Deaths at a funeral.
Puppetmaster makes its high-definition -- and correctly-framed -- debut with a problematic but watchable 1080p transfer framed at 1.78:1. According to the disc's introduction featuring series Creator Charles Band, the film was originally shot in 35mm, and this disc has been remastered from original elements while maintaining its director-intended aspect ratio. Unfortunately, the end result isn't a stellar presentation. While there's no doubt that this is the best Puppet Master has ever looked, there's more bad here than good. The good news is that the film definitely looks like high definition material. Fine details aren't as crisp and satisfying as those seen on the better releases of films hailing from the same era, but there's no doubt that the increased resolution has only helped the presentation. Unfortunately, the image appears to be the victim of digital smoothing; human flesh looks particularly waxy and devoid of intricate details. Additionally, the image suffers from dull colors, banding, and poor color gradations, the latter two giving the film a chunky, disheartening appearance. Flesh tones lean towards an orange shade, but blacks, while mostly stable, sometimes appear a bit pale. The transfer also features wobbly opening tile credits and several scenes are littered with heavy scratching and debris. Puppet Master, despite the remaster, just doesn't look all that good next to even the average Blu-ray release. Still, fans will want to upgrade for the boost in overall resolution and to own a copy of the film presented in its proper framing.
Puppetmaster arrives on Blu-ray with a messy but adequate Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack. This one sounds awfully mushy at times and, frankly, fares little-to-no better than a track recycled from a very old LaserDisc or...yikes...VHS release. Music plays with an obvious lack of clarity, failing to even match some of the really mundane track out there, like those accompanying Super Bowl and Stanley Cup highlight videos. Sound effects lack any sort of power; a gunshot early in the film is absent any sort of heft, and the various sounds the puppets make yield no audible impact that adds to the film's story or tension. Most everything is crammed up the middle, and while dialogue is usually clear enough, this track simply does nothing more than deliver the most basic sound presentation it can get away with. Note that according to the packaging, this release was to offer a Dolby Digital 5.1 track, though it's nowhere to be found on the disc.
Puppetmaster contains only a handful of extra features. Charles Band Introduction (1080p, 5:34) features the series' creator speaking on this Blu-ray release, the history of Puppetmaster and Full Moon Features, and his own career. No Strings Attached (Making of 'Puppetmaster') (480p, 7:19) is a short vintage glimpse into the making of the film, comprised of interview clips with the cast and crew, scenes from the film, and some intriguing behind-the-scenes footage of the puppet work and gore effects. Also included is the Puppetmaster: Axis of Evil trailer (1080p, 2:05) and an assortment of vintage 480p trailers for Crash and Burn, Demonic Toys, Dollman, Meridian, Netherworld, Trancers 2, Pit and the Pendulum, Shadowzone, Subspecies, Puppetmaster, Puppetmaster 2, and Puppetmaster 3.
One need only take a look at Puppetmaster's legacy -- fan-favorite characters and no less than nine sequels -- to see just how much of an impact the original picture has had on the world of small-studio Horror and cult classic cinema. The picture has its moments to be sure, and the killers are flat-out cool, but the story seems far too clunky and, frankly, ambitious for a movie that's summed up not by its deeper elements, but with the sentence "demonic puppets come to life with an appetite for murder." Puppetmaster, instead, seems to want to go into some deeply psychological, spiritual, and metaphysical directions, only to be hamstrung by a Slasher element, an element, admittedly, that's more or less loads of fun when left to its own accord and made the centerpiece of the movie. Nevertheless, the movie is what it is, and there's no denying its strong following and status as one of Horror's most enduring and, for some, endearing pictures. This, along with Puppet Master: Axis of Evil, represent Full Moon Features' first foray into the Blu-ray market, and with Puppetmaster, the results are mostly disappointing. The disc sports a problematic 1080p transfer, a dull lossy two-channel soundtrack, and a disappointingly small selection of extra content. Fans will want to pick this up if only to see the film in its original aspect ratio, but genre fans and curious Blu-ray aficionados should consider a rental before a purchase.
Puppet Master 2
1990
Puppet Master 3
1991
Puppet Master 9
2010
1993
1994
Puppet Master 6
1998
2003
20th Anniversary Edition
1991
1993
Collector's Edition
1989
Puppet Master 7
1999
2013
Puppet Master 11
2017
Midnight Madness Series
1987
Collector's Edition
2013
1988
Collector's Edition
2003
2015
1943
1994