Directed by: Tom Holland Written by: Don Mancini, John Lafia & Tom Holland Starring: Catherine Hicks .... Karen Barclay Chris Sarandon .... Detective Mike Norris Alex Vincent .... Andy Barclay Brad Dourif .... Chucky Dinah Manoff .... Maggie Peterson Tommy Swerdlow .... Jack Santos Jack Colvin .... Dr. Ardmore Release Date: Theatrical: November 9, 1988 *Images courtesy at www.playpalstoys.com Rating:

A psychopathic killer named Charles Lee Ray (Brad Dourif) runs away from the police and hides in a toy store.
From there he sees a box of dolls named Good Guy Doll. He then summons up a chant and puts his soul into a doll while the police have killed his body.

The next day the Good Guy Doll that Charles is in accidentally is thrown out on the streets and a hobo picks it up.
During that same day it's a little boy's birthday and all he wants is a Good Guy Doll but the dolls are very expensive.
The boy's name is Andy Barclay (Alex Vincent) and his mother Karen (Catherine Hicks) buys it off the hobo and gives it to her son.
Andy is so excited as he realises the doll talks to him as the doll introduces him saying his name is Chucky.

Chucky tells Andy where he wants to go so he can kill his enemies and Andy tells his mother exactly what Chucky wants.
Andy realises that his present is his worst nightmare as Chucky plans to use his body to put his soul in.

A very well done film with great effects especially when storm clouds roll in when Chucky puts his soul into a Good Guy Doll.
This film was very dark and packed with suspense and a great plot too for a horror film.
It's non sptop fun in this film followed by many sequels but they are nowhere as good.
First comes Leatherface, then Michael, next Jason and Freddy and now .... Chucky!!!!!

The acting is very good. Brad Dourif is believeable intimidating and crude as Chucky. His role is very real with his aggressions and temperament looking like a typical crimuinal with an attitude. He has acted in many other horror films but was most noted in this one. He is the best way to go Dourif.
Young child actor Alex Vincent is well focused in his role as Andy in which he makes himself out so inncoent that you don't want anyone to harm him.
Catherine Hicks is great as a loving mother and does well wondering about the terrifying events that unravel with everything that's going on.
Chris Sarandon performs his role as a detective very nicely.
Supporting actress Dinah Manoff shows nice aggression as well as outgoing attitude and would make a good strict disciplinarian.

Chucky is vicious but isn't all too gruesome with his slayings in this one.
He stabs some guy in the ankle with a scalpel and fries his head which is the only gruesome event.

Tom Holland knows how to make a suspenseful slasher film. Especially on how he makes the actors react to seeing a killer doll or even when the doll seems normal but something dark is in that doll.
He also knew how to direct Alex Vincent of how disturbed he was by Chucky's evil doings as he was just tense and quiet.
But first let's start at the beginning as he directs a perfect opening to the film when Brad Douriff is running away from the police as we have great car chasing stuff and then he runs into a shopping mall. The scene's are packed with plenty of action and Douriff is great with his menacing actions thanks to Holland's coaching.
He also directed Vincent terrifically when he prepares breakfast for his film mother on his birthday making it look realisrtic as a typical child looking forward to celebrating his birthday.
His direction on Dinah Manoff with Vincent while tucking him to bed was perfect when she was giving him a hard time on his behavior
Then she walks in the dark hallway of the living room twards the kitchen as you know something is going to happen and then the phone rings which makes you jump cause the scene is so quiet.
Next she crashes out of a window which is very effective but of course this was performed by a stuntwoman
We have a real effective scene with Catherine Hicks and Vincent when Vincent explains to her why his doll killed this woman and who this doll really is which really leaves a bone chill.
Vincent is also terrific when he gets mad at the doll and slugs it while he's in a room for questioning.
It's quite creepy when he directs Hicks discovering that the doll did not have batteries included and then she opens the battery door to the doll and realises there's no batteries in it and then the doll turns it's head saying "Hi, I'm Chucky. Wanna play?"
The battle with her and the doll looked very intense
He also directed an actor named Juan Ramirez incredibly well as a peddler and it looked good when he nearly rapes Hicks's character and then Sarandon breaks it up and acts tough when he needed to be.
We have a real suspenseful moment when Chucky the doll tries to strangle Sarandon in his car when you don't expect this to happen.
Lots of great shots on Vincent running away and trying to hide away from Chucky's evil grasp.
There's lots more of his wonderful directing but I'd be telling the whole story and it would be a spoiler.
Holland deserves an Oscar.

The music composed by John Renzetti which has a creepy edge to the film and great booming sounds with violin playing.

There are also songtracks in the film like
"Chucky's Animated Theme" by Mike Piccirillo
"I'm Hanging" by D.B. Night
"Is it Really Love" by Michael Lanning
"Grass" by African Suite
"Second Sight" by David Darling.

Charles Lee Ray: You hear this, you son of a bitch! I'm gonna get you for this! I'm gonna get you and I'm gonna get Eddy, no matter what!

Mike Norris: Give it up, Ray. It's over.

Chucky: Hi, I'm Chucky. Wanna play?

Lady in Elevator: Look George. Some child left their doll on the elevator.
George: Leave it alone. Let whoever is looking for it find it, and it will be there.

Lady in Elevator: Ugly Doll.
Chucky: Fuck You.

Chucky: The only person that I let in on the fact that I was still alive was a six-year-old kid. I'm gonna be six years old again. Well, John, it's been fun, but I gotta go. I have a date with six-year-old boy... and you have a date with death.

Chucky: Good night, asshole.

Andy Barclay: Chucky says Aunt Maggie was a bitch and got what she deserved.
Karen Barclay: Andy. How can you say such a thing?
Andy Barclay: I didn't say it, Chucky did.

Andy: His real name is Charles Lee Ray and he's been sent down from Heaven by daddy to play with me.

Karen Barclay: I said talk to me, damn it. Or else I'll throw you in the fire.
[Chucky comes alive]
Chucky: You stupid bitch! You filthy slut! I'll teach you to fuck with me!

Chucky: [screaming] Give me the boy, and I'll let you live!

Chucky: Hello John. Over here. Hi. It's me Chucky. What do think? The gri gri work? You know, when I came here learning that stuff about how to cheat death, I thought that you were pulling my chain. But, not now. But, there is one problem.
John: What?
[Chucky points at gunshot wound]
Chucky: This. I didn't think anyone could hurt me. Last night I got shot. You know something? It hurt. It hurt like a son of a bitch, it even bled. Why is that, John?
John: You're turning human. The more time you spend in that body, the more human you become.
Chucky: You mean I have to live out the rest of my life in this body? No fucking way! You got me in to this, so you get me out!
John: I can't do that, Chucky.
Chucky: Why not?
John: Because you're an abomination. An outrage against nature. You've perverted everything I taught you, and used it for evil. And you have to be stopped.

Chucky: We're friends 'til the end, remember?
Andy: This is the end, friend.

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