Puppet Master II

[Derf]

I just got the Puppet Master box set. The original Puppet Master, while it has its cheesy moments, is a very well-done low budget movie. It turned me on to other Full Moon features which often did impressive things with small budgets. I just finished watching Puppet Master II, and I must say I could barely sit through it. I remember watching it years ago and thinking it was bad, but watching it today was downright painful. I could almost hear the director yelling "Action!" and "Cut!" at the beginning and ending of every scene; you could tell when each character started "acting" throughout the movie, and by "acting" I mean appearing on film and getting a credit at the end of the movie, because there are no believable characters in this movie. Toulon is horrible as a pseudo-mummy, and the Toulon character in all the other movies (if I recall correctly) would never have acted the way he does in this installment by betraying his creations. The other actors looked more like Andy Sidaris rejects than paranormal researchers, and the old couple that is briefly featured (played by Buck Flower and some horrendous woman) are ill-used--Flower does his usual good job of being a creepy hick, but his character's wife is awful; not a believable line comes out of her mouth. In fact, the acting overall is more wooden than the puppets.

The puppets are reasonably well done. The stop-motion is slightly jerkier than it should be, but it's passable. Again, some neat effects are accomplished; it's just too bad they were wasted in this movie.

I recall several people on this board have enjoyed this film. I mean no offense to you, but this one just doesn't work for me. The badness isn't fun; it's painful.

[Mr. DS]

Not sure why but I actually liked this film.  I honestly can't remember why now.  I just think its funny how Full Moon didn't seem to care about continuity in the third film when it came to Leech Woman.  She was Toulan's wife but in the second one he had kind of a "meh" attitude to her demise. 

[Andrew]

I think I liked it since it is just an excuse to have killer puppets on a rampage.  There isn't any good reason why, and it flies in the face of how the puppets act through the rest of the series, but it's a slice and dice (or toast and roast, or mush and mash) from start to finish.  I also find Wanda (Charlie Spradling) attractive, so that adds to the entire "nonsensical slasher" aura.

Toulon's Invisible Man getup is awful, isn't it?

[Flick James]

It's Full Moon and it's Charles Band. You either like that sort of thing or you don't.

[Derf]

It's Full Moon and it's Charles Band. You either like that sort of thing or you don't.

Well, that's just it: I normally really like Full Moon movies. This one was just below their usual standards in my opinion. I'll have to watch the rest of the set to see if my memory of their enjoyability is faulty...