January 22, 2016

Out today in theaters courtesy of STX Entertainment is THE BOY, a creepy new horror movie where a young American girl Greta (THE WALKING DEAD’s Lauren Cohan) is hired by an elderly British couple to care for their son. Thing is, their son happens to be a terrifying little doll named Brahms. Want a sneak peek? Check out the final trailer which debuted earlier this week.

What is it about “creepy doll” movies that resonates so deeply with genre fans? I think a big part of it is the philosophy known as the “Uncanny Valley.” By definition, that means “a figure or humanoid bearing a near-identical resemblance to a human being that arouses a sense of unease or revulsion in the person viewing it.” Dolls are so nearly life-like and yet we know they are not real. Stare long enough and your mind might play tricks on you into thinking it just moved!

That said, I love creepy doll movies, so in honor of the release of THE BOY this weekend, let’s take a look at the 5 creepiest dolls in horror cinematic history!

Fats from MAGIC (1978)

We’ve got to give it up for the original cinematic terrifying creepy doll Fats from MAGIC. In the 1978 cult classic, Anthony Hopkins plays a failed magician named Corky. Failed that is, until he introduces a ventriloquism act into his show with his new accomplice Fats. But it turns out that Corky doesn’t have a lot of control over the things that Fats says. Could it be his id speaking freely as he’s on the verge of a nervous breakdown from the sudden success of his act? Or is there more to Fats than meets the eye? Regardless, just watch the original teaser trailer and tell me that voice and close up doesn’t freak you out!

Chucky from CHILD’S PLAY (1988)

Chucky is probably the champ in terms of “killer dolls.” I mean, no one else compares, especially with the body count and havoc he’s wrecked throughout the several movies in the CHILD’S PLAY series. But I’m specifically talking about Chucky in the original 1988 CHILD’S PLAY movie. We spend about 2/3rds of the movie wondering if Andy is making the whole thing up or if it’s possible that Charles Lee Ray, the killer we see gunned down in the opening could’ve successfully transferred his soul into the Good Guy doll. We of course know the answer, but there’s nothing creepier than those long close up shots of Chucky’s plastic face wondering if and when he might come alive!

Billy from SAW (2004)

While Jigsaw may be the orchestrator behind the traps that victims are forced to endure in the SAW franchise, when instructed on the rules, it’s often through the guise of Billy The Puppet. While we learn in the sequels that John Kramer was a brilliant architect and designer, it’s never really clear why he has such an affinity for his hand painted puppet friend or why he rides in on a tricycle in the movies, but who cares? He’s just creepy! Director James Wan has kind of a thing for puppets. After all, his Twitter handle is “creepypuppet.” But the name Billy is actually an homage to one of the greatest horror movies of all time, BLACK CHRISTMAS and its crank call making killer that always says, “it’s me, Billy!”

Billy from DEAD SILENCE (2007)

Another James Wan creation, also named Billy! This time from his 2007 Universal gothic horror picture DEAD SILENCE! In the movie, Jamie Ashen is a widower trying to uncover the mystery surrounding his wife’s death. When he heads back to her home town, he learns about the legend of Mary Shaw, a local performer ventriloquist obsessed with creating the perfect dummy. A little boy embarrasses her at one of her shows and soon after goes missing. The boy’s parents are convinced Shaw is the culprit and they murder her. Her dying wish? To be buried with her 101 dolls! But of them all, Billy is the one that keeps popping up over the course of the film. Fun side-note: In continuing to pay tribute to Billy of BLACK CHRISTMAS, in Wan’s 3rd film DEATH SENTENCE, Garrett Hedlund’s character is named Billy and at one point stands in front of a graffitied wall with SAW’s Billy painted on it!

Annabelle from THE CONJURING (2013)

Based upon a real life doll that currently resides in a glass case in the home of paranormal investigators and real life ghostbusters The Warrens, Annabelle’s cinematic counterpart is by far one of the scariest dolls to grace the silver screen. While the terrifying tyke got her own movie in 2014, I tend to find the version of her as represented in THE CONJURING to be the most frightening. Annabelle is only a small portion of THE CONJURING’s overall story and hence getting glimpses of her in small doses only adds to the intrigue and horror! With a brand new chapter in THE CONJURING franchise coming later this year, we’re wondering if we’ve seen the last of this creepy doll!

Wow, so those last 3 all came from James Wan movies. Congrats, sir. You are officially the king of creepy doll movies. Keep fueling our nightmares please.

THE BOY is now playing in theaters! Check your local listings for showtimes!