Puppetmaster
Short description
Four psychics are drawn to a secluded hotel after hearing from a former colleague they had believed was dead. Once there, they find themselves hunted by a set of animated puppets, each built for a particular kind of killing. The trail leads back to Andre Toulon, a puppeteer who learned an ancient Egyptian method for bringing lifeless figures to life.
David Schmoeller directed and wrote the film, following his debut feature Tourist Trap a decade earlier; Netherworld and Possessed came later. Paul Le Mat plays the psychic Alex Whitaker, with William Hickey as Toulon, Irene Miracle as Dana Hadley, Jimmie F. Skaggs as Neil Gallagher, Robin Frates as Megan Gallagher and Matt Roe as Frank Forrester. Hope Perello produced, and 93 crew members are credited. The film runs 88 minutes and was released in October 1989.
Audience reactions were mixed: on IMDb it holds 5.5 out of 10 from around 14,000 votes, and on TMDB 5.9 out of 10 from roughly 400 votes. A critics' rating of 4.6 out of 10 from 10 reviews places professional response lower than the audience scores.
What's left behind the scenes
- Pinhead's hands were portrayed by the hands of actress-dwarf Cindy Sorenson. According to her, the most difficult part of the filming was constantly keeping her head tilted while simultaneously carrying Pinhead on her shoulders and simulating punches.
- The Leech's mouth was made of rubber, which made it appear very pliable in scenes where she was regurgitating leeches. Only three-quarters of a leech emerged from the puppet's mouth, after which editing created the impression that a whole leech came out.
- The hotel in Bodega Bay was miniature, approximately the size of a refrigerator. Composite photography gave it its normal size.
- Five puppeteers operated the blade.
- At the beginning of the film, an Asian doll is seen in the window of Andre Toulon. An authentic Burmese marionette was used here.
- The appearance of the doll named "Blade" was modeled by David Schmoeller after Klaus Kinski.
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
