Retro Puppet Master
Andre Toulon, living a peaceful life as a puppeteer in pre-WWI Paris, encounters the renegade sorcerer Afzel, who has stolen the mysterious secrets of life from the dark god Sutekh.
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- Cast:
- Greg Sestero , Brigitta Dau , Stephen Blackehart , Jack Donner , Guy Rolfe , Vitalie Bantas , Elvira Deatcu
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Reviews
Yawn. Poorly Filmed Snooze Fest.
I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.
The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.
Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.
This is a very scary movie. It has a great story line. I do not know why it got a 4.2. It is not a 4.2 it is a 9. I do not know why people do not like this movie. It has a great story line. It also has great acting. It also has great special effects. It is one of the scariest movies from 1999. This movie is scarier then The Shinning and that is not easy to do. This is scarier then A Nightmare on elm street. And that is not easy do. I think people do not like this movie because it is a prequel. This is scarier then Friday the 13th V a new beginning. And that is not easy to do.
Retro Puppet Master (1999) * (out of 4) The seventh film in the series is actually a prequel to PUPPET MASTER III if anyone actually cares. The film starts off in 1944 just after the end of part three as Andre Toulon (Guy Rolfe; in his final time playing the part) begins to tell how he gained the power of the puppets. We then flashback to 1902 when the young Andre (Greg Sestero) is working Paris and gets a visit from someone with a 3,000 year old Egyptian secret. This is the perfect example where one really doesn't know if they should praise a production for trying to be something special or bash it for being dumb enough to think it could be something special. The film takes the series into a new direction in many ways but the biggest difference is that the film takes place in the early 1900s and we pretty much get a costume drama with just a few horror elements thrown in. The drama aspect of the story deals with not only how Andre got his powers but there's a love story thrown in and countless other subplots. Now, you could admire the film for trying to do this but who on Earth was Full Moon trying to fool? Not for a single frame can the low-budget film make one feel as if we're watching some high production or watching a film that is trying to tell a decent story. For the life of me I can't figure out what they were trying to do with this film. I think I'm being fair when I say that the previous films were no classics but they at least delivers some good horror elements. That's not the case here because not only do we get "drama" but the horror elements are so watered down that the film managed to get a PG-13 rating. Okay, so the studio thinks fans wanted a drama AND watered down violence? Again, I'm simply confused at what they were trying to do here unless they thought they could just overlook the fans and try to deliver this into some sort of art-house crowd. If they thought that then they're really crazy! Rolfe is pretty good in his scenes but sadly he's not used very much. Sestero is pretty bland in his part and never brings any life or energy to the film. The rest of the supporting players aren't all that memorable but I'm sure they could argue that the screenplay just didn't give them anything to do. The biggest problem with this movie is how deadly dull it is. I mean, it's not an exaggeration to say that there's not a single bit of energy to be found in any of the scenes and there's really no point in watching it.
This is where it was said that the Puppet Master series begins, but it has also been the last Puppet Master movie made before "Puppet Master: The Legacy", so in a way you can say that it acts as a beginning and an end to Full Moon's brilliant movie series. The puppets all have a new (or since this movie has the word "retro" in the title, I suppose it's an old) look to them, but not all of them do. The ones that were left out were Torch, Jester and Leech Woman (thank God). This movie relates mostly to the storyline of Puppet Master #4 and #5. There were some scenes in this movie that I found to carry on and have less action then they deserved, such as random fight scenes. If you're ever planning on watching the Puppet Master movies, watch this one first. This was actually the last Puppet Master film that Guy Rolfe starred in, which really is a shame; he portrayed the role of Andre Toulon better than any of the previous actors. Guy Rolfe passed away in the year 2003, so that means that if any more Puppet Master movies are made (other than "Puppet Master vs Demonic Toys"),an other actor will have to play as Toulon. Let's hope that person is as good as Guy Rolfe, although that will be impossible.
This is probably one of my favorites so far, although I have the first one and have seen Curse, Legacy, and vs. Demonic Toys. The only one better than this one is PM vs. DT. Curse is the worst one in the series, Than the first one, and then its Legacy. I recommend people to see this and vs. DT. Those ones who say this stinks are so wrong, the story is well written and it is a sweet movie. This is a classic movie even younger kids can watch and not be as scared when watching the others. Well this is my review, you can call me Gipdac,( its easy to know where that came from: 101 Dalmatians series, you can watch it on Toon Disney at 4:00 A.M.). Oh and don't laugh, I'm a guy, you will see more of my reviews in good time. If you want to know why I watch it? I'm 12! Word of advice: Have a mental meal, arrrrroooooooooo! I also agree with you motter-1, but why people like the others is because they're more thrilling than horror, and because the puppets are made to look scarier. Also, you can call me Gipdac.