Top 10 Killer Doll Horror Movies
#10: “Dolly Dearest” (1991)
“Dolly Dearest” is definitely inspired by another possessed doll movie on this list - probably the possessed doll movie - and is definitely worse. But how many of these do we actually go into expecting quality cinema, anyway? When an evil spirit inhabits the body of the titular porcelain doll, it begins to infect its owner, the young Jessica. This of course causes much turmoil for her family, and mayhem ensues. Though critically lambasted, “Dolly Dearest” is good for so-bad-it’s-good viewing as Dolly’s facial expressions make for some truly horrifying visuals, certainly a far cry from the best effectswork of its day.
#9: “Dead Silence” (2007)
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Before James Wan was the horror icon he is today, his sophomore effort “Dead Silence” saw him establishing himself in supernatural terror after delivering the megahit “Saw.” Though certainly a cult favorite, the former film too wasn’t met with positive marks at the time of release. It tells the story of a man returning to his hometown to solve the mystery of his wife’s murder, which seems to revolve around a deceased ventriloquist named Mary Shaw. To all effects, “Dead Silence” possesses all of Wan’s delectable campiness that would be sprinkled through his later efforts, only it doesn’t quite gel with the somber tone. In any case, this will make you look twice at ventriloquist dummies, if you didn’t already.
#8: “The Boy” (2016)
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You may be saying to yourself, “But, WatchMojo, what about that spoiler ending?” To which we say, “Sure, but it beats putting the plain awful ‘Brahms: The Boy II’ on here.” In all seriousness, while “The Boy” may not be as much of a “killer doll” movie as its sequel, it certainly operates like one for a bulk of the runtime. The story of a nanny being hired to look after a porcelain doll that may be haunted by the owners’ deceased son isn’t necessarily groundbreaking. And the movie definitely plays it safe with a steady stream of predictable jumpscares. But depending on your response to that twist coupled with some sleek cinematography and atmosphere, and you may just have a fun time with Brahms.
#7: “Puppet Master” (1989)
Is there a direct-to-video horror movie franchise quite like “Puppet Master?” The movie that got the ball rolling for Full Moon Pictures, the first “Puppet Master” hit the home market in 1989 and instantly found a cult following. While not a critical darling in its own right, this one has a wonderfully shrewd understanding of what it is, getting to the low-budget glee the subgenre promises. Though the possessed puppets would get more outrageous as the series progressed, the ones featured here are nothing to scoff at, from Leech Woman, to Tunneler, to the flagship character, Blade. If you want nothing more than kooky bloodletting and wild times from your killer doll movie, then “Puppet Master” is the one for you.
#6: “Dolls” (1987)
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Stuart Gordon is best known within the industry for directing the original “Re-Animator” back in 1985. “Dolls” isn’t nearly as good, but it does feature some of the same practical effects craftsmanship that gave the former film such life. This time around, a handful of individuals take solace from a storm in the mansion of an elderly toymaker and his wife. However, they soon come to learn that the couple aren’t what they seem and their creations are a whole lot worse. The simply titled “Dolls” isn’t anything to write home about, but it does have some memorable small- and large-scale setpieces. And it does definitely feel like the first in a series of low-budget thrillers that sadly never came to pass.
#5: “Suddenly in the Dark” (1981)
Also known as “Suddenly at Midnight” and “Suddenly in Dark Night,” this is the first non-English language entry on our list, this one coming out of South Korea. It concerns the plight of Seon-hee, a woman who becomes suspicious of her and her husband’s new housemaid, Mi-ok. At the crux of Seon-hee’s fears is Mi-ok’s doll that also happens to haunt her dreams. Bringing a psychological angle as well as an erotic slant to the proceedings, “Suddenly in the Dark” is unlike any of these other films in that it’s more interested in Seon-hee’s fracturing psyche than tiny bloodletting. It too will keep you guessing right up to the very end.
#4: “Annabelle: Creation” (2017)
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The titular doll made a real impression in her brief appearance in the first “Conjuring” movie, but it’s arguably her second solo outing that sees her reach her full potential. In this prequel, we learn the origin of the titular doll, as the demon possessing it begins terrorizing an orphanage for young girls. Unlike many of the films on this list, the “Annabelle” movies don’t feature a doll inflicting harm directly. Rather, it merely acts as a conduit for all the standard spooky goings on. But we’d be lying if we said every time we saw her porcelain visage onscreen that we didn’t quiver in our seats. Coupled with the actually terrifying frights, and this is a horror prequel that’s actually good.
#3: “Magic” (1978)
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The whole ventriloquist-has-a-split-personality-manifesting-in-his-dummy thing has been done numerous times, but seldom as good as in Richard Attenborough’s “Magic.” Starring a young Anthony Hopkins, the film follows his character Corky, an up-and-coming magician whose ventriloquist dummy Fats seems to have a mind of his own. This threatens to uproot Corky’s life and even endanger his old flame, played by Ann-Margret. Throughout the movie, we’re left to question just how much of Corky is in Fats, or if the dummy really is dangerous on its own. It’s an effective psychological horror that doesn’t show its hand hardly at all, and instead relies on Attenborough’s sharp direction and especially Hopkins’s convincing performance.
#2: “M3GAN” (2022)
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Updating the horror genre for the digital age is something the industry has seldom pulled off, with its concepts coming off more kitschy than clever. “M3GAN” however manages to get the formula just right, delivering a killer AI movie that’s actually pretty solid. You need a great deal of self-awareness to pull off a movie like this, and with TikTok-inspiring dance moves and some genuine frights, this one definitely checks all the boxes. The design of M3GAN herself is already super uncanny-valley, which makes things all the more unsettling when she gets overprotective and flips out. It feels like we’re entering a new era of gleefully campy filmmaking, and with a memorable villain like M3GAN leading the charge, we couldn’t be more excited.
#1: “Pinocchio’s Revenge” (1996)
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Who would’ve thought a movie about a murderous Pinocchio would be this good? Oh what? Our nose is growing? Okay fine, our real number one is…
#1: “Child’s Play” (1988)
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You all knew this was coming. While Chucky’s undergone multiple successful makeovers over the years, nothing makes us scream and cackle in equal measure quite like the original. It may seem obvious now, but the movie actually plays like a compelling whodunit throughout its first half, making us question if the young Andy really is behind the murders. But once Chucky’s true nature is confirmed, that’s when the proceedings become endlessly fun. Powered by Brad Dourif’s iconic vocal performance, Chucky cements himself here as a true icon of slasher cinema. There’s a fine line when creating a killer doll movie that’s both silly and scary, but that’s exactly why we keep coming back to this one all these years later.