Review - Chucky: The Killer DVD Collection

Chucky: The Killer DVD Collection 
Directors: Don Mancini, Jack Bender, John Lafia, Ronny Yu
Starring: Alex Vincent, Alexis Arquette, Andrew Robinson, Beth Grant, Billy Boyd, Brad Dourif
Studio: Universal Studios
Release Date: September 19, 2006
Retail: $35.49
ASIN: B000FWHW86
Running Time: 350 minutes
Rating: R

Review: 

After viewing the Curse of Chucky (look for my review on Wednesday) last week, I had to drag out the Chucky: The Killer DVD Collection featuring Child's Play 2, Child's Play 3, Bride of Chucky and Seed of Chucky on two double-sided discs. Yes, I'm well aware the original movie is missing from the collection, but it was released by MGM/UA, who still held the rights when the collection came out in 2006.

When United Artists were brought by Australian investors, the company decided they were no longer making horror movies. Therefore, the creator Don Mancini produced the sequel independently with Universal Studios distributing it to theaters. Child's Play 2 was released in 1990 with Alex Vincent returning as Andy and Brad Dourif voicing Chucky. Two years after the original, Andy's mother has been committed to a mental hospital, forcing him into the foster care system. His new family is the Simpsons and his new foster-sister is Kyle. While exploring his new room, he finds a Good Guy doll. First, he was startled, but he is trying to get on his life and decides to play with the doll. It doesn't take long for Andy to realize the doll is Chucky!

Released in 1991, Child's Play 3 takes place eight years later when Play Pals begin making Good Guy dolls again, thus recycling Chucky's body into a new Good Guy doll. Of course, the soul of murderer Charles Lee Ray still possesses the doll and Chucky is reborn. He tracks down sixteen-year-old Andy (now played by Justin Whalin), who is attending a military school. Chucky seeks out his revenge.

Bride of Chucky hit theaters eight years later, but is set six months after the third film, where Charles Lee Ray's ex-girlfriend, Tiffany (played by Jennifer Tilly) gets the remains of Chucky and stitches him back up. After doing a voodoo ritual, Chucky is back, but he's not exactly happy with Tiffany, so he kills her and transfers her soul into a doll. Chucky still wants to become human and plans on retrieving the amulet that was buried with his human body, but Chucky and Tiffany will have to kidnap two lovestruck teenagers and make the teenagers take them to the cemetery.

Seed of Chucky came out in 2004 and is set six years after the previous film. Chucky's offspring Glen, locates his parents who are being used as props for a Universal Studio horror film. Glen uses a voodoo amulet to bring them back to life. Chucky and Tiffany plan on returning to human form by kidnapping Jennifer Tilly (Tiffany's look-alike), inseminating her with Chucky's seed, transfer Tiffany's soul into Tilly's body and transfer Glen's soul into the baby's body. Chucky would then transfer his own soul into a man's body, but Chucky has a change of heart about becoming human again. Plus, Glen becomes Glenda!

The Child's Play films have had a strange go-around, the first three films were straight-up horror, five and six were horror-comedies and the newest entry has returned to its horror roots. Child's Play 2 has been one of my favorite horror sequels, featuring the chase scene through the toy factory. Though a little darker, Child's Play 3 has never clicked with me. Bride of Chucky has a great blend of horror and comedy, while as Seed of Chucky had too much humor and a pointless plot. Since buying the DVD set in 2006, the set has been re-released in a slimmer packaging and at a lower cost; I saw it at Walmart for fewer than ten dollars. Chucky: The Killer DVD Collection is a great set, if you are a fan of the series. The films aren't perfect, but they are fun to watch.