The defence The Arthouse Gremlin
“Its refusal to behave is the point.”
The strange choices create the kind of friction that follows you out of the theatre and into the argument.
Back to trending 
Puppetmaster
Horror · 1989
After being contacted by their mysterious former colleague, four psychics arrive at a secluded hotel where they are stalked by a group of murderous puppets.
Movie details
Puppetmaster
“Evil comes in all sizes.”
1989 Horror 1h 28m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
5.9 / 10
Community rating
After being contacted by their mysterious former colleague, four psychics arrive at a secluded hotel where they are stalked by a group of murderous puppets.
CriticWise case file
What this film says about your taste.
Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.
The archetype split
Who fights over Puppetmaster?
For the defence
The Arthouse Gremlin
“The stranger, the better.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Prestige Tourist
“You like your greatness pre-approved.”
Read their objectionThe split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.
Taste neighbourhood
Nearby on the taste map.
TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.
And Now the Screaming Starts!
Horror · 1973
In the late 18th century, two newlyweds move into the stately mansion of the Fengriffen family. The young bride is victim of terrifying visions and apparitions, threatening her very sanity. A London psychiatrist comes to her help and uncovers the terrible secret that haunts the estate.
Puppet Master II
Horror · 1990
A new team of paranormal researchers has come to the hotel to investigate its murder-soaked past; the puppets -- led by a new member, Torch -- shed some light on the matter, as they tunnel, burn, strangle and hook to survive.
Sinister 2
Horror · 2015
A young mother and her twin sons move into a rural house that's marked for death.
House of 1000 Corpses
Horror · 2003
Two teenage couples traveling across the backwoods of Texas searching for urban legends of serial killers end up as prisoners of a bizarre and sadistic backwater family of serial killers.
Superstition
Horror · 1982
A witch put to death in 1692 swears vengeance on her persecutors and returns to the present day to punish their descendants.
Puppet Master III: Toulon's Revenge
Horror · 1992
After hearing that mystical toymaker Andre Toulon has managed to create a troupe of sentient, living puppets, Nazi underling Dr. Hess sets his sights on exploiting Toulon's powers for the glory of the Reich.
Paranormal Activity 3
Horror · 2011
In 1988, young sisters Katie and Kristi befriend an invisible entity who resides in their home.
Tourist Trap
Horror · 1979
After their car breaks down, a group of young travelers find themselves stranded at a roadside museum run by the enigmatic Mr. Slausen and populated by his collection of life-like wax mannequins.
Brahms: The Boy II
Horror · 2020
After a family moves into the Heelshire Mansion, their young son soon makes friends with a life-like doll called Brahms.
Dark Harvest
Horror · 2023
In a small Midwestern town, a deadly annual ritual unfolds when the mythical nightmare, Sawtooth Jack, rises from the cornfields and challenges the town’s teenage boys in a bloody battle of survival.
Where it lives
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Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
David Schmoeller
Written by
David Schmoeller · Charles Band · Kenneth J. Hall · J.S. Cardone
Paul Le Mat
Alex Whitaker
William Hickey
Andre Toulon
Irene Miracle
Dana Hadley
Jimmie F. Skaggs
Neil Gallagher
R
Robin Frates
Megan Gallagher
M
Matt Roe
Frank Forrester
Kathryn O'Reilly
Carlissa Stamford
Court is in session
Put Puppetmaster on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
The prosecution The Prestige Tourist
“Oddness is not depth.”
A film can break every rule and still leave nothing behind but the memory of how hard it tried to be singular.