CHILD'S PLAY 3

US, 1991, 89 minutes, Colour.
Justin Whalen, Perry Reeves, Brad Dourif, Andrew Robinson.
Directed by Jack Bender.

Child's Play 3 brings back the character of Andy from the original two films, now grown up to an adolescent and going from institutions to a military school. In the meantime, scandals over the Chucky Doll having died down, the company foolishly decides to reissue the doll. It is the opportunity for Charles Lee Ray to inhabit Chucky once again. He gets himself transferred to the military academy, wants to enter the body of a young black boy in the school - all the ingredients for the expected confrontations.

The film was written by Don Mancini, writer of the original. The film uses the device of the military school and the parallels between Chucky and the harsh authoritarians, both adult and adolescent, to make points about violence. It also means that the film, while having some gruesome deaths, is strong on atmosphere and not as gruesome as Child's Play 2. However, the film has the expected characters, sets up the victims (thus creating suspense) - and has a strong heroine who teaches our hero how to be defiant, a rebel against authoritarianism as well as how to shoot guns. However, she is wounded in the final confrontation, leaving the field open for the hero to confront Chucky.

Expected nightmare thriller.

1.The popularity of the first two films? The sequel? Repeat, reworking of the original material? The young boy growing up - the adolescent hero?

2.The company making the dolls, executive officers and apartments? The military school, the institutional rooms? The military style and parades? War games? The carnival? Popular settings for the thriller? Songs, musical score? Atmosphere?

3.The stunt work and special effects for the Chucky Doll? Brad Dourif again providing the voice? The crassness of Chucky's personality and language? The menace, the killings?

4.Audience knowledge of the previous films? Chucky and the confrontation with Andy? The re-establishing of the dolls, the board meeting? The executive and his philosophy of greed? Alone in his apartment, the television, the confrontation with Chucky and his murder? Chucky and his shrewdness in finding out from the files where Andy was at school? Getting himself posted to the school?

5.Andy and his background, going to the military school? His absent mother? The officer in charge and his severity? The roommate - and his dislike of things military? The meeting of de Silva, her defiance of Shelton, the push-ups? Their friendship - with a touch of romance? His friendship with Tyler? The wariness about the Chucky Doll, the advertisement on television? The parcel? His fears for Tyler? Trying to find the doll, the encounters in the rooms, with Shelton? With the officer? Chucky going into the garbage - and killing the collector? The confrontation with the barber and his death? With the chief officer? The war games - and the live ammunition? Trying to find Tyler in the darkness? The carnival, the pursuit around the carnival, de Silva's being wounded? The final confrontation and Chucky's dismemberment? The happy ending for Andy? For the time being? Portrait of a troubled adolescent, the past, trying to make a new life, victimised by the officer and Shelton? Friendships and the disruption of Chucky?

6.Tyler, lonely, his absent father? Friendship with Andy? The parcel, the Chucky Doll? Playing games with Chucky? Becoming Chucky's victim? Escaping? The jealousy with Andy? The episodes in the night with Chucky? The war games - Tyler getting lost, Chucky pursuing him? The incantations and wanting to take him over - the final rescue?

7.The cadets, Shelton and his dominance, Andy going to his room in the night - and the cadets having to do drill during the night? His behaviour on parade, in the rooms? The war games - and his being shot with the ammunition? The contrast with his victim, not wanting to be in the army, the roommate? Polishing Shelton's shoes? The discovery about the doll? The live ammunition - sacrificing himself with the hand grenade? Knowing the truth because of the barber's death?

8.The officer, his strictness of discipline? Attack on Andy, supporting Shelton? Throwing the doll away - his death? The barber, the sadistic comedy about the haircuts and his inspection in the dining room? His wanting to give Chucky a haircut - his death?

9.The comparative absence of women in the plot, the photo of Andy's mother, the two cadets? De Silva and her defiance of Shelton, the press-ups? Friendship with Andy, the war games? Her friend - laughing at Andy's falling in the dining room?

10.The character of Chucky, the serial killer? His insanity, crassness? Into the doll, the murder of the executive? Shrewdness in getting to the school? In the parcel, the friendship with Tyler, wanting to use him, the incantations? Voodoo background? Into the garbage - and his murdering the collector? His killing of the officer, of the barber? The maniacal behaviour amongst the cadets? Changing the ammunition from blanks? The war games? The images of the carnival, the ghost train and its horrors? His confrontation with Tyler and Andy - and his destruction?

11.The horror story and nightmares - and the references to horror stories - especially the cadets telling gory stories around the campfire? This film a variation on that kind of storytelling?