CURSE OF CHUCKY
US, 2013, 97 minutes, Colour.
Fiona Dourif, Danielle Bisutti, Brennan Elliott, Maitland Mc Connell, Summer H.Howell, A Martinez, Brad Dourif.
Directed by Don Mancini.
In 1988, audiences responded well to a horror film about a malevolent doll, Chucky. He was created by writer Don Mancini who spent over 30 years writing many films, short films, a television series about his doll, Chucky. He wrote and directed this particular version. It came out 25 years after the original.
The focus is on Nica, a young woman in a wheelchair, who lives in a rather large Gothic house. She is sent Chucky doll but does not know where it came from. Her sister comes with her husband and daughter, trying to persuade her to sell the house and move into care. They are accompanied by a priest.
There is a meal, Chucky poisons the meal of the priest and he dies in a car crash. The rest of the evening, a very stormy evening, Chucky continues to befriend the little girl but attacks the au pair that the couple have brought, then the mother, then the father, and then Nica.
Chucky is completely malevolent – and voiced, as ever, by Brad Dourif. Interestingly, Nica is played by Brad Dourif’s daughter, Fiona.
Just as the film’s ending there are flashbacks, a kind of origin story, explaining who the criminal is who inhabits the doll and why.
1. The long popularity of the Chucky stories? The work of Don Mancini, creating the characters, writing the screenplays for film and television? Directing this version?
2. Audience knowledge of Chucky, the doll, appearance, expressions, speaking? Smiling? Sinister? The various stories, origins, insinuation into families, murders?
3. The action taking place within the house, the touch of the Gothic, the staircases, elevator? The musical score?
4. Nica, her presence in the house, disabled? Yet her managing? Vivacity? The arrival of the group? Her relationship with Barb, the later flashbacks to their childhood, their mother pregnant with Nica, the consequences? Her staying in the house? Barb and her suggestion that it be sold and that Nica move into care? The discussions, Nica unwilling?
5. Barb, the touch of the sinister, her relationship with her husband, with Alice? With the au pair? The touch of arrogance, the later revelation of the relationship, in the kitchen, with the computer and the video link? The presence of the au pair, looking after Alice? At the meal, in the long search around the house for Chucky? The husband, amiable, asleep at the television, suspicious of his wife? Inserting the camera into Chucky? Alice, her age, curiosity, stories, the attraction towards Chucky?
6. The arrival of the parcel, the Chucky doll, the mystery, Nica and her finding, the discovery that he came from the evidence suppository? The video, the past, photo albums, her googling and discovery?
7. The presence of the priest, his supporting Barb, giving his opinions, staying for the meal, grace, Chucky poisoning him, the car crash?
8. Chucky, appearance, clothes, hair, speaking, the voice? Able to move from place to place? The sinister remarks, about God, death? Meaning of life? The bond with Alice? His poisoning the meal? The buildup to the various confrontations, the au pair’s searching for him, the computer, the water, her being electrocuted? The confrontation with Barb, her death? The husband, the camera, the eventual confrontation, the axe, his death?
9. Alice, the storm, being afraid, hiding? Chucky hiding her, continuing the relationship with her?
10. Nica, cooking the meal, hosting, the discussions, the mystery about Chucky? Her care for Alice? The elevator, stopping? Nica and her concern, climbing up the stairs backwards, Chucky throwing her over the landing?
11. The unexpected development of this plot, the flashbacks, the mystery man in the photo, criminal, the death of the father, the attack on the mother, tying her up? The fire, the criminal inhabiting the doll?
12. The mystery, Nica being blamed, the court case, her being sent to an institution?
