Top: ‘Puppet Master’ (1989), directed by David Schmoeller
Bottom: Jennifer Tilly in ‘Seed of Chucky’ (2004), directed by Don Mancini
Gobbledygeek episode 410, “Geek Challenge: Puppet Master vs. Seed of Chucky,” is available for listening or download right here and on Apple Podcasts here.
They’ll tear you a new puppet hole, bitch! The worlds of Charles Band and Don Mancini collide in a pre-Gobbledyween Geek Challenge. Paul sends Arlo a psychic alert letting him know to watch 1989’s Puppet Master, the first of producer Band’s direct-to-VHS Full Moon Features and the source of approximately one trillion sequels. In turn, Arlo goes meta and has a doll voiced by him call Paul while the real Arlo is tied to a bed behind him, commanding Paul to watch 2004’s Seed of Chucky. Paul recounts the joy of watching Full Moon Features in his 20s, Arlo launches a full-throated defense of Mancini’s vision, and they are both just completely miserable. Plus, the boys have nothing but nice things to say about Taylor Swift’s Folklore.
Next: we’re off, then we’re not.
THE BREAKDOWN
Total Run Time: 01:49:34
- 00:00:25 – Intro / Banter
- 00:16:56 – Puppet Master
- 01:03:15 – Seed of Chucky
- 01:45:00 – Outro / Next
THE MUSIC
- “Master of Puppets” by Metallica, Master of Puppets (1986)
- “Doll Parts” by Hole, Live Through This (1994)
THE LINKS
- “How ‘Child’s Play’ Became The Funniest, Most Reliably Surprising, And Queerest Slasher Series” by Louis Peitzman, BuzzFeed
- “Queer Underworld: SEED OF CHUCKY (2004)” by Leigh Monson, Birth.Movies.Death.
- “Why Seed of Chucky holds a special place in my heart” by Sam Mauro, Little White Lies
- “Seed of Chucky” by Roger Ebert, RogerEbert.com
- “We Watched and Ranked Every Single ‘Puppet Master’ Film” by Daniel Kurland, Bloody Disgusting
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