PUPPET MASTER: THE LITTLEST REICH: Gory Slasher Comedy Is An Instant Cult Classic
Josh Martin
Unless you only clicked on this review out of a sense of morbid curiosity, you will probably love Sonny Laguna and Tommy Wiklund‘s Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich. If the mere idea of Nazi puppets sounds appealing or amusing in any way, shape, or form, I’m here to tell you that this outlandishly gory horror comedy delivers the goods in spectacular fashion. But if campy mayhem courtesy of demented dolls isn’t your thing, stay far, far away.
This is an all-out spectacle of violence, loaded from start to finish with nasty murders and disturbing cruelty. In other words, The Littlest Reich utterly annihilates the limits of good taste. Seriously, Laguna, Wiklund, and screenwriter S. Craig Zahler (Brawl in Cell Block 99 &Bone Tomahawk) push so far into outrageous territory that every viewer’s jaw will be on the floor. The words “restraint” and “moderation” are not in this film’s vocabulary. It is savage, hysterical, and deeply bonkers.
Yet for all of its merciless violence, The Littlest Reich remains a clever exercise in genre thrills and impossibly twisted humor. It’s smart and hilariously effective, even as each scene adds a genuinely ghastly death to the equation.
A Trip To The Toulon Mansion
In the late 1980s, Nazi puppeteer Andre Toulon (Udo Kier) committed a series of brutal murders, killing two bartenders from a local dive and harming police officers in the process. Toulon was taken out by Officer Carol Doreski (played in the modern day by Barbara Crampton), but the effects of the murders still linger. As we learn in the opening credits, Toulon was a powerful member of the Third Reich, best known for his demented creations and twisted mind.
source: RLJE Films
Years after Toulon’s infamous attacks, we’re introduced to Edgar (Thomas Lennon), who is spending a few weeks back at his parents house after a nasty divorce. Edgar works in a comic book shop with Markowitz (Nelson Franklin), and he spends his days drawing new characters and writing fresh stories. Edgar’s luck seems to be heading in the right direction when he meets Ashley (Jenny Pellicer), who takes an immediate liking to him and his work.
On a quiet and fateful afternoon, Edgar discovers an odd and seriously creepy puppet (one with knives for hands) in his closet, one of the many creations of Andre Toulon. The puppet belonged to his brother, who died in an “accident” many years before. When he learns of a major puppet auction, Edgar, Ashley, and Markowitz decide to pack their things and head to Postville, Texas, the site of the Toulon Mansion – and the notorious murders.
Of course, when you put a bunch of Nazi puppets in a very small area, things aren’t going to go well.
Unbelievable Carnage & Practical Gore Effects
The trailer for Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich sells it as “one of the most violent films ever made,” which might be just a little hyperbolic. If the power of cinematic violence lies in its lingering impact on the viewer, I doubt anything in this film will seriously haunt anyone. After all, this is mostly a campy exercise in sheer extremity, a showcase for blood, guts, and unbelievable mayhem. Even as directors Laguna and Wiklund display murders that will make 99% of the audience recoil, it’s hard to take it all too seriously.
source: RLJE Films
But for the 1% of bloodthirsty gorehounds who watch The Littlest Reich, the outrageous carnage will be a large part of the film’s appeal. The more ridiculous it gets, the more entertaining the whole thing becomes. It almost feels like the filmmakers were dared to create some of the more gruesome kills, just to see how far they could push their audience.
Will people rebel against the film when a decapitated man’s head falls into a toilet? What about the particularly vicious and unnecessary murder of a pregnant woman? The rules of cinematic discretion do not apply here, and it serves as something of a litmus test for violence. I don’t know what that says about me.
What makes it all a bit more tolerable is the over-the-top nature of each and every bloody puppet assault. Laguna and Wiklund aren’t stretching for realism with Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich, because that would just be too repulsive for anyone. The gore effects are all genuinely disgusting, but their practicality ensures that nobody will be too repelled by what’s seen on-screen. This exaggerated slaughter walks a thin line between abhorrent and entertaining, but a few smart choices tip it in a positive direction.
Subversive Humor In Unhinged Horror Comedy
It helps that the film is often unbelievably funny and carefully crafted, avoiding the temptation to become a pure horror show. Like the violence, the nature of the comedy won’t be to everyone’s liking, as the film often dives headfirst into some seriously grim humor. The Nazi puppets are targeting specific people in the Toulon Mansion, and I imagine that won’t sit well with everyone.
source: RLJE Films
But even as The Littlest Reich pushes buttons like a madman, its humor feels clever and crucial, turning the film into something of a powerful revenge fantasy. Maybe it won’t be as effective as seeing people take their anger out on actual Nazis, but watching these actors face off against Toulon’s puppets is nearly as thrilling. And sadly, it makes the film relevant in today’s day and age. After the directors deploy their most shocking sequences, they conjure up a wicked concoction of cruel humor and relentless nastiness.
Through it all, the characters and the Toulon mythology keep things afloat. Thomas Lennon, Jenny Pellicer, and Nelson Franklin form a terrific trio, and the film boasts several notable supporting performances from Skeeta Jenkins and Charlyne Yi. The score by Richard Band and Fabio Frizzi adds an air of unsettling whimsy to the proceedings, while screenwriter Zahler builds a complex and intricate world around Toulon and his puppets. As someone who was unfamiliar with the prior installments in the series, the little touches were a welcome surprise.
Conclusion: Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich
If there’s a complaint to be lodged against Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich (beyond the effects of the incessant sadism and violence for some viewers), it’s the film’s lack of an ending. I won’t spoil what happens, but it’s safe to say that there’s no real conclusion to the events of the story. This is the first part of a greater narrative, and we’re going to have to wait to see how it all wraps up. I couldn’t find any details on when this sequel will go into production, which is somewhat frustrating considering the massive cliff-hanger.
But when Laguna and Wiklund decide to give the saga of Andre Toulon a proper ending, I’ll be there.
What did you think of Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich? Did you find the film’s puppet-centric carnage to be too extreme? Let us know in the comments below!
Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich will arrive in U.S. theaters on August 17, 2018. For full release information, click here.
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