Want to play? Scare yourself with horror movies about dolls
Dolls, frankly, can be the most horrifying thing to ever exist in the world. There’s just something about how they look a little too real that sets off those sensors of us crossing into an uncanny valley territory. Plus, the eyes just stare at you, ever unblinking . . . yikes. It’s unsurprising that there are a lot of horror movies involving dolls. There should probably be more.
But what are the scariest horror movies involving dolls? What are the films involving dolls that will send you screaming? There are a lot of really terrifying movies about there, but dolls are just things that kids play with. Right? Well, these horror movie dolls will prove all that and more wrong. So, be prepared to hide any porcelain dolls from Grandma away after reading this list.
Chucky (Child’s Play)
We’re starting off the list with the most famous killer doll of them all. One so popular and terrifying that it spawned a successful franchise known the world over. It’s Chucky, everyone. And he’s ready to kill all of you. In the original 1988 film, the doll is possessed by the soul of a serial killer (Brad Dourif), who was given to a kid named Andy (Alex Vincent).
Chucky, however, still feels the need to kill and does so racking up quite a body count across multiple films. There was a middling remake in 2019 as well. Rather than the doll being possessed by a soul of a serial killer, it’s a high tech toy that becomes self aware and subsequently murderous. Because, apparently, when all forms of technology gain sentience, they want you dead.
Annabelle (The Conjuring universe)
Honestly, it’s like the filmmakers didn’t even try to make the Annabelle doll for the Conjuring franchise less creepy. But who are we to judge? The real life Annabelle doll, for those of you who are curious, is a Raggedy Ann doll. Now, we can understand why the company probably didn’t want their toy to be used in a horror franchise. But . . . wow is the film Annabelle creepy.
This fictional version of this famously haunted doll has spawned three movies within the popular horror movie universe, most recently with Annabelle Comes Home. Whether or not you believe the stories surrounding her from supernatural attacks to near death experiences after mocking the doll, she’s still pretty terrifying. Again, why do we get porcelain dolls when they are clearly vessels for ghosts?
This is why you get anything you buy blessed if it’s like 100+ years old. Or, you can always rehome your haunted doll to people on the internet who actually want them. That’s a subculture that exists.
Suzie and Amy (May)
Is it technically a doll when it’s made entirely out of human body parts like something from Frankenstein? Eh? But it gives us a chance to talk about the chilling 2002 film May, which is a vastly underrated horror film. It follows outcast May (Angela Bettis), whose only true friend in the world is a doll named Suzie that was made by her mother. She lives in a glass case and is a real doll.
Unfortunately, when Suzie is accidentally destroyed, it causes May to have something of a murderous break with reality. This leads her to cutting off the “parts” that she likes best from the people around her to make her own perfect companion meat doll named Amy. Because . . . why not? The film is definitely a slow burn sort of affair. And one that will leave you unsettled long after it ends.
Brahms (The Boy)
The two films that make up The Boy series are . . . okay. They’re not the best horror films in the world. But they’ll probably provide atmosphere for your socially distanced Zoom Halloween party. Even if the plot itself isn’t the best thing in the world, the design for the doll of Brahms is pretty unsettling all things considered. It definitely catches your attention and holds it.
At the very least, you’ll be seeing the image of Brahms in your nightmares.
