Attack of the Puppet People (RiffTrax)

Film Year:  1958

Genre:  Science Fiction, Fantasy

Director:  Bert I. Gordon

Starring:  John Agar, John Hoyt, June Kenney

RiffTrax Year:  2015

Riffers:  Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy, Bill Corbett

The Movie

Hey hey!  It's the Amazing Colossal Man in reverse!  Wouldn't that just be the Incredible Shrinking Man?  As good as that movie is (and it's fucking amazing, honestly), it doesn't have the legendary auteur Bert I. Gordon at the helm (just that hack Creature from the Black Lagoon director Jack Arnold), so let's see him do tiny people instead of big people!

Attack of the Puppet People is about a local dollmaker who has nefariously been shrinking people into doll size and keeping him in his collection.  Considering how many people last come into contact with this dude, you'd think the authorities would be more inclined to connect the dots, but he is getting away with it scott free.  But his latest acquisitions are now led by the intrepid and gung-ho John Agar, who will lead the tiny people back to the big world.

Puppet People's main issue is that it's pacing is wonky.  It takes a long while for us to get to some Puppet People action, and when we get there it's a lengthy scene of exposition followed by a musical number that almost feels like Bert I. Gordon starting to work the groove he'd put into full swing in Village of the Giants.  The movie is a bit of a hike to get to the Puppet People overcoming mundane things while puppet-sized, but it's an amusing enough diversion that won't suck up too much time in general.

Typical Gordon trademarks are all here, including many superimposed shots that are more inclined to look fake than look real, while scaling is inconsistent from scene to scene because I don't imagine the proper proportions of the characters was all that thought out.  There are a couple that are well-played though, probably more than in other Gordon goodies of the era, which probably makes Puppet People one of his best special effects showcases.  But there are also those obvious paper replicas of John Agar in small plastic tubes that he's trying to pass off as dolls, which is forcing me to rescind that statement.

The Trax

Rest in peace to the Mystery Science Theater icon Bert I. Gordon, who directed eight movies that were featured on the program (more than any other director) and had one incredible run at life by living to be a full century old.  As a toast to this man's wonderful life and contributions to our favorite series, I'll be reviewing the last riffed film of his that I haven't covered on my blog, which is the RiffTrax release of Attack of the Puppet People.  And if you love Gordon's flicks on MST, Puppet People is a must-see RiffTrax.

Like all Gordon flicks, Puppet People is a wacky movie all by itself, so it doesn't necessarily need the commentary to enhance it.  The commentary is just a garnish, really.  In fact, the approach does indeed seem to be to garnish this movie.  It's a silly premise with riffs that basically play up how silly it is with their own silly tone ("Oh my god, he's playing with my fiancé!").  This works out well, because the film's pacing doesn't work in its favor, while the riffing keeps the film's inherent goofiness alive throughout it's runtime.

The RiffTrax gang also push the line further when they need to, with some fun results.  They have an amazing callback to one of their shorts when they propose that the dollmaker might be "William from 'William's Doll' all grown up."  It's an idea that's both depressing and funny at the same time.  Meanwhile they also get a little dark about the concept of the tiny people meeting tiny demises in amusing ways.  Hell, the end of the movie leaves the fates of many of the Puppet People up in the air, choosing to end ambiguously without much closure, which prompts them to speculate that those folks met horrible ends off-screen.  While Puppet People isn't a spectacular riff, it's another solid toe-dip into Gordon's filmography with funny results, and I, for one, enjoyed the trip.

⭐⭐⭐

Good