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Summary: Puppet People changed the history of the United States
Review: Attack of the Puppet People is no more than a mediocre B-movie made primarily for the drive-in market of the late 1950s. The investors didn't even deem it worthy to be filmed in color. Director Bert I. Gordon and the American International studio instead focussed their lukewarm efforts and severely limited budget on some modest special effects. John Hoyt portrays the self centered doll maker Mr. Franz who turns the people he likes into miniature size. In other words, it's best to be on his bad side. Everybody else is essentially ignored and left alone. Mr. Franz is something of a benign dictator who claims to care for his victims, but refuses to allow them to choose their own destiny. John Agar, better known as the former real life husband of Shirley Temple is Bob, and June Kenny stars as Sally. The plot revolves around the attempt of these doll size folks to escape their current irritating predicament. Please note that I describe their reaction as merely irritating and not existentially horrifying. Alas, do I really need to add that none of the actors in Puppet People were nominated for any acting awards? The dialogue is wooden and embarrassing to watch. It is doubtful if the actors spent even five minutes rehearsing their lines. Far better acting is normally found in one's local high school theater group. The movie's theme song utters the ridiculous lyrics "You're my living doll." Admittedly, though, the song is so banal that you might find it hysterically funny. I still burst out laughing when thinking about it. This 79 minute long flick probably took no more than two weeks to complete. Attack of the Puppet People is definitely a strong competitor for the worst movie ever released.The reader up to this point might assume that I am discouraging them from viewing Attack of the Puppet People. Nothing could be further from the truth. This movie earns a five star recommendation, but not for its dubious artistic quality. It inadvertently is the reason why Richard M. Nixon eventually resigned from the presidency. The lookout for the Watergate burglars was suppose to use his walkie-talkie to warn those inside if the police were entering the building. However, this less than brilliant individual got distracted watching Attack of the Puppet People on television. Perhaps no other movie has ironically so impacted the history of the United States. That is reason enough to own a copy---and prominently place it in your own personal film collection.
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Summary: Puppet People pleases...
Review: I love this movie! I have loved this movie ever since I was a kid, and watched it whenever it would play on tv in the early 70s...so I was very pleased to see that a major video company (in this case MGM video) was finally releasing it for all to see once again! The story is about a lonely doll store owner, Mr. Franz (played by John Hoyt), who creates very realistic mini-versions of people he likes...the same people who have all also disappeared under mysterious circumstances! A very ambitious little film from AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL PICTURES with some absolutely flawless oversized props and some fairly good performances too! John Hoyt as the desperate doll maker is at his best in this one, and June Kenney (my all time favorite actress...really!) also does a fine job as his slightly suspicious and frightened secretary who eventually finds herself becoming one of the little people! Several other AIP regulars fill out the cast and make this one heck of a fun film! I highly recommend it! The picture quality is crystal clear and the video box artwork is fantastic too! Let's hope MGM Video decides to release some additonal titles from AIPs horror and sci-fi film vault!
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Summary: JOHN HOYT
Review: For all of you who have seen Attack Of The Puppet People. John Hoyt also appeared twice on Leave It To Beaver, first as a clothing store salesman and next as a man who sells accordions. He was also in the Twilight Zone story Lateness Of The Hour as Dr. Loren who has a robot daughter named Jayna. and he was also in The Man With The X-Ray Eyes as a doctor who doesnt approve of Ray Milland's medical procedures. He was also an alien creature in The Bellero Shield, a 1964 Outer Limits Story starring Martin Landau
Rating: 
Summary: Bert I. Gordon Strikes Again!
Review: Bert I. Gordon, the producer known for alternately making people and animals really big or small, was the brains behind this film, which is one of the best of the genre. It is a Black and White production from 1958 featuring John Hoyt as the mad doll maker, John Agar in his typical hero role, and a fairly bland performance by June Kenney as the love interest. The plot is fairly typical, Hoyt kidnaps people and shrinks them to doll size so he will never be lonely; after authorities get onto his trail he loses control of his life and the dolls. The movie is actually very well done, and the split screen shots are pretty decent, particularly of the cats and dogs. I was initially leaning toward a five star appraisal of the film, but the ending is somewhat abrupt and anticlimactic, so I give the film four stars for being an entertaining B-Movie genre period piece, and also for the performances of the two male leads. John Hoyt is genuinely creepy in his role of Mr. Franz the doll maker, and John Agar was born to play the hero in period pieces like this and the later "Zontar, The Thing From Venus", a film that definitely needs to be released on DVD soon. My favorite scene in the film is when Agar and Kenney go to the drive in to see "War of the Colossal Beast", another Bert I. Gordon 'human of improbable size' film with an astronaut who grows to enormous proportions. Don't miss it; it's a B-Movie classic!
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Summary: very nice print of a B-movie classic, few dvd features
Review: This was a drive-in movie classic from the late 50s. John Hoyt plays the somewhat-benevolent mad scientist with pathos as he shrinks people he likes, stores them in a display case of dolls, and brings them out at night for entertainment. If you enjoy cheesy B-movies, or if you have fond memories of this or other old b&w 'scary' movies, you will enjoy this nice print of Bert Gordon's (The Amazing Colossal Man) classic, with little people dialing a (rotary!) phone, being chased by a dog, and acting out a scene in a puppet theatre. DVD extras are sparse: a trailer, and subtitles in French or Spanish -- hey, it's educational!!
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Summary: Puppet People DVD Okay. Movie pure Mr. B.I.G.
Review: Bert I. Gordon (aka Mr. B.I.G.) decided that enlarging things had been overdone so he decided to shrink his cast in Attack of the Puppet People (aka Fantastic Puppet People). You hafta love when Gordon has the two leads go to a drive-in to see his Amazing Colossal Man. John Hoyt plays a lonely doll maker who has invented a machine that shrinks people to doll size. Hoyt keeps his 'dolls' in suspended animation stored in glass tubes and only brings them out when he wants to play. Not a bad little B film. John Agar is his usual B Movie self, but June Kenney is really awful as his love interest. John Hoyt gives a sweet, warped performance as the lonely doll maker. Truly one of his best efforts. MGM has used a decent copy of the film for this DVD. As is typical with MGM Mignite series, the only extra is the trailer. Hey, MGM, how about a feature commentary once in a while?
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Summary: Lonely Doll Maker makes the most life-like dolls ever
Review: This is a really good movie. It has great props, and is technically advanced for it's time. The plot is about a lonely doll maker who cannot stand people leaving him, so he shrinks them to doll size so that they stay with him forever. These shrunken people include Bob (his salesman) and Sally (his secretary), and four others. He apparently has shrunken and kept other people including his previous secretary and a mailman, but for some reason he keeps them in suspended animation in tube like containers, only playing with six of his living dolls. It is never explained why this happened. This is one of the nicer shrunken people movies, because Hoyt's charcter is not a mad scientist, like "Dr. Cyclops" for example. He uses his puppet people for companionship, although his dolls are none too thrilled about being doll size (except one who says it took her ten minutes to get used to being a such a tiny person). You almost feel sorry for the guy that he has to go to such extreme lengths for companionship. Overall, a great 50s sci-fi flick.
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Summary: "genre folks will be pleased"
Review: If you love B-movies (and since you're reading a review of .."Puppet People" I'm assuming that you do) then you ought to be pleased with MGM's DVD of this drive-in flick. *I'm assuming it was a drive-in I'm too young to remember!* Anyway, on to the film itself: great title, creepy performance by Hoyt *remember him from the T.Z. episode: "Will the real martian stand up." ? and cool special effects. cool B-movie moment: the Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde marionette show!! + isn't that one of the judges from, "Son of Frankenstein" that plays Dr. Franz's friend? Curious... Enjoy with popcorn and a double-feature of another of MGM's Midnite movies! (and at prices between 9.99-12.99) who can beat it?
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Summary: Puppet Man Throws Quite the Wild Party!
Review: Scary but tender tale of a warmhearted puppeteer whose high tech wizardry is light-years ahead of his time. Fantastic special effects and a fine cast highlight this treasure amongst science fiction classics from a bygone era. Action packed throughout, this thriller features a well developed story, clever plot, and intriguing dialogue, making it a perfect treat for sleepovers and slumber party's alike! The film itself is (in a sense) one big party as a brilliant but slightly crazed and eccentric senior citizen intellectual pulls out ALL the stops in risking a life in prison by refusing to abandon his lifelong dream and secret passion. Great fun for children and adults of all ages--Pretty intense at times but a mild breath of fresh air compared to Chucky and friends. Although the movie is VHS--It looks as clear as DVD!
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Summary: For B-Movie Fans Only! Others Beware!
Review: While B-Movie completists may be thrilled that this film is finally available on home video, others beware: You're in for a disappointment! If you're expecting a long-hidden gem of 1950's sci-fi, unfortunately what you'll find here is a derivative, bottom-of-the-barrel Bert I. Gordon bomb. Worst of all, it's just plain dull, and not much fun.
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