Child's Play (1988)

## Overview

Detective Mike Norris chases fugitive serial killer Charles Lee Ray through the streets of Chicago and into a toy store. After being shot by Norris, a dying Ray performs a voodoo chant to transfer his soul to one of the Good Guy-brand talking dolls on display. The store is struck by lightning and explodes, and Norris finds Ray's lifeless body in the rubble next to the doll.

Widow Karen Barclay's six-year-old son Andy desperately wants a Good Guy doll for his birthday, but she cannot afford one. Soon after, she learns that a homeless man outside of her workplace has gotten ahold of a Good Guy doll and is trying to sell it. She buys it and gives it to Andy. The doll appears normal and refers to itself as "Chucky." That night, Karen's best friend Maggie watches over Andy while Karen works late. After Andy's bedtime, Maggie finds Chucky sitting in front of a television tuned to a late-night newscast about Ray's death. She is then attacked by Chucky, being hit in the head with a hammer and falling out of the window to her death. Police search the apartment and Norris considers Andy a suspect, despite Karen's protests. Andy claims that Chucky killed Maggie and says that Chucky told him that his real name was "Charles Lee Ray."

The next morning, Chucky orders Andy to skip school and take a train downtown. While Andy is distracted, Chucky sneaks into the home of his former accomplice, Eddie Caputo, and kills him by causing a gas explosion. Andy is again considered a suspect and is admitted to a psychiatric hospital after claiming Chucky is the culprit. Karen returns home with Chucky and discovers batteries are still in the doll's box; the doll has been moving and speaking without them. Frightened, Karen lights her fireplace and threatens to burn Chucky, who violently comes alive in her arms and attacks her before escaping. Karen goes to the police and explains what happened; Norris doesn't believe her.

Karen finds the man who sold her the doll and asks for more information. The man tries to assault her, but Norris arrives and stops him. Norris forces the man to admit that he took the doll from the demolished toy store. Karen again tries to convince Mike that the doll is alive, but he refuses to believe her, insisting that he killed Ray. After bringing Karen home, Norris is attacked by Chucky, and in the ensuing fight, he shoots the doll, whose wound inexplicably bleeds and causes pain.

Chucky escapes to his former voodoo instructor John, who informs him that the longer his soul remains in the doll, the more "human" the doll will become. Chucky demands that John help him reverse the spell, but he refuses. Chucky tortures John with a voodoo doll, forcing him to reveal that in order to escape the doll's body, Chucky must transfer his soul to the first human he revealed his true identity to - Andy. Chucky stabs the voodoo doll in the chest, mortally wounding John, and escapes. Karen and Norris arrive shortly after. Before dying, John tells them that to kill Chucky, they must strike at his heart.

Chucky arrives at the psychiatric hospital where Andy is being held and kills a doctor with an electroshock therapy device. In the chaos, Andy escapes and flees home, but Chucky follows closely behind and knocks him out. As Chucky prepares to possess him with the voodoo chant, Karen and Norris arrive. Chucky wounds Norris. Karen and Andy manage to trap Chucky in the fireplace and set him on fire, appearing to kill him. Karen and Andy leave the room to help Norris, but a charred Chucky escapes from the fireplace and chases Andy. Karen shoots Chucky repeatedly, blowing him to pieces. Norris' partner Jack arrives at the apartment, initially refusing to believe the three's story about the doll being alive. Chucky's body suddenly bursts through a vent to strangle Jack. Norris manages to shoot Chucky's body through the heart, finally killing him. Jack says that nobody will believe them before leaving the room with Norris, Karen, and Andy.

## Cast

* Catherine Hicks as Karen Barclay
* Chris Sarandon as Detective Mike Norris
* Alex Vincent as Andy Barclay
* Dinah Manoff as Maggie Peterson
* Tommy Swerdlow as Jack Santos
* Jack Colvin as Dr. Ardmore
* Raymond Oliver as John "Dr. Death" Bishop
* Neil Giuntoli as Eddie Caputo
* Brad Dourif as Charles Lee Ray/Chucky
* Edan Gross as Friendly Chucky (voice)
* John Franklin as Walkabout Chucky
* Ed Gale as Chucky (in-suit performer)