Puppet Master 5: The Final Chapter: Difference between revisions

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{{More citations needed|date=November 2025}}

{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2025}}

{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2025}}

{{Infobox film

{{Infobox film

| name = Puppet Master 5

| name = Puppet Master 5

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* [[Teresa Hill]] as Lauren

* [[Teresa Hill]] as Lauren

* [[Nicholas Guest]] as Tom Hendy

* [[Nicholas Guest]] as Tom Hendy

* [[Willard E. Pugh|Willard Pugh]] as Jason

* [[Willard E. PughWillard Pugh as Jason

* [[Diane McBain]] as Attorney

* [[Diane McBain]] as Attorney

* [[Duane Whitaker]] as Scott

* [[Duane Whitaker]] as Scott

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* [[Clu Gulager]] as Man #1

* [[Clu Gulager]] as Man #1

* [[Ron O’Neal]] as Detective

* [[Ron O’Neal]] as Detective

* Jason Adams (”archive footage”) as Cameron Phillips

* Adams (archive footage) as Cameron Phillips

* Jake McKinnon (”uncredited”) as [[Set (deity)|Sutekh]]

* Jake McKinnon (uncredited) as [[Set (deity)|Sutekh]]

===Featured puppets===

===Featured puppets===

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* [[Tunneler (Puppet Master)|Tunneler]]

* [[Tunneler (Puppet Master)|Tunneler]]

* [[Torch (Puppet Master)|Torch]]

* [[Torch (Puppet Master)|Torch]]

* [[Six Shooter (Puppet Master)|Six-Shooter]] (voiced by [[Albert Band]], uncredited<ref name=”Six-Shooter Voice 1″>{{cite web|last=Brehmer|first=Nat|title=But as a final, particularly exquisite note, there’s the fact that PUPPET MASTER III introduces the puppet Six-Shooter, cackling wildly as he takes down Nazis left and right. The voice behind that cackle? None other than Albert Band.|url=https://twitter.com/NatBrehmer/status/1268306566488289280|date=June 3, 2020|publisher=Twitter|access-date=January 10, 2026}}</ref><ref name=”Six-Shooter Voice 2″>{{cite web|last=Brehmer|first=Nat|title=Six-Shooter’s unmistakable laugh in PUPPET MASTER 3 was provided by Charles Band’s father, Albert Band. As a child, Albert fled France at the start of the Nazi occupation. So when you see Six-Shooter mow down Nazis in PM 3, it’s the cackle of an actual Nazi survior.|url=https://twitter.com/NatBrehmer/status/1720318721405661211|date=November 3, 2023|publisher=Twitter|access-date=January 10, 2026}}</ref>)

* [[Six Shooter (Puppet Master)|Six Shooter]]

* [[List of Puppet Master characters|Decapitron]]

* [[List of Puppet Master characters|Decapitron]]

* [[List of Puppet Master characters|Dark Totem]]

* [[List of Puppet Master characters|Dark Totem]]

==Production==

===Development===

In 1992, executive producer Charles Band announced an upcoming film in the ”[[Puppet Master (film series)|Puppet Master]]” series, titled ”Puppet Master 4”, despite not having a script for said film. The film was to be a crossover with the ”[[Demonic Toys (film series)|Demonic Toys]]” series, with the puppets, depicted as protagonists, battling the toys, set for release in the fall of 1992.<ref name=”DTVZ”>{{cite AV media|author=Full Moon Features|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_Mw6ihnCvQ|title=Demonic Toys (Full Length Videozone)|date=March 12, 1992|publisher=YouTube|access-date=December 1, 2025}}</ref>{{sfn|Brehmer|2021|p=73}} The project never materialized, and ”Demonic Toys” instead crossed over with ”[[Dollman (film)|Dollman]]” in ”[[Dollman vs. Demonic Toys]]” in 1993. Band decided to that the film would be a theatrical feature rather than a direct-to-video release, naming it ”Puppet Master: The Movie”.{{sfn|Brehmer|2021|p=73}} The script was co-written by Band, Steven E. Carr, Todd Henschell, Keith S. Payson, [[Jo Duffy]], and [[Doug Aarniokoski|Douglas Aarniokoski]], and later split into two films, ”[[Puppet Master 4]]” and ”Puppet Master 5”.{{sfn|Brehmer|2021|pp=73–75}} [[Jeff Burr]] was hired to direct the film;<ref name=”Video Zone”>{{cite AV media|author=Full Moon Features|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJzpX9NObCU|title=Puppet Master 5 (Full Length Videozone)|date=September 21, 1994|publisher=YouTube|access-date=December 1, 2025}}</ref> Burr had watched the first two ”Puppet Master” films and visited the set of ”[[Puppet Master III: Toulon’s Revenge]]”.{{sfn|Brehmer|2021|p=75}}

===Filming===

”Puppet Master 4” and ”Puppet Master 5” were shot back-to-back in [[Culver City, California|Culver City]] and [[Pasadena, California|Pasadena]] in [[California]] in February 1993.<ref name=”Video Zone”/>{{sfn|Brehmer|2021|p=74}} The two films had very little pre-production due to a tight schedule. The Bodega Bay Inn’s lobby was recreated as a set at Full Moon.<ref name=”Video Zone”/>{{sfn|Brehmer|2021|pp=85–86}}

===Casting===

Actors and actresses cast for the films included [[Gordon Currie (actor)|Gordon Currie]], [[Chandra West]], [[Ian Ogilvy]], [[Teresa Hill]], [[Guy Rolfe]], [[Nicholas Guest]], [[Diane McBain]], [[Duane Whitaker]], [[Kaz Garas]], [[Clu Gulager]], and [[Ron O’Neal]].<ref name=”Video Zone”/><ref name=”Pettigrew”>{{cite book|last=Pettigrew|first=Neil|title=The Stop-Motion Filmography: A Critical Guide to 297 Features Using Puppet Animation|url=https://archive.org/details/stopmotionfilmog0000pett/page/564/mode/2up|date=1999|pages=564–565|publisher=McFarland Publishing|isbn=0786404469|access-date=January 10, 2026}}</ref><ref name=”Muir”>{{cite book|last=Muir|first=John Kenneth|title=Horror Films of the 1990s|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q60poKxIN7cC&pg=PA343|date=October 6, 2011|pages=343–345|publisher=McFarland Publishing|isbn=9780786484805|access-date=January 10, 2026}}</ref>{{sfn|Brehmer|2021|pp=78–84}} [[Willard E. Pugh]] shaved his head for the role of Jason. He, Whitaker and Guest ad-libbed most of their lines. McBain was shocked upon seeing the craft service and free lunch provided for the cast and crew, and claimed to have gotten projectile diarrhea after eating said meal.<ref name=”Comment”>[[Jeff Burr]], “Puppet Master 5: The Final Chapter audio commentary”, ”Puppet Master 5: The Final Chapter” Blu-ray and DVD special features, June 27, 2016, 88 Films</ref> The laughter of the puppet Six-Shooter was provided by Charles Band’s father [[Albert Band]].<ref name=”Six-Shooter Voice 1″/><ref name=”Six-Shooter Voice 2″/>

===Special effects===

The puppet effects and [[stop motion]] animation were supervised by David W. Allen, coordinated by Chris Endicott and Joseph Grossberg, and done by themselves, Joel Fletcher, Paul Jessel, Connie Angland, Anthony Allen Barlow, Jurgen Heimann, David Miner Jr., Kevin O’Hara, [[Mark Rappaport]], Kirk Skodis, Holly Speriglio, Scott Woodard, and Brett B. White at David Allen Productions.<ref name=”Video Zone”/><ref name=”Pettigrew”/>{{sfn|Brehmer|2021|p=87}} Burr stated that he wanted to give the puppets more human characteristics and “direct” them in a manner similar to human actors. The puppets were shot in a [[second unit]] instead of with the actors. Rappaport stated that the Totem was “the most complicated puppet [he and his team had] built yet”. The puppet was made from plastic and operated with cables.<ref name=”Video Zone”/> Blade’s body was a re-designed version of Tunneler’s autopsy body from ”[[Puppet Master II]]”.<ref name=”Comment”/> The makeup effects were done by Wayne Toth, Christl Colven, Michael Deak, and Palah Sandling at Alchemy FX. Stunts were coordinated by Tim A. Davison.

==Reception==

On [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film holds an approval rating of 0% based on three reviews, with a [[Weighted arithmetic mean|weighted average]] rating of 3.1/10.<ref name=”rottomatoes”>{{cite web|title=Puppet Master 5: The Final Chapter (1994) – Rotten Tomatoes|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/puppet_master_5_the_final_chapter|website=Rotten Tomatoes|publisher=Fandango Media|access-date=January 10, 2026}}</ref> Author [[John Kenneth Muir]] gave the film one star, stating, “Unfortunately, this entry, filmed back to back with ”Puppet Master 4: The Demon”, continues the downward trajectory of the direct-to-video franchise. A repeat story, lackluster human chaacters, and a lengthy re-cap all contribute to a feeling that the franchise has run out of creative juice, not to mention money.”<ref name=”Muir”/> ”[[Screen Rant]]” ranked ”Puppet Master 5” 5.1, calling it “nowhere near close to being the final movie”.<ref>{{cite news|last=McIntosh|first=Cory|title=Puppet Master: Every Movie Ranked From Worst To Best By IMDB Score|url=https://screenrant.com/puppet-master-worst-best-movies-ranked-imdb/|date=September 27, 2020|work=[[Screen Rant]]|access-date=January 10, 2026}}</ref>

==References==

==References==

1994 American film

Puppet Master 5: The Final Chapter is a 1994 direct-to-video horror film written by Steven E. Carr among others, and directed by Jeff Burr.^[1][2] As its title suggests, this fifth film in the Puppet Master franchise was originally intended to conclude the series; however, it was followed by at least nine other films.^[3]

It was the sequel to 1993’s Puppet Master 4, and stars Gordon Currie as the series’ third Puppet Master, and Ian Ogilvy, his colleague, whose attempts to salvage the animated puppets of André Toulon (Guy Rolfe) from the Bodega Bay Inn are foiled by a demon.

As in the previous film, the puppets serve as protagonists, rather than terrorize as they had in the first and second films. In 1998, a sixth installment, Curse of the Puppet Master, was released, and the franchise has been ongoing since.

Plot

Following the events of the previous film, Rick Myers has been arrested under the suspicion of having caused the murders of Dr. Piper and Baker, but Dr. Jennings, the new director of the Artificial Intelligence research project and Rick’s temporary superior, gets him out on bail. Blade has been confiscated, but he escapes from the police department’s evidence room and jumps into Susie’s purse as she comes to fetch Rick. Lauren lies comatose in the hospital following the events in the hotel. Meanwhile, in the underworld, Sutekh decides to take matters into his own hands and infuses his life essence into his own Totem figure.

While Jennings professes scepticism toward Rick’s story, he becomes actually quite interested in acquiring Toulon’s secret, especially since the project’s unofficial sponsors are luring with a sizeable contribution, should he succeed in presenting a prototype soon. Jennings returns to the Bodega Bay Inn with three hired thugs – Tom Hendy, Jason, and Scott – to collect the puppets and the formula, but in the meantime Rick is roused by a nightmare and finds Blade by his side. Sensing that something is about to happen, Rick and Blade depart for the hotel. Susie, while paying a visit to Lauren, witnesses her friend receiving a vision of Sutekh and his Totem. Unable to contact Rick, she proceeds to the hotel as well.

While searching the building, Jason and Hendy are ambushed and killed by Sutekh, and Scott encounters and is knocked out by Pinhead and Jester. Jennings also encounters Sutekh but is saved by Torch and Six-Shooter. The puppets then start fighting back against Sutekh. Rick goes back to his room and runs into Suzie, but they both get locked in by Sutekh’s powers. Through his computer, Rick gets in contact with Lauren, who tells him to activate The Decapitron. Jennings enters the room and tries to convince Rick to collect the puppets and leave the hotel. In the meantime, Scott recovers, but is also found and slain by Sutekh.

Jester enters the room and leads Rick to where the Decapitron is hidden. Rick, Suzie and Jennings proceed to revive Decapitron, and Toulon advises them to leave the hotel while the puppets will engage Sutekh. Jennings, however, insists on taking one of the puppets with him, despite Rick and Suzie’s warnings. Rick, Suzie, and Jennings take the elevator down, but then Jennings attacks and knocks out Rick, while Suzie is pushed out of the cabin. But when Jennings exits the elevator, he is stopped by Decapitron and the other puppets, who force him back to the elevator shaft. With the cabin already gone and the door secretly opened by Pinhead, Jennings falls to his death.

Sutekh corners Rick and Suzie, but Decapitron shows up, allowing them to escape. The puppets engage Sutekh, who fights back; but having stayed too long in the mortal world, the demon’s essence has become vulnerable, and his power wanes. In desperation, Sutekh attempts to escape back into the underworld by opening a portal, but Decapitron fires electron bolts at it, overloading the conduit and causing it to explode, destroying Sutekh.

Rick takes the puppets back home to repair and care for them. Toulon speaks with Rick one final time, again entrusting his puppets and their secret to him while they will continue to act as his protectors.

Cast

Featured puppets

Production

Development

In 1992, executive producer Charles Band announced an upcoming film in the Puppet Master series, titled Puppet Master 4, despite not having a script for said film. The film was to be a crossover with the Demonic Toys series, with the puppets, depicted as protagonists, battling the toys, set for release in the fall of 1992.^[6] The project never materialized, and Demonic Toys instead crossed over with Dollman in Dollman vs. Demonic Toys in 1993. Band decided to that the film would be a theatrical feature rather than a direct-to-video release, naming it Puppet Master: The Movie. The script was co-written by Band, Steven E. Carr, Todd Henschell, Keith S. Payson, Jo Duffy, and Douglas Aarniokoski, and later split into two films, Puppet Master 4 and Puppet Master 5. Jeff Burr was hired to direct the film;^[9] Burr had watched the first two Puppet Master films and visited the set of Puppet Master III: Toulon’s Revenge.

Filming

Puppet Master 4 and Puppet Master 5 were shot back-to-back in Culver City and Pasadena in California in February 1993.^[9] The two films had very little pre-production due to a tight schedule. The Bodega Bay Inn’s lobby was recreated as a set at Full Moon.^[9]

Casting

Actors and actresses cast for the films included Gordon Currie, Chandra West, Ian Ogilvy, Teresa Hill, Guy Rolfe, Nicholas Guest, Diane McBain, Duane Whitaker, Kaz Garas, Clu Gulager, and Ron O’Neal.^[9][13][14] Willard E. Pugh shaved his head for the role of Jason. He, Whitaker and Guest ad-libbed most of their lines. McBain was shocked upon seeing the craft service and free lunch provided for the cast and crew, and claimed to have gotten projectile diarrhea after eating said meal. The laughter of the puppet Six-Shooter was provided by Charles Band’s father Albert Band.^[4][5]

Special effects

The puppet effects and stop motion animation were supervised by David W. Allen, coordinated by Chris Endicott and Joseph Grossberg, and done by themselves, Joel Fletcher, Paul Jessel, Connie Angland, Anthony Allen Barlow, Jurgen Heimann, David Miner Jr., Kevin O’Hara, Mark Rappaport, Kirk Skodis, Holly Speriglio, Scott Woodard, and Brett B. White at David Allen Productions.^[9][13] Burr stated that he wanted to give the puppets more human characteristics and “direct” them in a manner similar to human actors. The puppets were shot in a second unit instead of with the actors. Rappaport stated that the Totem was “the most complicated puppet [he and his team had] built yet”. The puppet was made from plastic and operated with cables.^[9] Blade’s body was a re-designed version of Tunneler’s autopsy body from Puppet Master II. The makeup effects were done by Wayne Toth, Christl Colven, Michael Deak, and Palah Sandling at Alchemy FX. Stunts were coordinated by Tim A. Davison.

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 0% based on three reviews, with a weighted average rating of 3.1/10.^[18] Author John Kenneth Muir gave the film one star, stating, “Unfortunately, this entry, filmed back to back with Puppet Master 4: The Demon, continues the downward trajectory of the direct-to-video franchise. A repeat story, lackluster human chaacters, and a lengthy re-cap all contribute to a feeling that the franchise has run out of creative juice, not to mention money.”^[14] Screen Rant ranked Puppet Master 5 5.1, calling it “nowhere near close to being the final movie”.^[19]

References

External links