Villian(s)  Living puppets

Actor(s):  Stephen Lee, Guy Rolfe, Hilary Mason, Ian Patrick Williams

Brief Description  Dolls (1987) is a cult-classic American horror film directed by Stuart Gordon, written by Ed Naha, and produced by Charles Band and Brian Yuzna through Empire Pictures. Formatted like a dark, R-rated Grimm's fairy tale, the movie subverts the traditional killer-toy trope by blending supernatural retribution with a whimsical, childhood sense of wonder.

Plot:
During a violent thunderstorm, a young, imaginative girl named Judy Bower is on a road trip with her cruel father and wicked stepmother. After their car becomes trapped in the mud, they seek shelter in a secluded, gothic-style mansion. The estate is owned by Gabriel and Hilary Hartwicke, an elderly dollmaker and his wife who warmly welcome them. Soon after, three more travelers arrive looking for refuge: a gentle, childlike businessman named Ralph Morris, and two punk-rock hitchhikers he picked up along the way. As the night progresses, the guests discover the mansion's dark secret: it is filled with thousands of handmade porcelain dolls and puppets that are secretly alive.

Unlike many horror films where monsters kill indiscriminately, the toys in Dolls operate on a strict moral code: The dolls ruthlessly target the adults who have malice in their hearts, punish those who exploit others, or have outgrown the ability to appreciate childhood innocence (such as Judy's abusive parents and the thieves trying to rob the old couple). Those who are killed are shrunk and encased inside the toys, becoming part of the collection. The dolls actively protect children and those who are "young at heart" (like Judy and Ralph). The film is highly regarded for its creative use of practical effects, relying heavily on stop-motion animation and animatronics to bring the malicious toys to life.