Attack of the Puppet People

Attack of the Puppet People is a 1958 American horror movie directed by Bert I. Gordon. The main cast includes John Agar as Bob Westley, John Hoyt as Mr. Franz, and June Kenney as Sally Reynolds. The movie revolves around Mr. Franz, who owns a doll factory and has created a machine that can shrink human beings to the size of his puppets.

The movie opens with a catchy tune playing in the background as Mr. Franz welcomes Sally Reynolds to his doll factory. Sally is taken aback by the dolls' realistic appearance and is fascinated by the fact that the dolls can blink and move their heads. Mr. Franz introduces Sally to his assistant, Bob Westley, who shows her around the factory. Sally is in awe of the production line and excitedly watches the dolls being made.

As the movie progresses, Sally begins to notice that something isn't quite right in the factory. She begins seeing tiny versions of people and becomes convinced that Mr. Franz is responsible for their small size. Bob dismisses her concerns, but Sally won't let it go. She decides to investigate further and sneaks into Mr. Franz's laboratory. There, she discovers the machine used to shrink the dolls and the tiny people. Sally becomes terrified and begs Bob to help her escape the factory.

As they try to leave, Mr. Franz catches them and shrinks them down to the size of his dolls. Sally and Bob eventually wake up inside the factory's display window, the latest addition to Mr. Franz's collection. They soon realize that several tiny humans are also trapped in the window, including Mr. Franz's former assistant, who was shrunk by accident.

Sally and Bob team up with the other miniature people to find a way to escape from the display window. They attempt to communicate with larger humans through the glass display, but their cries for help go unanswered. As they explore the factory, they encounter several close calls, including a runaway toy train and a playful cat.

Attack of the Puppet People is an innovative movie for its time. It explores the concept of shrinking humans before the idea became mainstream in popular culture. The movie's special effects are impressive, given the limited technology available in the late 1950s. The actors do a fantastic job, especially John Hoyt, who gives an eerie performance as the creepy Mr. Franz.

The movie has a sense of humor at times, which adds to the overall entertainment factor. The scene with the toy train is particularly delightful, and the tiny people's interaction with the cat is a nice touch. The idea of being trapped in a dollhouse is also unsettling and adds to the film's horror aspect.

One of the movie's strongest aspects is its pacing. The plot moves quickly, and the audience is kept engaged throughout the film. The movie's runtime is relatively short, just under 70 minutes, making it a perfect watch for a lazy Sunday afternoon.

The movie's primary weakness is its lack of character development. The characters are likable, but we don't get to know them very well. Sally is a typical damsel in distress, and Bob is the heroic figure who saves her. Mr. Franz is the archetypal mad scientist, obsessed with his creations.

Overall, Attack of the Puppet People is a fun, entertaining movie that explores a unique concept. Its vintage charm, special effects, and pacing make it an enjoyable watch for fans of early science-fiction and horror genres.