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"Dr. Giggles" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge

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"Dr. Giggles" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge

Old 09-29-20, 11:28 PM
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"Dr. Giggles" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge



Dr. Giggles (1992)


Selected by JAX036


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These "October Horror Movie Challenge" threads are for the discussion of the films in the 31 FILM SUBSET list.

The plan is for everyone to watch this film on the October day in the thread title, and to start discussing it the morning of the following day.
You may start discussion early if you want, but the preferred plan is for this to be as much of a group exercise as possible, with all of us viewing it "together" and discussing after.

Of course, you are totally encouraged to participate in these threads even if you haven't watched the movie on the designated day.
Even if you haven't watched it in years, or are not participating in the Horror Challenge, please feel free to chime in.



Spoiler tags aren't always used in here, so if you have yet to see the film BEWARE OF POSSIBLE SPOILERS.

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2020 DISCUSSION | 2020 LISTS


Old 10-03-20, 01:46 AM
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Re: "Dr. Giggles" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge

I remember seeing Dr Giggles posters and cassettes at the video rental place but never got around to it until now. It's a fun casual slasher film with a silly villain. The mild slapstick elements work well. Sometimes Dr Giggles maniacal laughter doesn't quite match very well with Larry Drake so that's distracting. Maybe it helped to be nostalgic for the 90s or catching this in the right mood but it was decent. Is it too late for Dr Giggles 2? Imagine how different this would be today.

Very hit and miss. The kid morgue flashback is pretty wtf crazy. A film like this might need to throw everything it has at the premise but the self surgery scene as odd.

Last edited by Undeadcow; 10-03-20 at 02:38 AM.
Old 10-03-20, 10:52 AM
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Re: "Dr. Giggles" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge

I also remember this box in video stores when I was a kid. I never saw it back then, but a bunch of years ago it was included in that twisted horror box set. I picked it up to get the John Carpenter movie in it.
This was my second viewing and it’s still watchable very 90’s horror movie.
Old 10-03-20, 12:26 PM
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Re: "Dr. Giggles" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge

I had an 80s/90s TV flashback watching this movie - Larry Drake (L.A. Law), Holly Marie Combs (Picket Fences, Charmed), Glenn Quinn (Roseanne).
Old 10-03-20, 04:59 PM
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Re: "Dr. Giggles" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge

This movie is a guilty pleasure of mine. I've got a soft spot for lightweight teen slashers.

I wish this would get an OAR (2.35:1) release in the USA. I could swear the original snapper case DVD was OAR. But I can't find any confirmation online. I think the only current OAR release is the German Blu-Ray (not counting the US Laserdisc).

The movie just doesn't look right in 1.85:1. The open matte video has too much headroom. It's distracting. The 2.35:1 video is nice and tight.
Old 10-03-20, 05:33 PM
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Re: "Dr. Giggles" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge

Mindless Horror/Comedy, but overall a breezy, fun watch. Larry Drake was excellent as the crazed doctor.
7/10
Old 10-03-20, 08:32 PM
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Re: "Dr. Giggles" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge

I loved this movie. First, it wasn't complicated, kind of like comfort food. Second, it had Holly Marie Combs. Third, it had Holly Marie Combs (yes, I listed her twice). Fourth, it had Larry Drake and Cliff DeYoung, both good actors for their roles. A great way to start off my Saturday line-up.
Old 10-04-20, 08:19 AM
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Re: "Dr. Giggles" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge

I’ll agree with the gist of the above comments. Light and fun. Comfort food is a good analogy. And HMC was gorgeous here.
Old 10-04-20, 09:05 AM
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Re: "Dr. Giggles" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge

Everytime I see it, I like it less and less, I dunno, I think its that giggling. 4/10
Old 10-04-20, 11:48 AM
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Re: "Dr. Giggles" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge

The medical puns! My god, every line Larry Drake had was so OTT. A fun cheesy 80's style slasher (though it was 90s) with a medical theme. Very much a mindless horror puffball, as others point out.
I did like the kid emerging in the morgue scene. That was the best part.
Old 10-04-20, 12:20 PM
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Re: "Dr. Giggles" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge

I was guessing many of the medical puns in advance, i.e. "The doctor is in," but Larry Drake sold them so well. Another yes on Holly Marie Combs and the kid in the morgue scene.

I watched a Q&A extra for Dark Night of the Scarecrow prior to the challenge and someone asked Larry Drake to do his giggle from this movie. Larry graciously replied no since whatever giggle he attempted would be a letdown. He mentioned that it was just a few recorded giggles added in post.
Old 10-04-20, 09:13 PM
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Re: "Dr. Giggles" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge

Always enjoyed this one as per the comments already posted. It's a fun, humorous slasher for sure. I try to watch it regularly as it's a title that definitely reminds me of going through the horror section when I was a kid.
Old 10-05-20, 04:59 PM
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Re: "Dr. Giggles" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge

This was a bit better than I expected, but the humor was pretty groan inducing. Every doctor and medical pun just took me out of the moment. Ugh. I think there's a much better movie hidden under all that cheese.

As others said, this was painfully 90s. Look, I love me some Freddy Krueger, but his success really ruined horror for a while. I watched Leprechaun yesterday, and seeing this today really showed his bad influence. From what I understand, Leprechaun was written serious and became a comedy through Davis while Giggles was written as a comedy. Either way, the tired, repetitive puns in both feel like them desperately trying to create a new Freddy, and both movies suffer for it.
Old 10-09-20, 12:12 PM
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Re: "Dr. Giggles" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge

Originally Posted by Darkgod
Everytime I see it, I like it less and less, I dunno, I think its that giggling. 4/10
I can see that, the bad puns would wear me out. This may have been my first time viewing, although with my poor memory it’s a toss up.

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