Puppet Master III
Encyclopedia
Puppet Master III: Toulon's Revenge is a 1991 horror film
written by Charles Band, C. Courtney Joyner and David Schmoeller, and directed by David DeCoteau. It is the third film in the Puppet Master franchise
, a prequel
to 1989's Puppet Master
and 1991's Puppet Master II
, and stars Guy Rolfe
as a puppeteer
whose ability to animate lifeless material attracts the attention of the Nazis, whose members are played by Richard Lynch, Ian Abercrombie
and Walter Gotell
.
Toulon's Revenge, as well as the second, fourth
and fifth installments of the series, are only available in DVD
format through a Full Moon Features
box set that has since been discontinued. However, in 2007, Full Moon Features reacquired the rights to the first five films, and the boxset has since been reissued and is available directly from Full Moon, as well as through several online retailers.
The film is also available on DVD along with the first two films on a triple feature "Midnight Horror Collection" at a budget price.
Berlin. A scientist
named Dr. Hess is forced by the Nazis, especially his Gestapo
liaison Major Kraus, to create a drug
capable of animating dead corpses to use as living shields on the battlefield, but cannot get it right: While the corpses do reanimate, they have a tendency towards mindless violence
. In a small theater downtown, Andre Toulon has set up a politically satirical
puppet show for children, starring a six-armed American Old West
puppet named Six Shooter, who attacks an inanimate reconstruction
puppet
of Adolf Hitler
. The show is, next to a crowd of children, also attended by Lt. Erich Stein, Kraus' driver. After the performance, Toulon and his wife Elsa feed the puppets with the formula which sustains their life force, but they are watched by Stein, who informs his superior the next morning. Hess, genuinely fascinated by the formula, wants Toulon to freely share the secret with him, but Kraus wants to take Toulon in for treason
.
The next day, Andre gives Elsa a puppet crafted in her likeness as a gift, but soon afterwards Kraus, Hess and a squad of soldiers break into the atelier and take Toulon, Tunneler, and Pinhead. When Elsa attempts to prevent them from taking the formula as well, she is shot by one of the escort, and Toulon is dragged away from her. When Kraus prepares to leave, the wounded Elsa spits
at him in defiance, and in retaliation
, Kraus cold-bloodedly shoots her dead. However, while transporting Toulon off, the two soldiers guarding him are killed by Pinhead and Tunneler, enabling Toulon to escape.
After hiding for the remainder of the night, Toulon returns to his theater to find that the stage has been burnt by the Nazis. He finds Six Shooter and Jester and leaves with them, then discovers a partially destroyed hospital and decides to set up camp in it. Toulon wants revenge
, so he, Pinhead and Jester break into the morgue to get his wife's life essence and inserts it into the woman puppet he made for her, and as she comes to life, he inserts several leech
es he found in a jar into her. Later that night, Toulon carries out the first revenge attack on Stein while he fixes Kraus' car, along with Pinhead, Jester and Leech Woman, and on his flight from pursuers Toulon subsequently finds shelter
in a bombed-out building
.
Back in his lab, Dr. Hess is studying Toulon's formula, and desperate to meet and talk with him, he goes back to the old theater. Meanwhile, some friends from the puppet show, a boy named Peter Hertz and his father, find Andre and decide to live with him after Peter's mother was arrested on charges of espionage. The next day, Toulon sends Six Shooter to kill General
Müller, the supervisor of the Nazi reanimation project, while Müller is visiting a brothel
. While Six Shooter manages to kill the general, Müller shoots off one of the puppet's arms beforehand. Peter goes back to Toulon's old atelier to look for a replacement arm and is caught by Dr. Hess, who treats him kindly and gets him to take him to Toulon.
Dr. Hess finds and talks to Toulon, who tells him about the puppets' secret, and the two become friends. But Peter's father betrays Toulon by telling Major Kraus about his hideout in exchange for a pardon for his family. Kraus and his men storm the ruin, but the puppets fight back, enabling Toulon and Hess to escape. Kraus stops Peter and his father, demanding to know where Toulon is; Hertz fights against and is shot by Kraus. While searching the nearby houses, one of Kraus' men is shot by Six Shooter; but when Hess approaches him, the soldier puts a knife
into him before expiring. Hess dies from the injury, telling Toulon to keep fighting. Toulon returns once more to his old theater, where he falls asleep from exhaustion and is soon joined by the now orphaned Peter.
At night, Major Kraus returns to his office, only to fall prey to an ambush by Toulon and his puppets, now joined by Blade, infused with Hess' essence. Toulon takes terrible revenge on Kraus by hanging him from the ceiling by his limbs
and neck
by Pinhead, which are impaled by sharp hooks
. After having a halberd
from Kraus' office decorations planted into the floor, point up, Toulon sets the rope on fire
; the rope snaps, and Kraus eventually falls fatally right onto the halberd. The film ends with Toulon, posing as Kraus, and Peter leaving the country for Geneva
on the express train
.
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
written by Charles Band, C. Courtney Joyner and David Schmoeller, and directed by David DeCoteau. It is the third film in the Puppet Master franchise
Puppet Master (franchise)
Puppet Master is a horror film franchise which focuses on a group of puppets animated by an Egyptian spell, each equipped with their own unique and dangerous device and are represented as heroes, anti-heroes, and antagonists...
, a prequel
Prequel
A prequel is a work that supplements a previously completed one, and has an earlier time setting.The widely recognized term was a 20th-century neologism, and a portmanteau from pre- and sequel...
to 1989's Puppet Master
Puppet Master (film)
Puppet Master is a 1989 horror film written by Charles Band and Kenneth J. Hall, and directed by David Schmoeller...
and 1991's Puppet Master II
Puppet Master II
Puppet Master II is a 1991 horror film written by David Pabian and directed by Dave Allen...
, and stars Guy Rolfe
Guy Rolfe
Guy Rolfe was an English actor born in London.He made his screen debut in 1937 with an uncredited appearance in Knight Without Armour. Notable roles include: Prince John in Ivanhoe , Ned Seymour in Young Bess , Caiaphas in King of Kings , and Prince Grigory in Taras Bulba...
as a puppeteer
Puppeteer
A puppeteer is a person who manipulates an inanimate object, such as a puppet, in real time to create the illusion of life. The puppeteer may be visible to or hidden from the audience. A puppeteer can operate a puppet indirectly by the use of strings, rods, wires, electronics or directly by his or...
whose ability to animate lifeless material attracts the attention of the Nazis, whose members are played by Richard Lynch, Ian Abercrombie
Ian Abercrombie
Ian Abercrombie is an English actor, best known for playing Alfred Pennyworth in Birds of Prey. He appeared as Elaine Benes' boss Justin Pitt during the sixth season of Seinfeld, and as a fastidious butler on Desperate Housewives.-Biography:He is the cousin of John Abercrombie, a jazz guitarist of...
and Walter Gotell
Walter Gotell
Walter Gotell was a German actor, known for his role as General Gogol, head of the KGB, in the James Bond film series.Gotell was born in Bonn, Germany; his family emigrated to the United Kingdom after the Nazis came to power...
.
Toulon's Revenge, as well as the second, fourth
Puppet Master 4
Puppet Master 4 is a 1993 horror film written by Charles Band among others, and directed by Jeff Burr. It is the fourth film in the Puppet Master franchise, a sequel to 1991's Puppet Master II, and stars Gordon Currie as a youth scientist who, along with his friends, played by Chandra West, Ash...
and fifth installments of the series, are only available in DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
format through a Full Moon Features
Full Moon Features
Full Moon Features is a motion picture production and distribution company headed by B-movie veteran Charles Band. It is known for the direct-to-video series Puppet Master and Subspecies, as well as the innovative VideoZone featurette at the end of films through 1989 to 2000.-Full Moon...
box set that has since been discontinued. However, in 2007, Full Moon Features reacquired the rights to the first five films, and the boxset has since been reissued and is available directly from Full Moon, as well as through several online retailers.
The film is also available on DVD along with the first two films on a triple feature "Midnight Horror Collection" at a budget price.
Plot
The film is set during 1941 (in contrast to Puppet Master 1 establishing that Toulon committed suicide in 1939) in World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Berlin. A scientist
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
named Dr. Hess is forced by the Nazis, especially his Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
liaison Major Kraus, to create a drug
Drug
A drug, broadly speaking, is any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function. There is no single, precise definition, as there are different meanings in drug control law, government regulations, medicine, and colloquial usage.In pharmacology, a...
capable of animating dead corpses to use as living shields on the battlefield, but cannot get it right: While the corpses do reanimate, they have a tendency towards mindless violence
Violence
Violence is the use of physical force to apply a state to others contrary to their wishes. violence, while often a stand-alone issue, is often the culmination of other kinds of conflict, e.g...
. In a small theater downtown, Andre Toulon has set up a politically satirical
Political satire
Political satire is a significant part of satire that specializes in gaining entertainment from politics; it has also been used with subversive intent where political speech and dissent are forbidden by a regime, as a method of advancing political arguments where such arguments are expressly...
puppet show for children, starring a six-armed American Old West
American Old West
The American Old West, or the Wild West, comprises the history, geography, people, lore, and cultural expression of life in the Western United States, most often referring to the latter half of the 19th century, between the American Civil War and the end of the century...
puppet named Six Shooter, who attacks an inanimate reconstruction
Reconstruction
In the history of the United States, the term "Reconstruction Era" has two senses: the first covers the entire nation in the period 1865–1877 following the Civil War; the second one, used in this article, covers the transformation of the Southern United States from 1863 to 1877, with the...
puppet
Puppet
A puppet is an inanimate object or representational figure animated or manipulated by an entertainer, who is called a puppeteer. It is used in puppetry, a play or a presentation that is a very ancient form of theatre....
of Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
. The show is, next to a crowd of children, also attended by Lt. Erich Stein, Kraus' driver. After the performance, Toulon and his wife Elsa feed the puppets with the formula which sustains their life force, but they are watched by Stein, who informs his superior the next morning. Hess, genuinely fascinated by the formula, wants Toulon to freely share the secret with him, but Kraus wants to take Toulon in for treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
.
The next day, Andre gives Elsa a puppet crafted in her likeness as a gift, but soon afterwards Kraus, Hess and a squad of soldiers break into the atelier and take Toulon, Tunneler, and Pinhead. When Elsa attempts to prevent them from taking the formula as well, she is shot by one of the escort, and Toulon is dragged away from her. When Kraus prepares to leave, the wounded Elsa spits
Spits
Sp!ts, pronounced Spits, is a tabloid format newspaper freely distributed in trains, trams and buses in the Netherlands. Its competitors are Metro and De Pers....
at him in defiance, and in retaliation
Retaliation
To retaliate is to take revenge.Retaliation or Retaliate may also refer to:*Retaliate , an album by Misery Index*Retaliate , an album by Angerfist*Retaliation...
, Kraus cold-bloodedly shoots her dead. However, while transporting Toulon off, the two soldiers guarding him are killed by Pinhead and Tunneler, enabling Toulon to escape.
After hiding for the remainder of the night, Toulon returns to his theater to find that the stage has been burnt by the Nazis. He finds Six Shooter and Jester and leaves with them, then discovers a partially destroyed hospital and decides to set up camp in it. Toulon wants revenge
Revenge
Revenge is a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. It is also called payback, retribution, retaliation or vengeance; it may be characterized, justly or unjustly, as a form of justice.-Function in society:Some societies believe that the...
, so he, Pinhead and Jester break into the morgue to get his wife's life essence and inserts it into the woman puppet he made for her, and as she comes to life, he inserts several leech
Leech
Leeches are segmented worms that belong to the phylum Annelida and comprise the subclass Hirudinea. Like other oligochaetes such as earthworms, leeches share a clitellum and are hermaphrodites. Nevertheless, they differ from other oligochaetes in significant ways...
es he found in a jar into her. Later that night, Toulon carries out the first revenge attack on Stein while he fixes Kraus' car, along with Pinhead, Jester and Leech Woman, and on his flight from pursuers Toulon subsequently finds shelter
Shelter
Shelter is a basic architectural structure or building that provides cover. The word may also refer to:-Places:*Port Shelter, Hong Kong*Shelter Bay , various locations*Shelter Cove , various locations...
in a bombed-out building
Building
In architecture, construction, engineering, real estate development and technology the word building may refer to one of the following:...
.
Back in his lab, Dr. Hess is studying Toulon's formula, and desperate to meet and talk with him, he goes back to the old theater. Meanwhile, some friends from the puppet show, a boy named Peter Hertz and his father, find Andre and decide to live with him after Peter's mother was arrested on charges of espionage. The next day, Toulon sends Six Shooter to kill General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Müller, the supervisor of the Nazi reanimation project, while Müller is visiting a brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
. While Six Shooter manages to kill the general, Müller shoots off one of the puppet's arms beforehand. Peter goes back to Toulon's old atelier to look for a replacement arm and is caught by Dr. Hess, who treats him kindly and gets him to take him to Toulon.
Dr. Hess finds and talks to Toulon, who tells him about the puppets' secret, and the two become friends. But Peter's father betrays Toulon by telling Major Kraus about his hideout in exchange for a pardon for his family. Kraus and his men storm the ruin, but the puppets fight back, enabling Toulon and Hess to escape. Kraus stops Peter and his father, demanding to know where Toulon is; Hertz fights against and is shot by Kraus. While searching the nearby houses, one of Kraus' men is shot by Six Shooter; but when Hess approaches him, the soldier puts a knife
Knife
A knife is a cutting tool with an exposed cutting edge or blade, hand-held or otherwise, with or without a handle. Knives were used at least two-and-a-half million years ago, as evidenced by the Oldowan tools...
into him before expiring. Hess dies from the injury, telling Toulon to keep fighting. Toulon returns once more to his old theater, where he falls asleep from exhaustion and is soon joined by the now orphaned Peter.
At night, Major Kraus returns to his office, only to fall prey to an ambush by Toulon and his puppets, now joined by Blade, infused with Hess' essence. Toulon takes terrible revenge on Kraus by hanging him from the ceiling by his limbs
Limb (anatomy)
A limb is a jointed, or prehensile , appendage of the human or other animal body....
and neck
Neck
The neck is the part of the body, on many terrestrial or secondarily aquatic vertebrates, that distinguishes the head from the torso or trunk. The adjective signifying "of the neck" is cervical .-Boner anatomy: The cervical spine:The cervical portion of the human spine comprises seven boney...
by Pinhead, which are impaled by sharp hooks
Hooks
Hooks may refer to:Surnames* Bell Hooks, American author, feminist, and social activist* Benjamin Hooks, American civil rights leader* Brian Hooks, American actor, writer, and director...
. After having a halberd
Halberd
A halberd is a two-handed pole weapon that came to prominent use during the 14th and 15th centuries. Possibly the word halberd comes from the German words Halm , and Barte - in modern-day German, the weapon is called Hellebarde. The halberd consists of an axe blade topped with a spike mounted on...
from Kraus' office decorations planted into the floor, point up, Toulon sets the rope on fire
Fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....
; the rope snaps, and Kraus eventually falls fatally right onto the halberd. The film ends with Toulon, posing as Kraus, and Peter leaving the country for Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
on the express train
Express train
Express trains are a form of rail service. Express trains make only a small number of stops, instead of stopping at every single station...
.
Cast
- Guy RolfeGuy RolfeGuy Rolfe was an English actor born in London.He made his screen debut in 1937 with an uncredited appearance in Knight Without Armour. Notable roles include: Prince John in Ivanhoe , Ned Seymour in Young Bess , Caiaphas in King of Kings , and Prince Grigory in Taras Bulba...
– Andre Toulon - Richard Lynch – MajorSturmbannführerSturmbannführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party equivalent to major, used both in the Sturmabteilung and the Schutzstaffel...
Kraus - Ian AbercrombieIan AbercrombieIan Abercrombie is an English actor, best known for playing Alfred Pennyworth in Birds of Prey. He appeared as Elaine Benes' boss Justin Pitt during the sixth season of Seinfeld, and as a fastidious butler on Desperate Housewives.-Biography:He is the cousin of John Abercrombie, a jazz guitarist of...
– Dr. Hess - Kristopher Logan – Lt. Eric Stein
- Aron EisenbergAron EisenbergAron Eisenberg is an American actor best known for his role as "Nog" on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.-Personal life:...
– Peter Hertz - Walter GotellWalter GotellWalter Gotell was a German actor, known for his role as General Gogol, head of the KGB, in the James Bond film series.Gotell was born in Bonn, Germany; his family emigrated to the United Kingdom after the Nazis came to power...
– GeneralGeneral (Germany)General is presently the highest rank of the German Army and Luftwaffe . It is the equivalent to the rank of Admiral in the German Navy .-Early history:...
Mueller - Sarah DouglasSarah DouglasSarah Douglas is an English actress. She is perhaps best known for playing the Kryptonian supervillain Ursa in the first two Superman movies , and for her role as Pamela Lynch in the 1980s primetime drama series Falcon Crest .-Early life:Douglas was born in Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire, the...
– Elsa Toulon - Matthew Faison – Hertz
- Michelle BauerMichelle BauerMichelle Bauer is an American B-movie actress, scream queen, pornographic actress, and bondage model.Bauer was Penthouse magazine's Pet of the Month for July 1981....
– Lili - Jasmine Touschek – Prostitute
- Eduard Will – Soldier on Stage
- John RegisJohn RegisJohn Regis may refer to:* Johannes Regis , Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance* John Francis Regis S.J. , French preacher recognized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church...
– Morgue Attendant - Neal Parrow – Young Driver
- Kenneth Cortland – Pharmacy Soldier
- Lenny Rose – Airport Agent
- Laurie Mateyko – Little Girl
- Rhonda BrittenRhonda BrittenRhonda Britten is the founder of the Fearless Living Institute, an inspirational and life-changing speaker and bestselling author...
– Mother - Michael LowryMichael LowryMichael Lowry is an Irish politician. He is currently a Teachta Dála for the Tipperary North constituency and continues to enjoy high popularity in his constituency despite being the subject of a criminal investigation resulting from various scandals while in office.-Local government and...
– Hess's Guard - Michael Leroy Rhodes – Hess's Guard
- John CannJohn CannJohn Henry Cann was a New South Wales politician, Treasurer, and Minister of the Crown in the cabinets of James McGowen and William Holman. From 1912 to 1914 he was the Treasurer of New South Wales...
– Young Dead Soldier - Ivan J. Rado – Cairo Merchant
Featured puppets
- Blade
- Pinhead
- Leech Woman
- Jester
- Tunneler
- Six Shooter
- Djinn the Hobgoblin
- Mephisto