Dolls: Child’s Play
Fun fact: I’ve still never seen a single Child’s Play movie because I was deathly afraid of Chucky as a child, teenager, and young adult. I don’t know why. Well, OK, as previously stated, I was a big weenie as a child, so I understand then. But as I outgrew my distaste of all things horror, Chucky was the one evil icon I couldn’t shake.
Silly right? A doll. A child’s play toy. Something inanimate coming to life and murdering people. Out of all the horror villains to be afraid of, that’s the one that sends me into a hyperventilating fit, haunting my mind as I lay in bed with 20 blankets over my head? Yup, can’t explain it, but for way too damn long, Chucky ruined me.
Maybe it has something to do with Child’s Play taking something so innocent and turning it into this malevolent character who kills without prejudice. Everyone owns toys growing up, and as children we looked to such things with creative wonder and enjoyment.
Then horror movies come along and show something associated with safety as the complete opposite? Twisting reality and our minds too? Sounds plausible to me.