PINOCCHIO'S REVENGE [1996}

 EVIL COMES WITH STRINGS ATTACHED.  

Seems we have an unwitting Kevin Tenney double feature here!  It was not planned but after watching Kevin Tenney's THE CELLAR, I randomly reached for PINOCCHIO'S REVENGE -- also directed (and written) by Kevin Tenney!  Our story concerns a defense attorney Jennifer Garrick (Rosalind Allen) who is defending a man accused of murdering his own son; where he buried the boy's body he also buried a carved Pinocchio puppet that he made for his son.  The puppet somehow makes it's way into Jennifer's car and her boyfriend David (Todd Allen) mistakenly thinks it's a birthday present for Jennifer's daughter Zoe (Brittany Alyce Smith) and gives it to her.  Zoe becomes immediately attached to it and, despite it's being evidence in a murder case, is allowed to keep the puppet.  Coming as a surprise to no one except the characters in the film (who apparently haven't seen many of these movies), "accidents" begin happening to anyone who is "mean" to Zoe.  A schoolmate who has been bullying Zoe goes flying under the wheels of a school bus and even David takes a flying header down the stairs and cracks his skull.  Of course, it's the evil Pinocchio puppet that's doing it -- and of course, nobody believes Zoe when she tells them this.  Eventually, Pinocchio convinces Zoe to let him become a real boy . . . if she will just cut his strings.

What you get with PINOCCHIO'S REVENGE is exactly what it says on the tin:  a homicidal wooden puppet killing people.  There's unfortunately not that much new here as the strong influence of Chucky as well as (in the final act) the Zuni fetish segment of TRILOGY OF TERROR.  It's funny how Tenney's comments on THE CELLAR (which he was hired for after the original writer/director was fired after 5 days) are that the script of THE CELLAR wasn't that good and that even Tenney's "director's cut" version of the film is merely OK.  In PINOCCHIO'S REVENGE, it's the script (written by Tenney) which is a little lackluster and I actual prefer his director's cut of THE CELLAR to this film!  Just shoes to go ya that the artist is the last person to accurately judge his own art.  Actually, the best thing Tenney did was casting Dick Beals as the voice of Pinocchio!  A casting coup!  You'll know DIck Beals' voice immediately; if not for the several Merrie Melodies/Looney Tunes cartoons in which he voices little Ralph who constantly daydreams, then definitely as the voice of Speedy Alka-Seltzer!  PINOCCHIO'S REVENGE is a nice enough time-waster which, after a kinda slow first hour, is a decent amount of fun if you're in the mood for a killer doll movie.