CHILD’S PLAY (1988) 

• Director: Tom Holland
• Cast: Catherine Hicks, Chris Sarandon, Alex Vincent, Brad Dourif
• Film: 87mins | USA | Subtitles | Intermission
• Event: Doors 6pm | Intro + Film 6:30pm – 9pm [18+]

A dying serial killer transfers his consciousness into a popular kids toy & menaces a young family. 

“YOU’LL WISH IT WAS ONLY MAKE-BELIEVE!”

Cult film night BAR TRASH continues with its 12th sensational season — SATANIC PANIC! — spine-tingling tales of 1980s witch hunts, scapegoats and moral mayhem.

Co-written by gay filmmaker Don Mancini — who would go on to control his own franchise until the 2019 reboot — CHILD’S PLAY (1988) is the quintessential ‘terror in the toybox’ film that highlighted our 1980’s obsession with the occult and a subversive presence of Satan in popular culture — everything from toothpaste brands, to rock music, and Saturday morning kids’ cartoons — that put children at risk of being lured away from trad. family values.

Now a much-loved queer media franchise, the original CHILD’S PLAY sows the seed of everything that was to come, veiling its direct link to Satan with voodoo spells (a common feature of similar titles of the era) and introducing Brad Dourif as Chucky (aka Charles Lee Ray) and his arch-nemesis Andy (played here by child actor Alex Vincent).

A notorious title in the censorious ‘90s, CHILD’S PLAY was never actually banned in the UK but was heavily cut on its original theatrical and VHS releases following the ‘video nasties’ furore that resulted in all home video being scrutinised and certificated for the first time. Its second sequel CHILD’S PLAY 3 (1991) was demonised in the UK tabloid press and voluntarily removed from sale by anxious retailers following an alleged link with the killing of James Bulger in 1993 (“For the sake of ALL our kids… BURN YOUR VIDEO NASTY!” — The Sun). Whilst any link with Bulger’s child murderers had been disproven by police and psychologists (who actually investigated one), the presiding judge fanned flames of moral panic in comments that likened the boy’s killing to the film.

Polite notice: We are showing CHILD’S PLAY uncut with subtitles from the best available digital source. The BBFC says CHILD’S PLAY “contains strong violence, horror and language”. You have been warned!

/// BAR TRASH is a celebration of cult and curious cinema, hosted by queer film fanatic Token Homo and friends. Films are served with introductions, intermissions, prize giveaways, and subtitles / captions where possible. Tickets from £6 + fees. Adults 18+ only. Follow @tokenhomo on Instagram for updates. More info at tokenhomo.com ///