From the earliest glimpses of the S. Craig Zahler (Bone Tomahawk) penned screenplay of Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich (read my review), it was clear this was not going to be anything like the puppets we thought we knew. In this reboot, Andre Toulon wasn’t fleeing Nazi-controlled Germany, but was a Nazi. As such, his beloved puppet creations reflect that. They’re ruthless, bloodthirsty, and offensive. And there’s so, so many.
Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich is arriving today on DVD, Blu-ray and 4K, bringing home the bloodiest, most bonkers horror movie of the year. Starring Thomas Lennon, Barbara Crampton, Udo Kier, Michael Paré, Jenny Pellicer, and Skeeta Jenkins, with a great score by Fabio Frizzi, Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich is a definitive crowd pleaser. These puppets aim to offend and maim, and the kills are over the top gory. In celebration of the official release, it’s time to meet the puppets!
Blade
The trusty ringleader of Toulon’s puppets returns for this reboot with a new makeover. Still Toulon’s number one creation, this fan favorite puppet has hands that pop apart for quick draw of the trademark hook and knife. His face a bit gaunter and greyer, frozen in a frown, and is a lot less upbeat than his seemingly friendly Full Moon counterpart, and a lot more vicious. This iteration of Blade is often sporting a Nazi armband. He’s definitely not your friend.
Skull Blade
The most popular of toys tend to get variants, and Toulon’s most popular puppet is the perfect example. Though the weaponry, outfit, and modus operandi are all the same, this version of Blade has one major difference; his head is a skull. It’s a pretty cool look. For a Nazi puppet anyway.
Pinhead
The enforcer of the puppet team, Pinhead is monstrous in size with a tiny, scarred head. His fingerless gloved hands are often used for ripping apart his victims, and his pint-size contradicts the sheer strength he employs. Like his pal Blade, Pinhead also has many variants that can be spotted throughout Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich.
Tunneler
For nostalgic fans of the original Full Moon series, take comfort with this version of Tunneler. Save for an all-black outfit and more angular facial features, this puppet is pretty much just like the puppet you remembered. He still uses his dome topped drill to tear into his victims, but this Tunneler also tunnels through walls and ceilings. In other words, not much can stop this Tunneler. But for fans hoping for a more drastic design departure, keep an eye out for some very, very interesting variants on Tunneler, too.
Kaiser
Known as Torch in the Full Moon series, Kaiser has a metal head shaped like a German Stahlhelm helmet with a big spike in the middle. Kaiser bears a flamethrower in lieu of his right hand, and his eyes glow red. This little military monster also has uniform variants in the film. His long-range weaponry and scary appearance make Kaiser one puppet you never want to cross paths with.
Amphibian
Leech Woman is missing from this reboot, but Amphibian might be a decent substitute. The most innocent looking puppet of the bunch, Amphibian looks like a happy frog going out for a party with his cute party hat, red shoes, and bow tie. This dapper puppet has a killer instinct that matches his fashion sense, though. Amphibian opens his mouth and spits out deadly projectiles before reveling in his kill.
Autogyro
Toulon’s evil twist to the autogiro flight craft meant a deadly puppet with far more mobility than he should ever have. Robotic in appearance but with flight skids for legs, Autogyro has a flying propeller for a hand. This means that not only can this puppet whiz through the air, but he can use that propeller as a weapon. If there was a victim tally for team Toulon, Autogyro might rank near the top of the list.
Junior Fuhrer
This doll has the body of a diaper wearing baby but the face of Adolf Hitler, with glowing blue eyes. Like the demagogue it was modeled after, Junior Fuhrer’s kill tactics are based on its ability to control those around him. Just because this doll looks and moves like a baby doesn’t mean it’s incapable of inflicting unimaginable pain. Junior Fuhrer unleashes one of the most devastating and humorously gruesome kills in the entire film.
Money Lender
Ladies and gentleman, may I present you with the film’s most offensive puppet of all; Money Lender. Toulon created this propaganda puppet to perform on stage with Blade to poke fun at the Jewish community. Sporting a kippah with a large nose, tiny glasses, beard, and pointy teeth, Money Lender lands the film’s most controversial, twisted kill of the entire film to ensure his offensive nature matches his appearance.
Mr. Pumper
Considering resources were scarce during the war, and children were taught to preserve natural resources in Germany, Toulon’s creation of this anthropomorphic petrol pump appears to be a demented play on that. With a hollow head, accordion torso, and faucet for a nose, Mr. Pumper extracts his victims’ “natural resources” with gleeful abandon.
Mechaniker
This little robotic puppet on wheels is perhaps the tiniest of the Littlest Reich, but should not be underestimated. A mechanical fighting puppet that Toulon designed specifically for boys, Mechaniker is crafted from repurposed war materials. Some of Mechaniker’s pieces have been found to exhibit British and American markings, meaning that Toulon likely crafted this puppet from fallen Allied tanks and aircraft. This means that Mechaniker is far studier and tougher than most of Toulon’s puppets.
Grashüpfer
Rivaling Amphibian in cuteness, Grashüpfer is an insect puppet sporting a purple tuxedo that complements his green color scheme. But similar to Amphibian, this puppet’s cuteness belies its lust for blood. Like the insect its design is based on, this puppet has a penchant for jumping and chewing, but with very deadly implications.
