PopHorror Let's Get Scared
The year was 1992. Movie rental stores were full of horror blockbusters such as Candyman, Alien 3, Hellraiser III, Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. That October, Dr. Giggles was released as well. This movie is a hidden gem, a throwback to ’80s horror movies with a ton of one-liners and puns, reminiscent of our beloved Freddy Krueger.
Official Synopsis:
A madman who believes he’s a doctor comes to the town where his crazy father was killed, and soon begins murdering people and becoming infatuated with a teenage girl who has a heart condition.
Dr. Giggles is directed by Manny Coto and stars the late Larry Drake as Dr. Giggles. Nicknamed by his father, Dr. Rendell, because of his annoying giggle, Evan, Jr, and his dad begin to kill people and rip out their hearts in an attempt to bring Evan’s mom back. The town ends up stoning the doctor to death, although his son escapes. Year later, Holly Marie Combs shows up as Jennifer Campbell, a teenage girl dealing with the recent death of her mother as well as the recent diagnosis of a heart condition. Dr. Giggles comes back to town and becomes infatuated with Jennifer because of her heart condition like his mothers. Will Jennifer survive? You will have to watch film to find out!
Dr. Giggles is a fun thrill ride. It has some great scenes, including one memorable and unique scene with circus fun mirrors. The film has a lot of one liners that will remind you of those great ’80s horror and icons like Freddy Krueger and Ash from Evil Dead. Larry Drake gives an exceptional performance as Dr. Giggles. Surprisingly, Drake performed this character at the time he was starring in the hit TV show LA Law, where he played the likable Benny Stulwicz, a mentally-challenged clerk in the law office. Holly Marie Combs also gives a fantastic breakout performance as Jennifer that would lead to a later role as Piper Halliwell on the beloved TV series Charmed.
Trivia
- Both Jennifer Aniston and Ashley Judd auditioned for the role of Jennifer.
- On episode #72 of Killer POV podcast, the director, Manny Coto, revealed that the MPAA told him he had a lot of work to do on the film before they could give it an R rating. They had to cut out a lot of the gore because the MPAA was particularly harsh on them since horror films faced heavy censorship in the early 1990s.
- Matt Frewer and Ted Danson were also considered for the title role.
- The official body count is 17.
- Some parts of the movie were filmed in Metzger, Oregon.
Enjoy this compilation of Dr. Giggles puns and one-liners.
Are you a fan of Dr. Giggles? What’s your favorite of his punny lines? Let us know in the comments!
