Puphedz: The Tattle-Tale Heart 2003 Horror Movie Review

Quite possibly the first Edgar Allan Poe story ever interpreted by puppets, Puphedz: The Tattle-Tale Heart is enthusiastically irreverent, immensely violent, and quite an amusing way to spend a half-hour. Through a series of flashbacks, straitjacketed Woodrow J. Larchbottom III recounts his bloody tale of obsession, madness, and murder in splendidly dramatic detail. Loosely following Poe’s story, Woodrow slips into madness as he becomes increasingly disturbed by his uncle’s deformed eye. As his plan to destroy the “evil” eye unfolds, torment turns to blood-curdling terror. Each carefully orchestrated scene is filled with eye-popping puppet gadgetry, innovative camera work, and often very funny one-liners. The acting may be wooden in Puphedz, but this pint-sized movie is certainly worth a peek. —Matt Wold