Released after the slasher craze of the 1980s but before the revival of the late 1990s, “Dr. Giggles” has the dubious distinction of being one of the few slashers released by a major studio during this period. Larry Drake is perfect in the lead role but he’s the only one who seems to be doing much acting here – the rest of the movie is dedicated solely to coming up with new (and often disturbing) ways to dispatch nubile teenagers, with the movie finishing its ninety-minute running time with a striking body count. Nevertheless there’s a weirdness that works here: Borrowing its structure from 1978’s “Halloween” and its first sequel, “Dr. Giggles” often plays like a semi-serious parody of its own genre, and while director Manny Coto doesn’t manage to solidify his own thesis he still delivers an entertaining enough slasher with enough stand-out moments to make it worth a shot for horror fans.
Rating: ★★★ (out of 5)
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