Dollman vs. Puppet Master vs. Demonic Toys vs. Bad Channels

1892--RETRO PUPPET MASTER--It's 1892 and Sutekh is hopping mad. It seems a 3,000 year old Egyptian sorcerer has stolen one of the God's secrets of life - that of instilling the souls of the dying into inanimate things. Sutekh raises three mummified former high priests, led by the villainous "First Servant", and charges them with recovering both the Sorceror and his secret. There is no lack of victims for the 3 high-faluting, stylish villains as they pursue their prey to 19th century Paris, and the very young puppeteer, Andre Toulon. Toulon runs a puppet theatre in the heart of Paris, and meets the sorcerer (the mysterious Afzel) when he is found by the lovely Swiss Ambassador's daughter Ilsa, after being nearly killed. It is there and then that we find the seed of things to come, and the origin of the Puppetmaster series of tales.

WWII--PUPPET MASTER III: TOULON'S REVENGE--Set in Berlin during WWII, the Nazi regime is attempting to develop a drug that will animate the dead, in order to use in the war effort. Toulon arouses suspicion as a Nazi dissident, and his secret is discovered. During a Nazi raid on his home, Toulon's beautiful wife is murdered. Toulon vows revenge, with the help of his animated puppets. This movie gives a new perspective on Toulon and his "friends".

World War II--PUPPET MASTER: AXIS OF EVIL--In a Stateside hotel during the height of World War II, young Danny Coogan dreams of joining the war effort. Following the murder of hotel guest Mr. Toulon by Nazi assassins, Danny finds the old man's crate of mysterious puppets and is suddenly thrust into a battle all his own. He discovers that Nazis Max and Klaus, along with beautiful Japanese saboteur Ozu, plan to attack a secret American manufacturing plant. After his family is attacked and his girlfriend Beth is kidnapped, it is up to Danny and the living deadly Puppets to stop this Axis of Evil.

World War II--PUPPET MASTER: AXIS RISING--After foiling a plot to blow up an American arms plant, Danny Coogan and his girlfriend, Beth, quickly find that their troubles have just begun. One of Toulon's mysterious Puppets has been kidnapped by the Nazis, and under the wicked, watchful eye of the occultist Commandant Moebius, the Puppets' life-giving serum is synthesized to create a master race of unstoppable soldiers. Moebius plots to assassinate the highly-decorated General Porter to deliver a crippling blow to the American war effort, but his experiments are not ready. A Nazi Scientist uses the serum to create their own superior race of Nazi Puppets in the form of Blitzkrieg, Wehrmacht, Bombshell and Kamikaze! Danny and Beth, teamed with craggy Sergeant Stone and Toulon's Puppets, are no match for Moebius and his war machine. It is up to Blade, Pinhead, Leech Woman and Jester to revive their own secret weapon to stop the Axis Rising!

World War II--PUPPET MASTER: AXIS TERMINATION--Since its inception in 1989, the "Puppet Master Series" has been our most celebrated, beloved, and enduring franchise. It's the most successful independent direct to video horror franchise of all time! With classic characters like Blade, Jester, Pinhead, Tunneler and Leech Woman returning to thrill dedicated fans and general audiences alike. For the 11th installment in the series, Charles Band will be directing "Puppet Master: Axis Termination! Set in Los Angeles during World War II, "Axis Termination" continues the Axis Trilogy, which began with "Puppet Master: Axis of Evil" and continued with "Axis Rising". This is the same time period as David DeCoteau's classic "Puppet Master III: Toulon's Revenge."

1989--PUPPETMASTER--Neil Gallagher found the secret to Toulon's puppets who come to life and then killed himself. Alex and his psychic friends come to investigate and are stalked by Toulon's puppets who have a variety of strange traits including a drill for a head and the ability to spit up leeches.

February 1991--PUPPET MASTER II--The puppets return, this time they hunt some Paranormal Researchers to take their brain fluid for the dead/living puppet master, Andre Toulon.

March 1992--DOLLMAN--A hard boiled, intergalactic policeman lands on earth where he is only 12 inches tall.  Dollman features Brick Bardo, played by Tim Thomerson.  Thomerson reprises the role in Bad Channels and Dollman vs. Demonic Toys.  Interestingly, the name of Brick Bardo has been applied in other films, that are unconnected to Dollman, but are recurring characters in multiple films.  Christian Andrews played another Brick Bardo in RADIOACTIVE DREAMS and ALIEN FROM L.A.  And Scott Paulin played Brick Bardo in DECEIT, INFECTION, and ROAD TO HELL.  These three Brick Bardo characters are three different recurring characters.  Only Dollman is in the TVCU/Horror Universe.  The other ones have no TVCU connection, but I thought it was worth mentioning since they are recurring characters thus making up two other shared realities with Brick Bardo.  There are also CYBORG, BLOODMATCH, and THE INTERROGATION OF CHERYL COOPER, which also all feature a character named Brick Bardo, each played by a different actor.  

June 1992--BAD CHANNELS--An alien determined to capture human females takes over a radio station to do it.  "Dr. Howard, Dr. Fine, Dr. Howard" is heard on the hospital P.A.  Brick Bardo makes an appearance after the end credits.

August 1992--DEMONIC TOYS--A policewoman, her quarry and an innocent delivery boy become trapped in a haunted toy warehouse

1993--REMOTE--The "Manic Depresso" segment is playing on TV.

DOLLMAN VS. DEMONIC TOYS (FILM)

Release Date: October 13, 1993 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Dollman; Demonic Toys

Non-Horror Crosses: Bad Channels

The Story: When Brick Bardo learns about Nurse Ginger, who is permanently shrunken to doll size like himself, he seeks her out to let her know that she is not alone. Meanwhile, a homeless man is injured in the Toyland warehouse and his blood awakens the demon that repossesses the toys. Judith Grey seeks out the aid of Brick and Ginger to stop the demonic toys.

Notes: Brick Bardo was the hero of Dollman. Nurse Ginger was shrunk in Bad Channels, though in Bad Channels, Bunny was the one permanently shrunk. Perhaps that actress wasn’t available. This film retroactively changes that part of the events from Bad Channels. Though Demonic Toys 2 comes out in 2009, it seems to follow right after the original film, so that it should take place between the first Demonic Toys and this film. This film is followed by Puppet Master vs. Demonic Toys.

September 1995--PUPPET MASTER 4--A young scientist working on an artificial intelligence project is the target of strange gremlin-like creatures, who are out to kill him and thus terminate his research. By coincidence, in one of the rooms he uses, there's a mysterious case containing the puppets of the "puppet master". When the puppets are brought to life, they help destroy the creatures.

September 1995--PUPPET MASTER 5: THE FINAL CHAPTER--The puppets battle their most powerful enemy yet as they protect the new puppet master from the demon God that created the Secret of Life.

May 1998--CURSE OF THE PUPPET MASTER--A scientist attempts to master the art of transferring people's souls into puppets.

**UPDATED**BRIDE OF CHUCKY (FILM)

Release Date: October 16, 1998 (Contemporary Setting; one month after Child’s Play 3)

Series: Child’s Play

Horror Crosses: Friday the 13th; Halloween; A Nightmare on Elm Street; Texas Chainsaw Massacre; PUPPET MASTER

The Story: Tiffany, the girlfriend of serial killer Charles Lee Ray, steals the doll and performs the ritual to place his soul back inside it. The plan is to find a human for Chucky to inhabit, but when the couple have a fight, Tiffany resolves not to help him. As revenge, he performs a ritual to trap her in a doll, knowing this will force her cooperation. And it does, as the two seek out a young couple to possess

Notes: Chucky is brought in by the Katrina Protocol. This film occurs between Child’s Play 3 and Seed of Chucky. At the evidence locker where the Chucky doll is kept, are also the masks of Jason Voorhees and Michael Myers, the glove of Freddy Krueger, the chainsaw of Leatherface, AND THE PUPPETS FROM PUPPET MASTER. This brings Halloween into the Horror Universe. The others have already been brought in. Even though it was meant as a quick prop gag, this quick film moment connected SIX of the most famous modern horror icons. This film has been referenced as fictional and paid homage to numerous times in other films and on television. It was also spoofed on the Roseanne Show. **UPDATED**

2001--THE SIMPSONS: ROAD RAGE--A tombstone at the cemetery in the Springfield Mountains level is inscripted with "Jester."

December 2003--PUPPET MASTER: THE LEGACY--Peter Hertz tells a woman the past stories about the puppets, but she secretly wants to kill them.

PUPPET MASTER VS. DEMONIC TOYS (FILM)

Release Date: December 18, 2004 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Puppet Master; Demonic Toys

The Story: A man who can control puppets comes into conflict with a woman who creates demon controlled toys.

Notes: A sequel to both Puppet Master and Demonic Toys. This film follows Puppet Master: The Legacy and is followed by Demonic Toys: Personal Demons.

2006--EVIL BONG--Jack-in-the-Box makes an appearance

CABIN IN THE WOODS (FILM)

Release Date: April 13, 2012 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Cabin in the Woods

Horror Crosses: Alien; Half-Life; Evil Dead; Poltergeist; Frankenstein (Universal); Child’s Play; Creature from the Black Lagoon; Corpse Bride; Killer Klowns from Outer Space; Stephen King Universe; Killjoy; Devil’s Rejects; Clownhouse; Drive Thru; Funhouse; Amusement; Circus of Fear; Clown Camp; Demonic Toys; Demons; Night of the Demons; Supernatural; Charmed; Gremlins; Ghoulies; Creeps; Troll; Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; Frankenstein (novel); Dr. Giggles; The Human Centipede; House on Haunted Hill; The Dead Pit; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; The Strangers; Underworld; Attack of the 50 Foot Woman; Troll Hunter; Anaconda; Python; Mega Snake; Snakes on a Plane; Resident Evil; Hellraiser; Cannibal Holocaust; Creepshow; Legend of Sleepy Hollow; Attack of the Jack-O-Lanterns; Pumpkinhead; Frankenfish; The Mummy! Or a Tale of the Twenty-Second Century; The Mummy (Universal); The Hills Have Eyes; Wrong Turn; Chernobyl Diaries; 28 Days Later; Signal; the Works of Quentin Tarantino; Left 4 Dead; Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos; Re-Animator (film); Siren; The Exorcist; The Exorcism of Emily Rose; Reptilicus; Jurassic Park; Abominable Bigfoot; The Legend of Boggy Creek; Ape Canyon; Curse of Bigfoot; Night of the Bloody Apes; Wendigo; Night Beasts; Night of the Scarecrow; Scarecrows; Husk; Scarecrow Gone Wild; The Scarecrows Walk at Midnight; The Town that Dreaded Sundown; The Craft; Witches of Eastwick; Hocus Pocus; Jack Frost; Hellboy (film); Rumplestiltskin; Leprechaun; Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters; Gingerbread Man; The Vampyre; Dracula (novel); Nosferatu; The Wolf Man; An American Werewolf in London; The Howling; Wolf; Texas Chainsaw Massacre; Friday the 13th; Night of the Living Dead; Return of the Living Dead; F.E.A.R.; The Blob; Feast; Horrors of the Wendigo; Frostbiter; Ghost; Bram Stoker’s Dracula (film); The Cyclops; Cyclops Giant; Nightbreed; Leeches!; Attack of the Giant Leeches; Rows of Teeth; The Birds; Killing Birds; Birdemic: Shock and Terror; Silent Hill; Attack of the Killer Lane Gnomes; Alligator; Lake Placid; Them!; Legion of Fire: Killer Ants!; Ants; Empire of the Ants; King Kong; Centipede Horror; The Giant Claw; The Ring; Attack of the Giant Gila Monster; The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms; Tarantula; Eight Legged Freaks; Jaws; Frogs; Lord of Darkness; House of the Dead; The Grudge; Chopping Mall; BlinkyTM; The Kraken; Kraken: Tentacles of the Deep; Octopus; The Beast; Deep Rising; It Came From Beneath the Sea; Tentacles; Eye of the Beast; Mega Shark; Giant Octopus; Castle Freak; Tokyo Gore Police; Septic; Mutants; Ogre; Blood Pool; Legend of the Ogre; Killing Floor; Little Shop of Horrors; The Breed; Hatchet; Phantasm; See No Evil; Thinner; Monster House; Attila; Dead Snow; Frankenstein’s Army; Manhunt; The Monster in the Closet; Killer Eyes; Demomata; CSP-682; Parasite Eve 2; Dead Space; Night of the Lepus; Creature from the Haunted Sea; Tremors; Hostel; The Collection; The Butcher; Dead Rising; My Bloody Valentine; The Exterminator; Willard; War of the Worlds; Signs; Lollipop Chainsaw; Ghost Ship; Curse of the Pirates; Jolly Roger; Lead Soldiers; Vampire Vikings; The Witch; Blair Witch Project; The Village; The Thing; Vampire Breath; Goosebumps; Angel; King Cobra

Non-Horror Crosses: Harry Potter; Wizard of Oz; Great Expectations; Batman; Labyrinth; Land of the Giants; The Wrath of Paul Bunyan; Dreamscape; Last of the Mohicans; Blood Meridian; Scalps; Savage Sam; Sin City; Kevin Spencer; We Need to Talk About Kevin; Jacob’s Ladder; Doctor Who; Black Swan; Pan’s Labyrinth; Nutcracker; Blade Hunter; The Chronicles of Narnia; Time Bandits; The Princess and the Frog; Pirates of the Caribbean; Futurama; The Incredible Shrinking Man; Pee-Wee’s Playhouse; Red Planet; Terminator; Zathura; Hardware; Robot Wars; Bacterial Contamination; Firefly; Clash of the Titans; Team Fortress; Man from Planet X; Starship Troopers; Silence of the Lambs/Hannibal; Twisted Metal

The Story: A group of teens head out for a weekend in a cabin in the woods, not knowing that they have been chosen as sacrifices to an ancient deity in order to save the world from his wrath.

Notes: This film exposes the secret truth behind modern horror. Behind it all is a secret organization, chosen to sacrifice youth to ancient gods. All of the above named crossovers have been linked in this film, and revealed to be part of this secret conspiracy. Most of the crossovers above come from the monsters and artifacts contained in the facility. While some of the monsters and artifacts are clearly from certain films above, many are based on certain types of horror films, in which case I included the more well-known of these film types. I recommend the well-researched Cabin in the Woods Wiki for a more detailed listing of the monsters and their inspirations. Note that I included in the above crossovers some monsters that only appeared in the official novelization and the official Universal Theme Park attraction tie-in. With this film, I break one of my major rules of crossover connecting. Though some of the crosses are direct crosses, like Evil Dead and Left 4 Dead, most of them are only connected because the films represent the more well-known films of the trope from which a certain monster comes. Normally, I would not count something that is “like something from”, but there is dialogue within the film that makes me break my rule. In one scene, referring to the monsters, security officer Daniel Truman says “They’re like something from a nightmare.” Lin, a head scientist, responds, “No, they’re something nightmares are from.” She goes on to explain that these monsters are the creations of the Ancient Ones, having been around since the beginning, and different cultures have told stories that interpret them in different ways. Thus, in the instance of this film, “like” is enough because of the author’s intent. And thus my love/hate relationship with Joss Whedon, for expanding the Horror Universe dramatically but making me do a lot of work to write this entry. Note that this film ends with the start of an apocalypse, so the end must veer into a divergent timeline. We must presume in the main Horror Universe, the virgin shot the fool. And if you haven’t seen the movie, that last sentence probably seems very bizarre. This film has been referenced as fictional in South Park, The Cinema Snob, Scary Movie 5, and Doc of the Dead. It is also paid homage to in Red Dawn when Chris Hemsworth and his friends once more wind up in a cabin in the woods. The film has also been spoofed in Robot Chicken and Scary Movie 5.

The Near Future?--DANZA MACABRA--The movie is in the continuity of the same story with evil puppets.