Dr. Giggles (1992)
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21% of critics liked it
(14 reviews) -
41% of users liked it
(9,917 ratings)
Jumping fairly late on the slasher-movie bandwagon, this stylish but hollow effort from director Manny Coto stars L.A. Law's Larry Drake as the psychopathic Evan Rendell, who fancies himself a misunderstood medical genius. In an inventive opening scene, Rendell performs a bit of impromptu… More Jumping fairly late on the slasher-movie bandwagon, this stylish but hollow effort from director Manny Coto stars L.A. Law's Larry Drake as the psychopathic Evan Rendell, who fancies himself a misunderstood medical genius. In an inventive opening scene, Rendell performs a bit of impromptu surgery on his keepers at the asylum (who had given him the title nickname due to his fits of nervous laughter) and escapes to his hometown to set up his "practice." This medical mania seems to run in the family, as we are shown in flashback: Evan's daddy once butchered several local women in his search for a replacement heart for his wife, and although he was unable to save her, Pops managed to spirit away young Evan and keep him safe (in a very, very nasty hiding place) before being lynched by the locals. Hiding out in the abandoned family home, "Dr. Giggles" begins a random killing spree in town with his bag of medieval-looking surgical instruments... but he finds new purpose when he sees the medical records of young Jennifer (Holly Marie Combs), who is in line for a heart transplant, and vows to "cure" her himself. This film eschews the possibilities of its demented premise, choosing instead to serve up a flavorless hash of '80s slasher clichés (wisecracking killer, stupid teenage victims, virginal heroine, 20-years-later motif, etc.). The only truly inspired moment occurs in flashback, when we discover the actual hiding place the elder Dr. Rendell chose for his son. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi
- Directed By
- Manny Coto
- Genres
- Horror
- In Theaters
- Oct 23, 1992 Wide
- On DVD
- Sep 22, 1998
- Studio
- MCA Universal Home Video
Critic Reviews
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John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
It attempts some gallows humor but is largely imitative, shamelessly ripping off every slasher film that went before it.
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David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
Dopey, absurd fun...
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Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com
The numbing familiarity of everything in the film just makes the cartoonish bits look ridiculous.
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Stefan Birgir Stefansson, sbs.is
more one liners than schwarzenegger could dream off
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Martin Scribbs, Low IQ Canadian
Exposes the darker side of Benny from L.A. Law.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Larry Drake
as Dr. Evan Rendell
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Holly Marie Combs
as Jennifer Campbell
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Cliff De Young
as Tom Campbell
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Glenn Quinn
as Max Anderson
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Keith Diamond
as Officer Joe Rietz
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Richard Bradford
as Officer Hank Magruder
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Michelle Johnson
as Tamara
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John Vickery
as Dr. Chamberlain
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Nancy Fish
as Elaine Henderson
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Sara Melson
as Coreen
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Zoe Trilling
as Normi
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Darin Heames
as Stu
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Deborah Tucker
as Dianne
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Doug E. Doug
as Trotter
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Denise Barnes
as Leigh
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Troy Barron
as Young Magruder
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Jerry Counsil
as 1st Surgeon
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Patrick Cronin
as Sheriff Harper
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Pieter Dawson
as Doctor
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Mario de Priest
as 1st Orderly
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Marianne Doherty
as O.R. Nurse
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Russ Fast
as Anesthesiologist
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William Hunt
as Evan's Father
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Britt Magnuson
as 1st Nurse
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Nicholas Mastrandea
as Young Evan
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Joshua Nielsen
as Danny Atchley
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Danny Perkin
as Specks
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William Earl Ray
as Psychiatrist
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Todd Tolces
as 1st Security Guard
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Mark C. Vincent
as 2nd Surgeon
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Annie Wanberg
as 2nd Nurse
- Karen Rea
