We’ve all wondered at one time or another, “Why are dolls so creepy?” Is it the way their eyes seem to stare back at us? Is it the feeling that they could start moving and talking at any moment?
In this eerie and educational article, we’ll explore what scares us about dolls and list some of the most goosebump-inducing dolls in pop culture history. From Chucky to Annabelle to the frightening unnamed doll in your attic, we’re here to cover them all.
Why Are People Scared of Dolls?
Intellectually, we know that dolls will not come to life, but our fears tell us otherwise. Whenever we turn around in the presence of dolls, we expect to hear a giggle or the patter of little plastic feet. Every time we return to a room that a doll inhabits, we expect to see it in a different location. We study the arrangement of its arms and legs and look for a changed expression. But why?
Japanese roboticist Masahiro Mori coined the term “uncanny valley” in 1970. Leveraging the work of psychologists like Freud, this term describes the dip in emotional response humans tend to exhibit when viewing a realistic, human-like object, whether a robot, a mannequin, or a doll. The closer this object comes to replicating a human, the more unease we tend to experience.
Discussions about creepy dolls can quickly veer into the abstract and psychological, but ultimately, what we expect them to do scares us the most. While there is a scientific explanation here, we also have pop culture to blame. Some of the best horror creators of all time have capitalized on this fear, creating films that have stuck with us forever and taken our phobia to new heights.
Creepy Dolls in Popular Culture
Dolls have served many different roles in societies worldwide and have become more realistic over time. We think of them primarily as toys, but by 1816, a writer named E.T.A. Hoffman wrote a short story called “The Sandman,” which may have introduced the creepy doll trope into popular culture. The main character is attracted to a woman who turns out to be a bewitched wind-up doll, and who may have also killed his father.
There are a few other instances of creepy dolls throughout the 1800s and early 1900s, but by 1963, doll horror in popular culture took a decidedly sinister turn.
Talky Tina, from The Twilight Zone
On November 1st, 1963, an episode of The Twilight Zone featured a life-sized doll named “Talky Tina,” which was based on the wildly popular Chatty Cathy doll. Arguably one of the most memorable episodes of one of the scariest TV shows of all time, our hearts all skipped a collective beat when Tina declared, “My name is Talky Tina, and I’m going to kill you.”
Chucky, from the Child’s Play franchise
We can’t talk about nightmarish dolls without referencing the wildly popular Child’s Play, released in 1988, which featured the now-iconic Chucky. Possessed by the spirit of a serial killer, this “Good Guys” doll instilled fear in millions. Unlike other dolls that terrify with their silence, Chucky talks, makes jokes, runs around, and wields a knife. He’s probably the least subtle of the creepy dolls and vividly brings all of Talky Tina’s unfulfilled ambitions to life.
The Clown Doll, from Poltergeist
Known as one of the most frightening and memorable entities in the terrifying film, The Clown Doll from Poltergeist is a true legend in the horror genre. While it may seem innocent at first glance, this doll is pure evil. And who can forget the scene when he drags Robbie under the bed? Absolute chills every time.
Annabelle, from The Conjuring and Annabelle
Of course, there are the highly popular Conjuring universe spin-off films about Annabelle. These films have reinvigorated the undeniably haunting nature of doll horror. The fact that this is supposedly based on a true story from the lives and work of demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren makes it all the more unsettling. The first Annabelle movie presents another example of a doll that creates fear by never really moving. Though its power is alluded to, we never really see it move. This anticipatory dread sustains most of the film.
Chinga, from The X-Files
In a 1998 episode of The X-Files, written by Stephen King, Agent Dana Scully gets involved in a local murder investigation related to a young girl and her creepy doll named Chinga, which is also the episode’s name. Though Scully seems to ultimately prevail over Chinga when she throws the doll in a microwave, the chilling final shot of a fisherman finding the burned doll in a lobster trap tells us that this horror will live on.
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