A dead daughter is replaced by a terrifying, life-like doll in this old-school J-horror.
Yoshie has spiralled into a deep depression after losing her daughter and is advised to try doll therapy. Miraculously, she finds an antique doll that’s the spitting image of her child at a flea market. What a coincidence! Yoshi feels reborn, until strange things start happening…
Dollhouse is the first genre film by Japanese director Shinobu Yaguchi, best known for feel-good comedies like Waterboys and Swing Girls. His wonderfully old-school J-horror debut will leave you squealing with fear and delight. Yoshie’s creepy antique doll may feel like an amusing trope at first, with the cultural significance of Japanese Hina Ningyo dolls and ritual doll burning adding an extra layer. But the chilling supernatural scenes and multitude of plot twists really ensure Dollhouse’s entry into the horror hall of fame. Wow, that creepy-looking life-size doll has human hair and human fingernails. What could possibly go wrong?
