Jay: Let's do it.
Me: Okay... Brad Dourif has a freaking huge list of acting credits on IMDb. Like, huge. What was the first thing you noticed Brad Dourif in?
Jay: For me, it was the Eyes of Laura Mars. It's a film I hadn't seen in a long, long time. I didn't realise what a cast it had! It has a myriad of stars. I watched it forty years ago because I was a kid and it had boobs in it. Watching it again now, I was impressed by how good it is. But, yeah, that's the first time I noticed Brad Dourif.
Me: I only vaguely remember that one.
It wasn't the first movie I saw Brad Dourif in (that was Child's Play) but One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest was his first credited role.
Jay: You didn't realise it at the time because they weren't all well-known actors then, but One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest had an insane cast! They were more or less unknown at the time but look at them now!
Me: And Brad Dourif's role was major! I kind of hated him, though. That movie shook me hard.
Jay: Child's Play wasn't exactly fluffy...
Me: True! But even Chucky doesn't scare me as much as Nurse Rached!
Since we're talking about Child's Play, tell me your thoughts on it.
Jay: Brad Dourif isn't really in it much but it's still his most famous role. He does the voice, of course, but you don't see his face often.
Child's Play was one of those surprise films because the doll is amazing. It's a good, jumpy film with good sequels. It's even better because there wasn't CGI then.
Me: They just did a remake of Child's Play, sadly without Brad Dourif. Did it work?
Jay: Mark Hamill was good but Brad Dourif was better. It's a case of spending all that money and bringing it up-to-date but not making it any better than the original. It's all been done.
Me: Okay, so if we go back to the original Franchise, which of the Child's Play sequels was the best?
Jay: I liked Child's Play 3 because it carries on from the original and still has Andy in it. It was of it's time, that Eighties pulp horror. Me: Mine was Cult of Chucky, with Fiona Dourif, Brad's daughter. It was so clever. Fiona was also in Curse of Chucky. I think it's great that she got to work with her dad in those movies. She's a good actor and you can really tell Brad Dourif is her father. She looks just like him.
Jay: You're right, she is a good actor. Fiona doesn't have to rely on her father's name; she can make it on her own merit.
Me: I'm focusing a lot on the Child's Play movies because I just don't know where to start with the rest of Brad Dourif's movies. Damn, he's been in a lot.
Jay: He's been around forever!
Me: What's your favourite Dourif movie?
Jay: It's not a movie but he was good in Deadwood. And in the remake of Halloween. Oh, and he was awesome in Death Machine. He's always good as a mad scientist but Chucky is his best.
Me: So, aside from the number of films he's made, what makes Brad Dourif a horror icon?
Jay: The roles he's taken. He tends to be either the mad professor or the sleazy, undesirable creep. The character you love to hate. Brad Dourif isn't the heartthrob but he's taken what he does have and made the most of it. He's very recognisable.
Me: Is there anything else you want to add?Jay: Only that I'm pissed that we met him (and he was nice) but we didn't have our Child's Play poster with us. I hope we can meet him again because I'd love to get his signature on that.
Me: We do that a lot... Fingers crossed we get to meet Brad Dourif again.
Well, thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to check back tomorrow to see who our next Best Horror Actor will be!
