I thought this documentary might be of interest to
TLO members, as it pertains to ventriloquist dummies. It is directed by Rodney Ascher and is sort of a cross between his films
The Nightmare and
The S From Hell--it is kicked off by a disembodied voice reminiscing about a childhood aspiration to be a ventriloquist being dashed once the trailer for Richard Attenbrough's
Magic (1978) aired on television, and the longterm horror of dolls and mannequins that followed. I caught it on Shudder and as it clocks in at only 27 minutes, it is well worth a viewing. I'll paste the description below:
Primal Screen
Why are we simultaneously attracted to and repelled by the things that scare us the most? In this special presentation, acclaimed filmmaker Rodney Ascher (ROOM 237, THE NIGHTMARE) explores the pop culture that left dark impressions on us as children.