Pin

"Pin" has a strong, troubling, psycho-sexual undercurrent -- that's why I like it. I didn't mind the Andrew Neiderman novel, either, which presented the character of Pin from a totally realistic perspective. The atmosphere director Sandor Stern conjures here reminded me of the Virginia Andrews novel,"Flowers in the Attic", though not the ghastly film version. The children's world is enclosed and corruption of some kind is inevitable. In this, Pin is a life-size medical mannequin who is used as a parental surrogate for two children whose parents are too screwed up and occupied with their own affairs to see the folly of their decisions. The film is dark and moody, sexually loaded, and awfully grim in parts. The "voice" of Pin is disturbing in the extreme and his mere presence in each scene is fascinating but unnerving. Directed with enormous skill and beautifully acted. A treasure.

This film is certainly unique - nothing like you've ever seen before. That's not necessarily a good thing, but it does make it intriguing. Sure, it may remind you of "Psycho" or of "Magic" (the 1978 thriller with Hopkins), but its slow pacing, its MORBID atmosphere and its weirdness make it feel completely different from those movies. It's not particularly good or bad, just EXTREMELY weird . Pay attention to the opening sequence, or else the ending will seem inconclusive and you'll have to rewind the tape - like I did.

I will be brief. This movie, a fantastic piece of Canadiana, is one of the most underrated movies in the horror genre. This endorsement is purely for true horror fans. If you love the genre, you will want to see Pin. It's one of those rare movies that relys on someone's twisted perception of normal events to trigger a series of terrific scenes. It is also a true horror movie, for it depicts the real consequences of a dysfunctional family, and how one can be subsequently affected. Every one I have ever showed this movie too says the same thing. "That's not right." Suffice is to say, it's the kind of movies that keeps the lights on when you go to bed.

I watched this movie expecting some kind of a horror/thriller from most of the comments here. Of course the basic story has quite some resemblances of the famous "Psycho" but I think that this movie is far more into the psychological level and less into thrills and chills. Thats why I now get some of the negative remarks because if you want to get a psycho axe wielding maniac and his rotten mom you sure will be disappointed by nice guy Leon and his pretty boring doll.

If you just watch Pin for what it is and that to me is a kind of apsychological drama, then it makes much more sense and has some interesting insights. The story revolves around two kids Leon and his Sister Ursula who grow up in a very conservative upbringing. Their mother a 60s cliché of a cleaning obsessed house woman and their father a doctor whom his kids call "Sir" and who teaches them several things through an anatomical doll using ventriloquism. The doll named "Pin" becomes a part of their lives and especially Leon becomes attached to it also talking to him in his fathers absence. Years later their parents die in a car crash and Leon and his sister start living on their own. From here on Pin becomes Leons Alter Ego and kind of a family member ... the downward spiral picks up pace and troubled Leon who desperately tries to keep his "family" together by keeping Ursula from other peoples influences starts going over the edge.

Ursula know about Leons mental state and plays along with his schizophrenic role play and the Pin doll which Leon gives his voice just like his father did. She doesn't want her brother to end in a sanitarium, realizing too late that her playing along just makes things worse.

The movie is very slow and the deterioration of Leons mental state is not thrilling, everything is shown in kind of a normal way because thats what it is for Leon. People die in this movie but its not for thrills and especially the ending shows that "Pin" is rather a drama than anything else. If you are interested in a psychological study in a "Psycho"-like set watch this movie, if you want corpses, thrills and scary horror dolls this sure is the wrong movie for you.

Brother and Sister Leon and Ursula received fairly strict parenting, their father would use his medical dummy named pin to direct and instruct the children, using the medium of ventriloquism. When the parents die, Leon begins controlling his sister, through Pin.

What an unexpected gem of a movie this turned out to be, I thoroughly enjoyed it, there are so many quirky and unique horrors from the decade, this is one of the best I've seen for a while.

It's a story about control and obsession, Leon is very much a product of his strict and controlling father, he's clearly transferring his father's behaviours.

Full of suspense, it had me captivated til the very end, it really does manage to hold your attention.

What a creepy guy Pin is, I'm only surprised this film hasn't been remade, an audience is missing out on an updated version.

8/10.