Chucky in Child’s Play (1988)

The most recognizable terrifying toy is easily Chucky from Child’s Play. Although his brand is called Good Guy, his design is off-putting even before he’s possessed by serial killer Charles Lee Ray. His overalls and rainbow-striped t-shirt are meant to seem innocent, but there’s something about his wild, unruly red hair and pale blue eyes that just feels off. That’s the moment you realize this Good Guy is anything but.

He may be small, yet he is mighty and ferocious, grabbing a knife and dashing towards his victims. It’s jarring to see the evil way his cherubic face snaps: his eyebrows crinkle, his mouth twists into a sneer, and his sweet, high-pitched mechanical voice suddenly turns into a gravelly, smoker’s rasp filled with rage and expletives.

While later entries in the Child’s Play series lean more toward the comical and Chucky becomes more computer generated, there’s nothing like those lifelike practical effects and the raw nastiness of the original.