As certain films become a social phenomenon, they take on a life of their own. The best example of this is Star Wars, where an entire industry grew up around a film. Although to a lesser degree, the Chucky films have done the same. Finding dolls inherently creepy already, this knife-wielding homicidal doll franchise has struck a chord with the public.
This documentary starts with an assembly of talking heads describing the temper of the times. An era where anti-heroes were fuelling a new wave of horror films that had likeable villains. This started with Freddy Krueger from Wes Carven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street and gathered momentum when writer Don Mancini created the Chucky character for the film Child’s Play in 1988.
The maniacal doll proved so popular that they eventually spun off a series of films under the Chucky name. Living With Chucky mixes up interviews with creators and cast members with clips from various entries in the Chucky oeuvre. The attempts to put the franchise into a larger context raise some very interesting points and highlights the passion that goes into almost every film project. It also speaks of the sense of family these works create.
Even for folks that have little interest in the demonic doll, the film as an overview of the horror genre and how a franchise progresses is very insightful and informative. For hardcore fans of the series, it provides a treasure trove of moments that will have the desired effect of requiring repeated sessions in the dark as that polyvinyl chloride killer breaks bad.
Available on all major Digital platforms including Apple iTunes & Google Play in Australia & New Zealand from April 26th.
Rob Hudson
