Scary Stories

Like many I grew up with these stories. The collection of folklore by Schwartz were a bizarre assortment that played to my morbid sense of humor. The illustrations by Stephen Gammell were a ripe slice of insanity.

The documentary is a mix of the controversy surrounding the books, the private lives of Gammell and Schwartz, and a tribute to both men and the influence they had over generations of academics and artists.

With the upcoming film, this doc is a nice prep for what producer Guillermo Del Toro will unleash in a matter of weeks.

This simply didn't focus on it's topic enough and bored the hell out of me with just talking to the guys family, about how great they think he was.

The stories feel timeless, the books are infamous and the slice of nostalgia is priceless. And this documentary celebrates all of it. "Scary Stories" offers a deeper look into the controversy surrounding the books. The battle between censorship and free speech, framing literature as cultural heritage. Which is exactly what these books were then, and still are today. Cody Meirick, the director offers both sides of the argument, showing no forced, influential bias. Greatly appreciated because it allows for an authentic flow to the documentary's narrative.

The film includes introspective pieces from R.L. Stine, Amelia Cotter, Bruce Coville and Q.L. Pearce, plus plenty of artists and writers influenced by "Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark". The real star of the documentary, and rightfully so, is the books' original artwork. Meirick guides the viewer through the three distinct topics explored in documentary nicely. The author, Mr. Shwartz, the controversy, and the legacy of the book series' influence on pop culture and horror fans. This is clearly a must for both the horror reader and anyone who's childhood included the books- especially those who maintain a love for "Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark". It is a fun, informative, and entertaining watch.

I grew up a big fan of these books and was excited to see this documentary available on demand. This was much for informative about the books and author than I anticipated. It also presents a good contrast of viewpoints of how the books can be perceived by the public. I highly recommend for fans of the books and (soon-to-Be) fans of the 2019 film.

I've been following this documentary over the years, hoping year after year I'd be able to watch it. Finally I was able to view it on Amazon Video and it was incredible! The production value and amount of effort really showed, and as a huge fan of the book series, I'm happy to say all the interviews gave me even more insight to the Scary Stories series.