Scary Stories

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.

It's a rare feat that a director completes a documentary that is well-photographed, has a solid soundtrack, and good audio. Despite these solid features, and some highlights, this film is flawed, and unnecessarily so.

Some two thirds of this film contain solid interviews with contributors to the book, some reputable scholars, and Schwartz's son and wife. Glimpses of the man, a truly prolific writer, and his seemingly troubled family, are moving, insightful, and a joy to watch. Some of the scholars offer powerful considerations of the thematic content of Schwartz's memorable stories, and Gammell's incredible art. This is fantastic, and make the film worth watching.

Meanwhile, the other third of the film feels wasted. First, much ado is made about the controversy the book provoked. Why do I care about what a PTA mother was thinking about a book in the 80s? I care about the books themselves.

The film is also loaded with fan interviews; a pat, badly-acted recreation and other retellings; and lesser known artists talking about how cool Scary Stories are.

For example: the film opens with a musician you've never heard of. The first four minutes of the film is dedicated to his singing a song inspired by Schwartz. Later, five minutes are dedicated to a wedding photographer recreating Schwartz's work. Schwartz' grandson--who comes across as charismatic and intelligent--leafs through Schwartz's work. This young man never knew Schwartz personally, nor does he seem to have any credential beyond being a removed relative. An interesting, though again not especially important five minutes, focuses on a sculptor reproducing Gammell's iconic Scary Stories cover. But why?

It seems these smatterings (of which there are too many) are some attempt to link Schwartz's work to those artists alive, creating, and influenced today. But these artists (save perhaps R. L. Stine, who barely talks about the titular stories) are not especially renowned And these scenes are tiresome and overlong for an 80 minute documentary, while revelations about the works themselves are touched upon in a limited way.

The final scene, a staged moment between two interesting people, is exemplary of my point. For such a momentous, impactful set of books, we find ourselves seeing Schwartz's son defending the rights of children to read Scary Stories to the censorship weilding PTA mother. While it's lovely to see a son standing up for his father, in my mind the film again misses such fertile material: the works themselves.

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.

This was a documentary that I debated going to see a few years ago when it came to the Gateway Film Center. This would have been in 2019 or around there. The title caught my attention and when I looked into it, I realized it was about the series of books that I used to read growing up. When I saw this streaming on Tubi, I decided to put this on late in my work day, treating it like a podcast. I listened to this, looking down to see if something was particularly interesting.

What this does well is helping us get to know the author, Alvin Schwartz. He had passed away so he wasn't available, which is a bummer. What I liked here though is that they interviewed his son, Peter. It sounds like they were estranged for a good stretch. This almost seems like a cathartic thing, helping him connect better with his father's lasting legacy.

Something else that I like is that this explores both sides of its impact. There is one side asking people who have been influenced to make their own art. Whether that is songs influenced, sculptures, paintings or even tattoos. There's another side though, parents wanted these books removed from libraries. They focus on one lady, who was part of the PTA, who was leading the charge in I believe Seattle. She actually participates quite a bit in this, going as far as meeting Peter. That felt a bit odd, I'll admit, especially since I don't think she ever got her lasting question resolved.

I'm not in favor of banning things. My parents took the stance that they'd police what I watched. They didn't keep most stuff from me, knowing that if they did, I'd more than likely find a way to watch it. I can see why they wanted to ban these books. Many didn't even want it outright, just not in elementary school libraries. There was a heartfelt moment where a father, whose daughter read these, was excited that she showed interest in the books. There is something to be said about finding something that interests and inspires.

I'll then end by saying that I thought this was made well enough. I can see the argument that it is a bit all over the place. It tries to jump between subjects instead of fleshing one aspect out before going to the next. That does work a bit better when dealing with a fictional narrative. It wasn't as bad listening to this while working, I'll admit that. For me, learning more about the books, their lasting legacy and their cultural impact was enough for me.

My Rating: 6.5 out of 10.

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.