Scary Stories is a 2019 documentary about children’s horror classic Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.
Tales of terror have shaped the human experience since we were huddled around fires and painting in caves, from then till now crucial in our ability to face and deal with dangers, uncertainties, fears, and death. You can probably better account for the scariest moments in your life than those that made you happiest. Either way, the arts have been instrumental in delivering these stories, from stage plays, radio shows, movies, television, and books. And the most popular target to issue these frightful feasts to are children, who are meant to glean lessons from many. One of the most beloved book series about such things are the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz, published in the 80s and early 90s.
Now comes an official documentary to celebrate the late author’s contribution, called appropriately enough, Scary Stories, featuring a number of interviews with those affected and influenced by these volumes, tracking the books’ origins and how they continue to be meaningful to the children who grew up with them and the growing world of art and obsession that spawned from them.
It’s a fascinating deep-focus look at the impact of this controversial series, which gained critical attention for their banning from school libraries, shining as much light on famed (and reclusive) illustrator Stephen Gammell as Schwartz himself. A large section in fact is dedicated to a slew of modern artists who toil to reproduce his work in other forms, from dioramas and models to drawings and photography. These are some very creative fans.
And that’s the real takeaway from the film, how books like these are far better at inciting creativity and imagination than somehow causing harm or inducing some demented behavior. Stories that challenge young readers inspire questions and curiosity, something the Scary Stories books have proven to do, and it’s compelling to watch how they came under fire and caused such a stir as a group of parents, propped up by a media driven by such conflicts, demanded their removal from access to their children.
Based on folklore and urban legends, Schwartz’s books were very accessible to kids, who, the film recalls, would conceal them from their parents and read them under the covers with a flashlight. Did you, too? The film recounts many who did, using animation to help tell their stories, adding thoughts on the books and their prominence, including other writers (R.L. Stine shows up), who offer their praise. It devotes a lot of time as well to retelling some of these stories and their background, revealing the lengths Schwartz would go to in researching their origins. It’s all very enlightening.
With a big budget film adaptation by director André Øvredal and producer Guillermo del Toro releasing this summer, it’s a good time to dig out those books and get reacquainted with their charms, and this documentary makes for a nice companion piece in getting to know more about how it all began.