Review: ‘Scary Stories’ A nostalgic treat full of empty calories
Being a kid in the 1990s meant experiencing the golden age of YA horror fiction. Book series like Goosebumps, Spooksville, Fear Street, Point Horror, Shivers, Creepers, Spine Chillers Mysteries, and Bone Chillers; dominated the shelves! Looking to appeal to the same target audience was anthologies of short spooky stories. Yet little to none of these captured the public imagination like the trio of Scary Stories to Tell in The Dark (1981-1991). These creepy collections of tales, with their unforgettable artwork, have left an indelible mark on many who grew up in that era.
As the world has become more divided, especially in terms of politics, it’s no surprise that many people are looking back at simpler times. Specifically their childhoods. For many millennials, the ‘90s represent a simpler time, free from adult responsibilities. Well, that’s my theory at least. Regardless of this being the main reason or not, it’s still clear there is a market out to exploit our cravings for nostalgia. Hundreds of video game remasters of who’s original releases was anything up to 30 years ago. Throwback homages to ’90s YA horror in the form of novels are still being written and published today. Then of course, films such as Goosebumps (2015), Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween (2018) and Scary Stories to Tell in The Dark (2019) have relatively recently been released.
Scary Stories review
To some extent, the documentary Scary Stories (2019) feels like it’s riding the “relevancy bandwagon.” It makes sense to create a documentary about the books that inspired the film released that same year. Also, financially speaking, it seems like a no-brainer. Yet much was left to be desired in it’s execution.
The biggest issue was that promising topics were barely explored. The documentary touches on the folkloric origins of the stories and why they were so frightening for kids. Yet I wished they had delved deeper into these themes! I did enjoy the segments about the lasting artistic impact of the books, especially the commentary on how alarmist parents tried to ban them. Unfortunately, the rest of the documentary felt like filler. There was a lot of superficial reminiscing from adults who grew up in the ’80s and ’90s, fondly recalling the Scary Stories books, that added no value.
That said, while Scary Stories doesn’t fully succeed as a documentary, it’s not a total loss in terms of entertainment. The animations accompanying some of the commentary are beautifully true to Stephen Gammell’s distinctive illustration style. In addition, the eerie synthwave soundtrack by E.K. Wimmer adds to the nostalgic yet unsettling atmosphere (definitely worth a listen on Spotify). The soundtrack solidifies the nostalgic, yet dark atmosphere. R. L. Stine also gives his two cents on Alvin Schwartz and artist Stephen Gammell, which was also appreciated!
In the end, Scary Stories doesn’t deliver the in-depth exploration that retro horror fans might have hoped for. Those expecting to learn a lot about the history of the books would achieve more with a few quick Google searches. Still, I wouldn’t say it was a complete waste of time—there are interesting moments and aspects of the documentary worth watching, even if they might not be enough for some viewers.
