‘Scary Stories’ Documentary Coming Soon!

In select theatres starting on April 26th, a documentary about the greatest series of horror tales for kids is coming! Scary Stories takes us through the creation, distribution, controversy, and the unending love that is synonymous with this creepy collection of folk tales from Alvin Schwartz, and beautifully illustrated by Stephen Gammell.

Arriving just in time to coincide with Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation of the trilogy, this documentary unearths the delights and fusses caused by the initial run of the books in the 1980s. Constantly checked out at my local library, I had to beg my parents to buy me the entire collection when rumors started to circulate that the local elementary and middle schools were going to ban Schwartz’s work outright.

If you can’t catch the doc’s run in theatres, it will be available via VOD on May 7th and on DVD July 16th.

Synopsis:

Scary Stories, the highly anticipated documentary about Alvin Schwartz’ iconic Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark book series, will debut in select theaters beginning April 26 via Wild Eye Releasing. Explore the history of one of the most controversial works of modern children’s literature: The best selling teen classic Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, which scared a generation of young readers and became one of the most banned books of modern times.

Scary Stories creates both the ultimate celebration and dissertation of this iconic piece of horror literature. Following the limited theatrical release – which includes Los Angeles, New Orleans, Columbus, and Texas – Scary Stories will be available on VOD May 7 with a DVD release set for July 16. Cody Meirick’s film features more than 40 interviews, from family members of author Alvin Schwartz, to fellow children’s book horror authors like R.L Stine (Goosebumps) and Q.L. Pearce, to folklorists, artists and fans discussing the impact that the books have had on both themselves as well as the culture at large.

The documentary also explores the various times in which the books were banned or targeted by parent and religious groups as ‘satanic’ or otherwise too macabre for its targeted teen scholastic audience. Penned by Schwartz and illustrated by Stephen Gammell, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is a three-volume series consisting of short horror stories for pre-teens and children that were adapted from American folklore and urban legends. Because of some of the violent illustrations and the subject matter, parent groups, religious organizations and school boards had the books pulled from libraries and schools at various times.

A feature film adaptation of the books, produced by horror icon Guillermo del Toro, is due in theaters this summer.