‘Behind the Monsters’ Recap: ‘Chucky’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Three of ‘Behind the Monsters’.
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The creepy doll subgenre of horror is one that quickly became stale. Largely because, it was a one trick pony, one that reminded us of a fear that we overcame long ago once our brains came to realize that our imagination was running wild over whether the doll in the corner would come to life in the middle of the night. Plus, these stories offered little depth for the audience since they were devoid of the commentary that permeates the genre, and they were painfully predictable in nature. But back in 1988, all of that changed. For writer Don Mancini opted to put together a revolutionary creepy doll movie. One that was original and fresh and would become a true icon of the genre, and for proof… just ponder upon the fact that we are still talking and fawning over Chucky decades after Child’s Play hit theaters.
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In fact, Chucky is such a big deal and so beloved by audiences everywhere, that the Shudder series Behind the Monsters opted to make ‘Chucky’ the focus of the next episode of this dynamic documentary. In order to properly understand how this character has managed to resonate with audiences for so long and one key reason to Chucky’s success, is that his early stories, really did properly bring the creepy doll movie into the modern era. Since Chucky had a hell of a backstory, one that really added depth and purpose to the creepy doll that the spirit of Charles Lee Ray inhabited and as an added bonus, there was finally commentary to be found in a creepy doll story. Since Child’s Play leaned hard into the horrors of consumerism and its dangers, giving the audience plenty to chew upon once the story came to a close. 

But the wonder of Chucky’s legacy doesn’t end there. Because another big reason that he was able to endure the test of time… was a direct result of the franchise’s ability to adapt and evolve. Because this is a franchise that did indeed run the risk of going the route of repetition. But rather than continue to do the same ol’, same ol’, the decision was made to just… go for it and try new things storytelling wise and see if it resonated with the audience and it most certainly did. Because the camp and wild nature of Bride of Chucky really did serve as a breath of fresh air, and it genuinely allowed for the character to grow in a bold new direction. One that was so original that audiences loved every single second of it and that led to three more sequels… one of which, truly cemented his status as a horror icon.

Because Seed of Chucky not only offered up a family dynamic for Chucky to deal with since he and Tiffany had a puppet child in that particular tale… but it was also an incredibly progressive horror film. Since their child, Glen, also adopted a different gender as Glenda. A move that put a transgender character front and center in a horror film, in a light that was vastly different than how transgender individuals had been portrayed in the past in this genre and well… that immediately made this franchise, open to all. And in 2004 that was a huge deal and representation and diversity, became an outright staple of the franchise going forward. To the point where even the series that is currently airing, features an LGBTQ+ lead and this particular storytelling decision really did allow for Chucky to become beloved by even more fans out there. 

But what is also fascinating about Chucky, is the sheer fact that fans simply adore him. Largely because he is a different kind of villain, one that has wild things to say that oddly make sense and he is a monster that really does offer up some supremely cool one liners and kills and all of these elements… have made him a true treasure of the horror genre and well, Chucky is showing no signs of slowing down. For as it was pointed out in this episode, we are now at a point where he is being introduced to a new generation of fans, and they in turn will carry his legacy and keep his films alive and that likely means… more sequels will arrive down the line and we will continue to flock to them, for as long as Don Mancini continues to write them. Until next time.   

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