Mr Crocket

Mr. Crocket is a vivid and unsettling entry in the pantheon of nostalgic horror, blending the innocence of childhood programs with the grotesque overtones of a supernatural slasher. Drawing on his 2022 short film created for Hulu's Bite Size Halloween series, Brandon Espy delivers a feature-length exploration of the horrors lurking behind the comforting glow of VHS tapes and public access television. Co-written with Carl Reid, the film offers an unsettling journey into the past, transforming the familiar aesthetic of shows like Mister Rogers' Neighborhood into a nightmarish realm of death, deception and surreal terror.

The plot follows Summer, played by Jerrika Hinton, a grief-stricken single mother after the recent death of her husband. Her son, Major, played by Ayden Gavin, is fixated on an old VHS tape featuring the eponymous Mr. Crocket, a children's entertainer played with chilling charm by Elvis Nolasco. However, it soon becomes clear that Mr. Crocket is no ordinary host. He's a vengeful spirit who kidnaps children and punishes their evil parents in increasingly macabre and violent ways. Brandon Espy creates an immersive, spine-chilling atmosphere, where the whimsical aesthetics of Pee-Wee's Playhouse or Barney & Friends are transformed into twisted scenes of punishment and retribution, with deadly consequences.

Elvis Nolasco's performance as Mr. Crocket is one of the film's greatest strengths. Elvis Nolasco deftly oscillates between the comforting attitude of a beloved children's entertainer and the sinister predator behind it. His performance resembles a demented cross between Freddy Krueger and LeVar Burton - a seemingly friendly face who uses his TV show as a portal to exact horrible revenge on neglectful or abusive parents. His charm is disconcertingly counterbalanced by his violent actions, making him a profound and unpredictable villain. One minute he's singing an innocent tune, the next he's tearing open a parent's stomach with disturbing glee. It's a character who will leave audiences both captivated and repulsed.

The film's aesthetic draws heavily on the analog horror genre, a fitting tribute to the 1990s VHS era so many of us grew up with. Brandon Espy's direction draws on the contrast between the bright, inviting world of children's TV and the dark, bloody underbelly that lurks just behind the screen. The use of practical effects, from the grotesque puppets that accompany the children to the visceral gore, heightens the tension and keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat. One of the most striking sequences sees a living, talking armchair - a nod to 1980s children's TV - transformed into a deadly torture device with jagged teeth. This sequence perfectly sums up the tone of the film: a seemingly innocent, nostalgic image is transformed into something nightmarish.

Mr. Crocket truly excels in its ability to subvert audience expectations, playing with the concept of childhood security and comfort. The film taps into a primal fear that the things we trust to entertain and protect our children may have darker intentions. Brandon Espy and Carl Reid's screenplay effectively explores this theme, using Mr. Crocket's self-righteous crusade as a reflection of parental guilt and the fear of disappointing one's child. While the film touches on these deeper issues, such as Summer's struggle with grief and single parenthood, it doesn't always manage to fully flesh out these emotional undercurrents. Jerrika Hinton delivers a solid performance as a mother overwhelmed by loss and fear, but the script often relies too heavily on exposition, which slows the film's pace in the intervening acts.

What Mr. Crocket lacks in narrative subtlety, it more than makes up for with inventive visuals and an unwavering commitment to horror. The film's opening scene, in which Mr. Crocket horribly punishes an abusive stepfather, sets the tone from the outset: this is a film that won't hesitate to show the consequences of its supernatural villain's wrath. Brandon Espy's love of practical effects shines throughout, with each murder more creative and grotesque than the last. The film's climax, set in Mr. Crocket's hellish TV world, is a dizzying descent into chaos, with monstrous puppets, sinister sets and a nightmarish reimagining of children's programs that will linger in viewers' memories long after the credits roll.

Although Mr. Crocket suffers from some of the typical pitfalls of a short film turned feature, such as occasional pacing problems and underdeveloped character arcs, it remains an entertaining and visually arresting horror film. Brandon Espy's ability to blend nostalgia and terror is impressive, and his talent for practical effects and memorable sets make him a director to watch in the genre. For fans of analog horror, scary kids' shows and uncompromising gore, Mr. Crocket is a wickedly fun Halloween treat.

Mr. Crocket is a film tailor-made for adults who grew up with VHS tapes and public television, and it revels in turning those comforting memories into horror fodder. While it doesn't reinvent the genre, it does offer a fresh take on the killer TV host, and features a villain both terrifying and memorable. Elvis Nolasco's portrayal of Mr. Crocket will undoubtedly join the ranks of horror's most sinister icons, and Brandon Espy proves he has a knack for fusing nostalgia and nightmare.

Mr Crocket
Directed by Brandon Espy
Produced by David Brooks, Arbi Pedrossian, Jenna Cavelle, Carl Reid
Written by Brandon Espy, Carl Reid
Starring Kristolyn Lloyd, Alex Akpobome, Akim Black, Jermaine Rivers, Riley Vinson, Lyla Randall, Jabari Striblin, Vivien Huang, Mia Nassivera, Marcia Myers, Gina Jarrin, Matthew LB McCollum, Jayne Sowers, Melanie Christine, Leon-Soon, Judah Feldman, Alex Morf, Josh Drennen, Michael Jansen, Adam Mucci, Donna Glaesener, Blair Wilson, Ayden Gavin, Jerrika Hinton, Elvis Nolasco, Ben Durocher
Music by Alex Winkler
Cinematography : Powell Robinson
Edited by Alex Familian
Production companies : Hulu Originals, WorthenBrooks
Distributed by Disney+ (France), Hulu (United States)
Release date : October 11, 2024 (France, United States)
Running time : 88 minutes

Viewed on October 8, 2024 (Fantastic Fest press screener)

Mulder's Mark: