The 1980s were a little overdone already, however, the 1990s are back with a vengeance in the horror department contributing such masterpieces as I Saw the TV Glow and, of course, Mr. Crocket. This adaptation of Brandon Espy’s 2022 short film for Hulu’s Bite Size Halloween series is Espy’s very first feature. However, what it shows is the director’s search for an idea, and with a completely predictable script, good only for its gore effects and puppets.
Taking from the movie is set in Shurry Bottom Pennsylvania in 1994 and is a story of Summer, a young mother who is widowed and facing Major’s (Ayden Gavin) temper tetras as he deals with the loss. It is a classic pant outcome after an angry scene with a magical mailbox appearing and giving them a VHS of a television show called Mr. Crocket’s World. Before long, the show’s title character (Elvis Nolasco) emerges from the Television and takes Major, this drags Summer into dealing with her personal trauma and fighting through this insanity to save her son from the torment that was Crocket’s purgatory.
This is a scarce use of horror movie clichés as Espy’s movie struggles to find an ending to establish a cohesive flow. On the plus side, it allows the story to pad out the runtime to its full ten minutes without extending a three-minute concept beyond its natural breathing point; on the negative side, the result just looks ugly. Surprisingly, The Banana Splits Movie and Willy’s Wonderland seem more creative in comparison. Actually, a better magic mailbox story can be seen in The Lake House movie.
Where Mr. Crocket excels is in the area of puppet and practical gore. One shot which is devoted to the opening scene clearly refers to A Nightmare on Elm Street 5 and an explicit brutal scene; another strange scene is connected to the guns that shoot bubbles instead of bullets. These effects have been invested and we have the twisted devil-like puppets as Crocket’s lackeys—a thing not explored in the original short.
These puppets don’t look like high-end productions, which brings to mind the question of why children are not more scared by them, like in the 90s’ Nickelodeon productions. It’s the kind of weird we associate with ’90s animation, reminiscent of The Ren & Stimpy Show and Courage the Cowardly Dog. Though, the surrealist aspects resemble I Saw the TV Glow, the latter of which has a much loftier purpose than does Mr. Crocket.
Even the character Crocket himself – blending characteristics from the beloved children’s television shows hosts Fred Rogers and LeVar Burton from Reading Rainbow – is a possible admirably vicious character. However, Espy fails to deify him into the Freddy Krueger sort of antagonist he wishes to make. The character’s mysterious nature suffers during an over-stylized animated origin story montage that provides the audience with awkward narration. In this case, less would have been far more preferable on the side of qualifications for the intended roles.
Action in Mr. Crocket is adequate, Hinton especially successfully demonstrates the feeling of a mother who wanted the best for her child but led him astray. However, the actual depth of her character is lacking in the screenplay; her mourning for her husband, for instance, is portrayed most cursorily in the wake of the funeral scene.
Such cuts are detrimental to the film, turning what could have been a round examination of parenting issues into a side note in horror lore. Had Espy learned to be campy, as a punk creature declares, ‘Do it, pussy!’ there may have been humor to be had. Sadly, he occasionally gets it right, but more often does not, narrowly missing the mark in ‘fun’ while completely missing the tone he takes regarding the parenting part of the story.
When will Mr. Crocket be released?
Mr. Crocket is scheduled to be released on October 11, 2024, exclusively on Hulu. This highly anticipated horror film, one of the upcoming horror movies, aims to captivate audiences with its unique premise and striking visuals.
What actors make up the cast of Mr. Crocket?
The cast of Mr. Crocket includes:
Jerrika Hinton as Summer
Ayden Gavin as Major
Elvis Nolasco as Mr. Crocket
