THE BOOGEYMAN

US, 2023, 98 minutes, Colour.

Sophie Thatcher, Chris Messisna, Vivien Lyra Blair, David Dastmalchian, Marin Ireland.

Directed by Rob Savage.

The press notes say that Stephen King approved this version of his 1973 short story. For half a century, Stephen King has been, one might say, King of horror writers. And, there has been an extraordinary number of films and miniseries based on his stories. This one is, perhaps, one of the slightest stories and films.

One of the problems these days is the use of the word “horror” to describe a film. Once upon a time, horror was more in the line of terror and scares. In more recent times, it seems to be an invitation to indulge in blood and gore. Which is a pity because there have been a number of films lately which emphasise the terror rather than the gore but all promoted under that title of “horror”.

For the most part, this is definitely a terror film – but, with its title and audiences wondering about the shadowy figure, the sinister drawings of the boogeyman, will they see this ominous character distinctly. Answer, yes the film does show the boogeyman but not as in any human form rather than one of those sinister, monstrous creatures that have tended to come from outer space!

The initial focus is on a therapist, Chris Messina, very sympathetic in his sessions, grieving but sometimes unable to face the recent death in an accident of his loving wife. He has two daughters, Sadie in her teens (Sophie Thatcher), Sawyer much younger (Vivien Lyra Blair). Sadie is mocked at school by a group of “mean girls” friends. Sawyer tends to nightmares, having a large light in her room at night. So far, so expected.

Then a strange man intrudes into the house asking the therapist for a session, revealing the mysterious deaths of his children, tense, wanting to shut all the doors, the therapist phoning the police – and the man then killing himself upstairs.

All kinds of speculation about the boogeyman, Sadie starting to take initiatives, going with a close school friend to visit the widow of the dead man, still living in the ruins of their house, 100 candles or more burning in the upstairs corridor – in fact, both houses tend to be dark, staircases, basements, ready for sinister happenings. Sadie, needless to say, is disturbed.

On the family level, the daughters are trying to persuade their father to face the sadness of their mother’s death. On the psychology level, they go to consult a psychologist friend.

More and more things go bump in the night, the boogeyman seeming to have taken up wanting residence with the therapist and his family.

There are some scares, there is an atmosphere of darkness eliciting terror (though the Blood and Gore Brigade will consider the whole proceedings very tame indeed) – but, ultimately, a huge confrontation with the monstrous creature, first of all in the candlelit corridors of the mysterious house, then at home, the basement, confronting the beast, fire.

For the terror audience, rather than the horror audience.

1. The title and expectations? Traditional stories about the boogeyman?
2. Stephen King story, the focus on terror, ultimately the creature? A terror film rather than a blood and gore horror film?
3. The American town, the house and its darkness, bedrooms, therapy office, kitchen, basement? The school sequences? The mysterious house, darkness, candlelit corridor? The musical score?
4. The situation, Will Harper, therapist, sympathetic, his sessions? The death of his wife, the accident, his avoiding facing up to it? Sadie, her grief, wearing her mother’s dress, acceptance of the death? Sawyer, small, sad at the death of her mother? The home life, the bonding of the family, the daughters wanting their father to face up to his grief? Sadie at school, her friend, the mean girls, mocking her? The visit to the house, the possibility of some kind of friendship, the drugs, Sadie being sick, the girls laughing at her?
5. Lester Billings, intruding into the house, wanting the session, the revelation about the deaths of his children, his suspicions, closing the doors, going upstairs, killing himself? Sadie, her curiosity, listening to the tape of his session, finding his address, going with her friend to the house, the search, the candles in the corridor, darkness, the sudden encounter with Billings wife, the confrontation, the explanations, her escape?
6. The family visiting the therapist, advice? Sawyer and her fears, the bumps in the house on the night? Sawyer and her reliance on Sadie?
7. The eerie happenings, the effect on each of them, the father upset, Sadie and her determination, Sawyer and her fears? Sadie’s decision to return to the house, the wife, the wife tying up Sadie, the arrival of the boogeyman, it is sinister creature appearance, the fights and confrontations, Sadie’s escape, the house burning? The return home, the creature in the house, the family in the basement, defending themselves against attack, the fire, the escape, the house burning?
8. And the destruction of the boogeyman? Or not?