Living with Chucky

Kyra Elise Gardner's 2022 documentary looks at the Child's Play films from an unusual position. Gardner is the daughter of Tony Gardner, who ran the puppetry and effects work on the series, which means she grew up alongside Chucky. From that personal starting point the film reaches the other families who worked on the franchise and describes the bond that formed around a production running more than thirty years. Brad Dourif, Jennifer Tilly, Alex Vincent and series creator Don Mancini speak, along with people who grew up watching the films. Documentaries about horror franchises usually satisfy curiosity about the set; what separates this one is that its subject is a film set genuinely becoming a family business. Who it's for: followers of the Chucky films and anyone curious about practical effects craft. Who it's not for: viewers wanting an outside, critical assessment; the film approaches with affection.