Primal Screen (2017)

Runtime: 27 min

Release Date: June 8, 2017

Directed by: Rodney Ascher

Review by: Stacey-Beth

Now I won't lie, I wasn't particularly interested in seeing this documentary mostly because I really disliked his previous project, The Nightmare, and only half remember enjoying Room 237 (because conspiracy theories, duh)- which is probably why I didn't rush to see Primal Screen when it was released on Shudder.

My biggest complaint is that I felt a bit mislead by the summary of the docu on Shudder which read:

"Why are we simultaneously attracted to and repelled by the things that scare us the most? In this special presentation, acclaimed filmmaker Rodney Ascher (ROOM 237, THE NIGHTMARE) explores the pop culture that left dark impressions on us as children. Starting from the immortal ventriloquist dummy of MAGIC, Ascher asks real people to look back at pop-culture artifacts that traumatized them in their youth and describe the effect they had on their lives. A singular hybrid of documentary and horror, stare into the Primal Screen."

I went in under the impression that I was going to be treated to a half hour of various subjects that tapped into our fears growing up and into adulthood.  What I got instead was the main and only focus being about ventriloquists/dummies/dolls/mannequins while the voiceovers of a few real life folks talking about their fears of the inanimate objects played over scenes shot in Ascher's unique style.

Now, I'm only speaking from my initial disappointment because after watching I read a bit more and think they're actually planning to make this into a Shudder-exclusive series, which would make much more sense and honestly probably be pretty enjoyable, but I'm not sure exactly what the plan is for Primal Screen.

Also, even though 27-28 minutes doesn't seem like it would be a daunting time frame, I found myself more often than not drifting in and out of social media land on my phone while the doc played out.  And that's not to say the subject matter itself was boring (fuck dummies and dolls of all kinds), but I felt like it became pretty repetitive once we got the gist that the trailer for 1978's MAGIC forged a lifelong fear of the lifelike buggers for a couple of dudes.  Which leads me back to hoping they are able to turn this into a series because otherwise, I'm going to have to chalk this one up to another unsatisfying project for me from the director.

If anyone has seen this, leave me a comment and let me know what y'all thought of it!

.5/5

Streaming on Shudder now!

Check out the trailer below: