Childhood TV Fears Fuel New Horror Flick

Director Nicolas Curcio's latest horror feature, "Play House," mines inspiration from the unsettling children's television of the 1990s. The film centers on Elliot, who finds a collection of disturbing videotapes in his new fixer-upper. These tapes feature a frightening children's show hosted by Mr. Morton and a group of visibly scared puppets.

As Elliot enlists his ex-girlfriend and best friend to investigate the show's origins, the situation quickly escalates into darkness. Curcio and co-writer Kirby Gladstein prioritized the characters' relationships, a decision that faced initial resistance but ultimately defined the film's unique approach to horror.

The microbudget film was completed in under a year after Curcio won the inaugural Fantastic Pitches competition, a collaboration between Fantastic Fest and indie studio Chroma. This program provided $100,000 for production and guaranteed a premiere at the following year's festival.

Curcio, who has a background in screenwriting with projects like "Goat" and an erotic thriller script for Paramount Primal, found the production process intense but rewarding. He and Gladstein, who married shortly after wrapping the film, navigated both movie production and wedding preparations simultaneously.

Executive producers Adam Hendricks and Greg Gilreath of Divide/Conquer offered guidance on the project. Ahbra Perry, director of Fantastic Fest Pitches, highlighted "Play House" as an ideal debut for the program, emphasizing Curcio's role in championing new voices in genre cinema.

Despite venturing into other genres, Curcio intends to focus on horror, a genre he connects with childhood fear and fascination. He is also serving on this year's Fantastic Fest pitches jury.