by Martin Unsworth
35-year-old Otto Baxter has Down syndrome and has had a few documentaries made about him, and has appeared on TV numerous times over his life. The Directors and close friends Peter Beard and Bruce Fletcher plan to help Otto make a fantasised version of his life growing up as a short film.
Not a Fucking Horror Story is an emotional rollercoaster of a documentary. Otto has had a storied life already but has a passion for film and a wicked sense of humour. Beard and Fletcher don’t sugar-coat how things are; Otto can have some issues with his behaviour, particularly with boundaries when it comes to young women. As the film progresses – it started shooting well before the pandemic, and there are several real-life issues that could derail things along the way – we learn more about Otto and get to see how he copes with coming to terms with what has happened in his life and putting it onto film in the form of a 30-minute horror-musical.
The accompanying short is the film in question. The Puppet Asylum is a surreal autobiography, with Otto’s life transported to Victorian England with Paul Kaye (the actor-comedian who created Dennis Pennis) in the role of a sadistic doctor and villain of the piece. Otto deliberately depicts himself as a monster and is portrayed in his teenage years by Ruben Reuter. It’s a well-made film, with some genuinely disturbing moments (and songs!)
The takeaway from the documentary and the short is that no matter what life has thrown at you, it’s sometimes possible to live your dreams and don’t underestimate someone’s ability.
Otto Baxter: Not a Fucking Horror Story + The Puppet Asylum screened at Pigeon Shrine FrightFest on August 28th and is in selected cinemas in September, and will be on Sky Documentaries and NOW from September 23rd.
