View source for Deadtime Stories (film)

{{about|the film||Deadtime Stories (disambiguation)}}

{{Infobox film
| name           = Deadtime Stories
| image          = Deadtime Stories FilmPoster.jpeg
| alt            = 
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| native_name    = 
| director       = Jeffrey Delman
| producer       = William Paul
| writer         = Jeffrey Delman<br>J. Edward Kiernan<br>Charles F. Shelton
| screenplay     = 
| story          = Jeffrey Delman
| based_on       = 
| narrator       = 
| starring       = {{plainlist|
* [[Scott Valentine (actor)|Scott Valentine]]
* [[Melissa Leo]]
* Catherine De Prume
* Anne Redfern
* Nicole Picard
* [[Matt Mitler]]
* Kathy Flegg
* Phyllis Craig
}}
| music          = Larry Juris
| cinematography = Daniel B. Canton
| editing        = William Szarka
| studio         = Scary Stuff Productions<ref name=afi>{{cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/57598-DEADTIME-STORIES?sid=9a9de2fb-f7d4-407e-a517-02acfbf81b59&sr=9.125856&cp=1&pos=0|work=[[American Film Institute]] Catalog|title=Deadtime Stories (1986)|accessdate=February 24, 2019}}</ref>
| distributor    = {{plainlist|
* Palisades Ent.<ref name=Mojo>{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=deadtimestories.htm|work=[[Box Office Mojo]]|title=Deadtime Stories (1986)|accessdate=February 24, 2019}}</ref>
* Cinema Group<ref name=afi/>
* Bedford Entertainment<ref name=afi/>
}}
| released       = {{Film date|1986|11|26|ref1=<ref name=afi/>}}
| runtime        = 83 minutes
| country        = United States
| language       = English
| budget         = 
| gross          = $2.7 million<ref name=Mojo/>
}}

'''''Deadtime Stories''''' (also known internationally as '''''Freaky Fairy-Tales''''' and '''''The Griebels from Deadtime Stories''''') is a 1986 American [[horror comedy]] [[anthology film]] co-written and directed by Jeffery Delman in his [[directorial debut]]. In the film, a babysitting uncle tells his nephew three stories. The first story involves a slave used by two witches, who are attempting to resurrect their sister. The second story is based on "[[Little Red Riding Hood]]", where a teenage girl mistakenly picks up a werewolf's medicine for her grandmother. The third story, based on "[[Goldilocks]]", tells about three escaped mental patients who share their hideaway with a murderess.

Production was filmed in [[New York City]] in 1984, originally titled as ''Freaky Fairy Tales''. After screening at the [[1986 Cannes Film Festival]], it was released on November 26, 1986, where it grossed $2.7 million at the [[box office]].

==Plot==
An impatient uncle attempts to calm his rambunctious nephew by telling him three [[Horror story|horror stories]]. The first story tells about a fisherman's son who is sold as a slave to two [[Witchcraft|witches]] that are trying to resurrect their sister. The second story is about a teenage girl who picks up the medication for her grandmother, which is mixed up with medicine intended for a [[werewolf]]. In the third story, three mental patients escape and share their [[country house]] hideaway with a murderess.

==Cast==
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
*[[Scott Valentine (actor)|Scott Valentine]] as Peter
*Nicole Picard as Rachel
*[[Matt Mitler]] as Willie
*Cathryn de Prume as Goldi Lox
*[[Melissa Leo]] as Judith "MaMa" Baer
*Kathy Fleig as Miranda
*Phyllis Craig as Hanagohl
*Michael Mesmer as Uncle Mike
*Brian DePersia as Little Brian
*Kevin Hannon as Beresford "Papa" Baer
*Timothy Rule as Wilmont "Baby" Baer
*Anne Redfern as Florinda
*Casper Roos as Vicar
*Barbara Seldon as Seductress
*Leigh Kilton as Seductress
*Lesley Sank as Reviving Magoga
*Lisa Cain as Living Magoga
*Jeffrey Delman as Strangling Man
*Michael Berlinger as Greg
*Fran Lopate as Grandma
*John Bachelder as Drugstore Clerk
*Caroline Carrigan as Nurse
*Oded Carmi as Groundskeeper / Postman
*Heather L. Baley as Girl in Store
*Thea as Dog
*Bob Trimboli as Lt. Jack B. Nimble
*Harvey Pierce as Capt. Jack B. Quick
*[[Rondell Sheridan]] as Looney Bin Guard
*Beth Felty as Reporter
*Patrick McCord as Anchor
*Michele Mars as Waitress
*Ron Bush as Bank Guard
*Bryant Tausek as Man At Car
*Suzanna Vaucher as Weather Girl
*Leif Wennestrom as Dead Body
*Jim Nocell as Dead Body
*Evan L. Delman as Police Sergeant
{{div col end}}

==Production==
Principal photography was shot as ''Freaky Fairy Tales'' in New York City in 1984, and finished post-production in 1985.<ref name=afi/> The title was initially changed to ''Deadtime'', but was settled as ''Deadtime Stories''.<ref name=afi/>

==Release==
''Deadtime Stories'' was screened at the 1986 Cannes Film Festival. After being acquired, the film was released on November 26, 1986, in the [[Southeastern United States]], and premiered in [[Los Angeles]] on February 20, 1987.<ref name=afi/> It earned $708,112 on its opening weekend in 255 theaters, and grossed $2.7 million during its theatrical course.<ref name=Mojo/>

===Home video===
It was originally released on [[VHS]] in 1987 by Continental Video and Magnum Entertainment in the United States, and by Entertainment in Video in the United Kingdom where it was titled as ''Freaky Fairy-Tales''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://vhscollector.com/movie/deadtime-stories|title=Deadtime Stories|website=VHSCollector|accessdate=February 24, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://vhscollector.com/movie/deadtime-stories-0|title=Deadtime Stories|website=VHSCollector|accessdate=February 24, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://vhscollector.com/movie/freaky-fairy-tales|title=Freaky Fairy-Tales|website=VHSCollector|accessdate=February 24, 2019}}</ref> Mill Creek Entertainment released the film on [[DVD]] on September 13, 2015 as part of their ‘Chilling Classics: 50 Movie Pack’, but was discontinued after it was mistaken to be in the public domain.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dvdempire.com/745673/chilling-classics-50-movie-pack-movie.html|title=Chilling Classics: 50 Movie Pack|date=13 September 2005 |publisher=[[DVDEmpire.com]]|accessdate=February 24, 2019}}</ref> The film was released again on DVD by [[Image Entertainment]] under license from Cinevision International, which ran 12 minutes shorter.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dvdempire.com/1327301/deadtime-stories-movie.html|title=Deadtime Stories|publisher=[[DVDEmpire.com]]|accessdate=February 24, 2019}}</ref> [[Scream Factory]], a substinary of [[Shout! Factory]], released ''Deadtime Stories'' on [[Blu-ray]] and DVD as a combo pack on February 28, 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.shoutfactory.com/product/deadtime-stories?product_id=4941|title=Deadtime Stories|publisher=[[Scream Factory]]|accessdate=February 24, 2019}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb title|id=0092850|title=Deadtime Stories}}
*{{Rotten Tomatoes|dead_time_stories}}

{{Goldilocks and the Three Bears}}
{{Little Red Riding Hood}}

[[Category:1986 comedy horror films]]
[[Category:1986 fantasy films]]
[[Category:1986 independent films]]
[[Category:1980s monster movies]]
[[Category:1980s supernatural horror films]]
[[Category:1980s parody films]]
[[Category:1980s dark fantasy films]]
[[Category:1986 films]]
[[Category:Films shot in New York City]]
[[Category:American parody films]]
[[Category:Fairy tale parody films]]
[[Category:American comedy horror films]]
[[Category:American horror anthology films]]
[[Category:American independent films]]
[[Category:American supernatural horror films]]
[[Category:American dark fantasy films]]
[[Category:Supernatural fantasy films]]
[[Category:Supernatural comedy films]]
[[Category:Films about witchcraft]]
[[Category:Films based on Little Red Riding Hood]]
[[Category:Films based on multiple works]]
[[Category:Films based on short fiction]]
[[Category:Films based on Goldilocks and the Three Bears]]
[[Category:American werewolf films]]
[[Category:1986 comedy films]]
[[Category:1986 English-language films]]
[[Category:1986 American films]]
[[Category:English-language comedy horror films]]
[[Category:Films about slavery]]
[[Category:Films about resurrection]]
[[Category:Films about sisters]]
[[Category:Films set in country houses]]
[[Category:1986 science fiction films]]
[[Category:English-language science fiction horror films]]
[[Category:English-language independent films]]
[[Category:English-language fantasy films]]

{{Wikipedia attribution|original_title=Deadtime Stories (film)|access_date=2026-03-02}}