He Was Once (1989)
This bizarre parody of the animated religious children’s show Davey and Goliath uses actors but looks like Claymation because of the stop motion, distorted voices, giant prosthetic ears and hair and sets that make Pee-Wee’s Playhouse look realistic. Davey’s father whips him with a belt for saying that he saw a bear, though he really did see a bear, while his sister looks on in glee. His dog Goliath, actually a leopard-skin footrest with a grotesque tail, tries to help but gets whipped too. Oedipal dream sequences and Davey’s revenge are also highlights in this unforgettable and darkly hilarious suburban nightmare.
Director: Mary Hestand
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Todd Adams as Davey |
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Salvador Barone as Dad |
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Susan Norman as Sally |
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Emma Strahs as Mom |
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Melissa Gardner as Shirley |
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Todd Haynes as Randy |
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Julia Haltigan as The Bear |
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Cyril Autun as Goliath (voice) |
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Rob LaBelle as Dad (voice) |
| Directing | Mary Hestand | Director |
| Production | Todd Haynes | Production Manager |
| Directing | Camila Motta | Script Supervisor |
| Camera | Ellen Kuras | Assistant Camera |
| Directing | Barry Ellsworth | Assistant Director |
| Art | Daniel Ouellette | Art Direction |
| Costume & Make-Up | Jim Crawford | Makeup Designer |
| Sound | Alan Tubbs | Original Music Composer |
| Production | Barry Ellsworth | Producer |
| Costume & Make-Up | Mark Gibson | Prosthetic Designer |
| Costume & Make-Up | Ellen V. McCartney | Costume Design |
| Production | Martha Camarillo | Unit Manager |
| Editing | Barry Ellsworth | Editor |
| Production | Christine Vachon | Production Supervisor |
| Production | Todd Haynes | Producer |
| Art | David Nelson | Production Design |
| Production | Christine Vachon | Producer |
| Camera | Martha Camarillo | Still Photographer |
| Writing | Mary Hestand | Writer |
| Camera | Stephen Kazmierski | Director of Photography |
