Fluffy - The making of a Christian cult classic, Part 1
It's no secret to those who love me, I like bad movies. Love them. Some of the titles in my personal collection include Robot Monster in 3D, Plan 9 from Outer Space, and Queen of Outer Space with Zsa Zsa Gabor. Fluffy, Or The Cute and Fuzzy Creature from Outer Space With the Big Blue Eyes and a Button Nose That'll Eat Your Face Off and Pick Its Teeth With Your Toes, owes a lot to these movies and more. The title in particular was inspired by some of the all time great bad movie titles like Cash Flagg's The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies and Ben Affleck's obscure college film I Murdered My Lesbian Wife, Hung Her On A Meat Hook, and Now I Have a Three Picture Deal at Disney.
But there's another side to the genesis of Fluffy. It came out of reading Michael J Anderson's Monsters from the Id. Anderson's book chronicles the origins of the horror genre which, he proposes, came as a subconscious response to sexual liberation. While humankind freed itself externally from morals and God's laws, especially as it relates to sex, internally we knew we were still doing wrong. Horror stories and horror films feature people who are living freely – and suffering the consequences, or judgment, doled out by a driven, faceless monster who does not kill as indiscriminately as it appears. Jamie Kennedy's assertion that people who have sex in a horror movie die is not without merit.
The key verse in Anderson 's discussion was James 1:15. After reading the book, I wrote a script that drew out this theme, bringing it more to the surface for a modern audience. I pitched it to a film maker who chose to develop the story further. Sadly, my original themes and ideas were dropped in favor of the typical Christian film convention of demons and spiritual warfare.
I wrote Fluffy for two reasons: One, I wanted to go back to my original story theme, and two, I wanted something I could shoot myself. Thus, the core of the story is not the hero, Trish Angel ( who was intended to be a female version to the immortal Snake Plisskin), but Dex, the astronaut with the cheatin' heart.
Dex and Trish were part of a space expedition, sent to explore the eco-system that had suddenly appeared thanks to an asteroid collision on Mars. Even before leaving Earth, Dex was stalking and hitting on Trish, even though he had a wife and daughter! Then, on Mars, Dex finds a cute and fuzzy little critter whom he names Trish the Fluffy. He brings it to Trish, hoping to woo her and convince her to help him smuggle the squeaky little furball back to Earth. Trish is a by the book soldier who orders Dex to put the fluffy back. But Dex then goes after another fellow astronaut, Audrey, who agrees to help him.
Upon returning to Earth, Dex takes Fluffy into his house, where his wife Amanda assumes the care and feeding of Fluffy. But Fluffy isn't satisfied with treats and bottles. Fluffy proves to be carnivorous, and it isn't long before Amanda demands Fluffy leave the house. Dex takes Fluffy to Audrey, who agrees to care for it.
The move proves too late for Amanda. Fluffy was out of the house, but not before leaving behind a flock of babies, who devour her. Dex tells Trish what he has done, and they arrive too late to save Amanda. They lock the house, with the Fluffys inside, and head to Audrey's to kill the first critter, but once again, it is too late to save Audrey.
With the original Fluffy destroyed, it seems Dex is going to get out of this with his skin. But before they can return to kill the babies, Dex's daughter arrives home from camp, opens the front door, and unleashes the Fluffys onto the world.
As with all horror films, the Fluffy brings judgment on those who choose to live in sin. Dex's secret desire to fool around brings ruin on his wife, daughter, colleague, even the community. Amazing what opening the door to sin, even just a crack, will do.
There's more to share about Fluffy. But before I get into that, click play below and check out the movie for yourself. It's about 15 minutes long, so make sure you have the time - and your boss is out to lunch or something.
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