Puppetry, campy horror and the scenic Butte County landscape — that’s the cinematic recipe for the new film “The Fuzzies.”
Described by audiences as "The Muppets Meets Evil Dead,” the film is a sort of love letter to fans of ‘70s and ‘80s horror.
The creative minds behind the feature-length movie are director Josh Funk and co-writer Dustin Vaught. They started the project as a short-film collaboration in 2021 that went on to win numerous accolades, including Director’s Choice at the Chicago Horror Film Festival and Best Horror Film at the Austrian International Film Festival.
“We found that we had a very kindred spirit for weird and unusual storytelling, and that's what led us to create the short that this feature is based on,” Vaught said.
The film tells the story of a group of friends who reunite at the estate of their childhood friend, who was once a famous children's television host. Upon arrival, they uncover a horrifying truth that her puppets are alive.
Both creators embrace the humor of puppets in horror. They drew inspiration from films like Sam Raimi's "Evil Dead" and Czech surrealist animator Jan Švankmajer's "Alice," which feature a blend of stop-motion and live-action elements.
“No matter how serious we were about it, because there are puppets in it, it's going to be funny,” Funk said. “So we really leaned into that.”
To produce the film, a specialized set was constructed, incorporating concealed doors and windows that allowed access for puppeteers and camera positioning.
“Creating this world was kind of difficult,” Funk said. “There was a lot of problem-solving involved in it.”
Funk is a stop-motion animation instructor at Chico State. More than 40 Chico State students collaborated with him throughout the project.
“I would tell them my ideas, they would do different storyboards or different character designs, and later do some visual effects work in animation with me,” Funk said.
Vaught, who also stars in the film, described the film as a challenging yet rewarding experience, particularly in creating scenes that blend stop-motion with live-action over extended shooting periods.
“Being aware of your body and being aware of microexpressions and all of those things, it's a real challenge, but it's a challenge in a way that I love and made me grow so much as a performer,” Vaught said.
A significant aspect of the film is its meticulous attention to its period setting in the 1980s..
“I was looking at things like horror films from the ‘80s and ‘70s, but also things like children's television shows like ‘Pee-wee's Playhouse’ and ‘Romper Room,’” Funk said.
The film was shot in Butte County, mainly in Chico and Cohasset, with some locations unfortunately lost to last year’s Park Fire after filming.
Both Funk and Vaught hope more people will follow suit and create films in the area, noting that most of the cast and crew were also local.
“There are stories to be told in Butte County, made in Butte County, and I think that we're seeing that there is an appetite for that, and I hope that we will see more of the incredibly talented filmmakers in this region continue this great work of making films for all of us,” Vaught said.
For those who’ve been thinking about creating a film — their advice is “just do it.”
“Don't let where you live or what you have access to be a limitation, but think of what you have as a strength and how you can tell your own original story with it,” Funk said.
They emphasize starting small, and using easy-to-access tools like smartphones and free editing software, while building a network of like-minded creatives.
“The Fuzzies” is screening at the Pageant Theatre in Chico next week. It’s a three-night run and sold out in just four days.
The filmmakers say they’re exploring distribution options and have submitted the films to various festivals, with plans for streaming availability in 2026.
