Before 'It', Andy Muschietti Made Another Horror Gem That Will Make You Sleep With Lights On

Today, Andy Muschietti is firmly associated with the cinematic hit It – his duology grossed over a billion dollars worldwide and revived Stephen King's legacy.

Several years before he became one of the most sought-after directors in the genre, Muschietti created Mama, a movie that made viewers around the world shudder at every sound.

This happened thanks to a short film that Guillermo del Toro happened to see.

What Is 'Mama' About?

Financially ruined, Jeffrey shoots his colleagues and his wife in a fit of madness. Then, he takes his two young daughters and disappears into the wilderness. He finds an unremarkable, abandoned cabin where he believes he can hide.

However, the cabin is already haunted by something ancient and terrifying that kills Jeffrey and becomes "mother" to the orphaned girls for five long years.

Years later, the girls are found and placed in the care of their only relatives, Jeffrey's brother Lucas and his wife Annabel.

'Mama' Grew From a Short Film Into a Full-Fledged Horror Movie Thanks to Guillermo del Toro

In 2008, Andy Muschietti released the short film Mama, consisting of a single three-minute scene. In it, two girls flee a nightmarish creature haunting their home, leaving viewers barely able to catch their breath.

The clip caught the eye of Guillermo del Toro, who was delighted. The scene was so terrifying that it looked like it had been ripped from a feature-length film. When del Toro learned that such a movie didn't exist, he immediately offered Muschietti the chance to direct it.

With a budget of $15 million, Muschietti and his sister, Barbara, along with co-writer Neil Cross, wrote the screenplay, expanding the story to an hour and a half.

The concentrated energy of chilling horror compressed into three minutes couldn't retain the same intensity when spread across a full-length film. Nevertheless, Mama performed spectacularly at the box office, grossing over $146 million.

Released in 2013, 'Mama' Was Ahead of Its Time

In the late 2000s, when the horror genre was experiencing an obvious crisis, Mama was a true gift. It's a thoughtful horror film that stands out from the endless stream of standard stories thanks to its imaginative rendering.

Yes, the script is occasionally awkward. Muschietti, making his feature film debut, is so engrossed in his central monster that he pays slightly less attention to the human characters.

However, the atmosphere makes up for it. Ultimately, Mama is less a story about a maniac ghost and more a dark tale about how the supernatural intrudes into a world the viewer recognizes with alarming ease.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Mama'?

• Mama has 63% from critics and 55% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the movie has a score of 6.2/10.

• On Letterboxd, Mama scored 2.8/5.0.

Where to Watch 'Mama'?

Mama is available to buy or rent on Amazon Prime Video.