Stitch Head: is it suitable for your child?

Story

High above the dreary town of Grubbers Nubbin looms the legendary Castle Grotteskew. The castle is rumoured to contain fearsome monsters, which eat people who venture too close to its gates.

Inside the castle live the mad Professor (voice of Rob Brydon) and Stitch Head (voice of Asa Butterfield), created and stitched together from scraps by the Professor. The Professor has gone on to create more flamboyant and flashy monsters, leaving Stitch Head all but forgotten.

Trying to regain the Professor’s attention and approval, Stitch Head assumes the role of caretaker. He helps the Professor, repairs the castle, looks after the other monsters, and keeps them safe from the townspeople, believed by the monsters to be an angry mob ready to attack and kill them. When the Professor creates Creature (voice of Joel Fry), Stitch Head begins to see that no matter how much he does, the Professor will never see him for who he is.

When Fulbert Freakfinder (voice of Seth Usdenov) and his travelling circus come to town, Freakfinder sees Stitch Head as his own personal link to the ‘big time’ and convinces Stitch Head that the people will adore him. Desperate to find love and a sense of belonging, Stitch Head becomes the main act of the circus. With the help of Arabella (voice of Tia Bannon), a curious young girl from town, and his loyal friend Creature, Stitch Head learns that fame is not all it seems to be.

Themes

Extortion; capitalist exploitation; dehumanisation; parental neglect; greed; prejudice and fear

Violence

Stitch Head has some violence. For example:

A woman foretells the deaths of villagers, declaring they’ll soon die of heart disease, kidney failure, stroke and drowning. One character is told that their eyes will melt down to their bowels.
Two characters punch, push and attack each other. One of them falls onto broken glass.
Creature flings a character around by his feet and bursts through brick walls as he flees in panic.
The monsters watch a film of the townspeople storming the castle, burning it to the ground and killing everyone who lives inside.
A centipede attacks Creature.
Stitch Head’s arm is nearly ripped off when he’s pulled in different directions.
Creature falls down a mountain and smashes into a tree.
A dog bites Creature.
Stitch Head is encouraged to terrify people and make them scream.
Stitch Head is called the Ghoul of Grotteskew and told to say that he’s a killer because he scares himself to pieces.
Freakfinder shoves a woman aside.
Arabella, Stitch Head and Creature are ejected from a runaway caravan when it speeds off a cliff and plunges into the ocean.
Stitch Head’s stitches begin to come undone.
Freakfinder allows Stitch Head’s arm to be nearly torn off when he’s chained to a cage and fire engulfs the tent.
Freakfinder kidnaps Arabella and blames it on the monsters. He incites the townspeople to attack the castle.
The townsfolk blast through the door and chase monsters through the castle with pitch forks and weapons.
The monsters watch a film about the townsfolk attacking them in reverse and then they chase the townsfolk through the castle.
Arabella attacks her attackers and escapes.
Stitch Head’s arm is ripped off as he tries to save the Professor.
Freakfinder abducts the Professor but is then eaten by the Professor’s latest creation – a large crocodile creature with a gaping mouth and giant jagged teeth. Freakfinder is vomited out and then eaten again.

Sexual references

Stitch Head has some sexual references. For example:

A character asks whether there are mummy monsters and daddy monsters. The character says, ‘And do they …?’, and whispers the rest of the question to another character.
A character tries to persuade others to do what he wants by suggesting that if they do, they’ll find love and get girlfriends.

Alcohol, drugs and other substances

Stitch Head shows some use of substances. For example, characters drink champagne.

Nudity and sexual activity

Stitch Head has some nudity and sexual activity. For example:

Freakfinder’s pants fall down around his ankles as he tries to pull Stitch Head into a hot air balloon. His underwear is exposed.
Random women from the town throw bras and underpants at Stitch Head.

Product placement

There’s no product placement in Stitch Head.

Coarse language

Stitch Head has some coarse language, name-calling and insults, including ‘stupid’, ‘moron’, ‘moaning ninnies’, ‘losers’ and ‘freak’.

Ideas to discuss with your children

Based on the popular children’s graphic novels by Guy Bass, Stitch Head is an animated movie that draws elements from classics like Frankenstein. Featuring a few musical numbers, a slightly gothic element and a fairly predictable plot, it’s best suited to audiences aged over 7 years.

These are the main messages from Stitch Head:

True love and a sense of self-worth through fame. You find these things in friendships, families and the people who see you for who you are and love you no matter what.
Real self-worth comes from accepting yourself and embracing your unique qualities and characteristics, rather than trying to force yourself into a mould that isn’t right for you.

Values in Stitch Head that you could reinforce with your children include friendship, love, courage, empathy, compassion and perseverance.

Stitch Head could also give you the chance to talk with your children about real-life issues like:

recognising the difference between conditional and unconditional love
scapegoating and mistrusting people who are different, instead of trying to get to know them
using people for personal gain and manipulating them
taking someone for granted and prioritising projects or perfection over people.