Hey guys! Horrorella here...
When I first heard about a documentary that explores the wacky world of competitive tickling, I thought "Sure. I'm in." It sounded like entertaining, weird, light-hearted fun.
And then I watched the trailer.
What started out as a quirky story from directors David Farrier and Dylan Reeve seems to have turned darker than anyone could have imagined. Instead of a fluff piece about a goofy subculture, they found themselves chasing a closely-guarded, shadowy organization who will go to any lengths to keep themselves out of the spotlight. Over tickling.
Check out the trailer below - it must be seen to be believed.
So based on that, I'm all in, and can't wait to dive down this utterly bizarre rabbit hole. TICKLED opens on June 17th.
One of the most talked-about films at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, TICKLED begins with reporter David Farrier stumbling upon a bizarre “competitive endurance tickling” video online, wherein young men are paid to be tied up and tickled, and reaching out to request a story from the company. But the reply he receives is shocking—the sender mocks Farrier's sexual orientation and threatens extreme legal action should he dig any deeper. So, like any good journalist confronted by a bully, he does just the opposite: he travels to the hidden tickling facilities in Los Angeles and uncovers a vast empire, known for harassing and harming the lives of those who protest their involvement in these films. The more he investigates, the stranger it gets, discovering secret identities and criminal activity.
Discovering the truth becomes Farrier’s obsession, despite increasingly sinister threats and warnings. With humor and determination, Farrier and co-director Dylan Reeve summon up every resource available to get to the bottom of this tickling wormhole.
