TCM Slumberground | Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995)

In this edition of TCM Slumberground, our panel discusses the coming of age, independent film Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995) written and directed by Todd Solondz. Join us as we rehash the awkward years of middle school. We’ll argue why this film deserves to be part of the TCM Underground library and why it couldn’t be made today. This movie is also for those Heather Matarazzo fans out there.

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[ali-jean]

"It all sucks and then you just gotta keep going" summed it up perfectly.

[titanictx]

I can not tell you how *WONDERFUL* it is to see people discussing the film who actually "get it"! Love you guys!

[micerr]

Really appreciate the time and attention given to this film. Slumberground feels so decadent to me to be able to have the time and space to talk about cult pictures.

[samph]

Love this discussion. All four of the panelists have a standing invitation to my special people’s club.
Spoiler: it’s wild when you think about how the last scene when she’s on the way to Disney World the “happiest place on Earth” Dawn is still not happy. It’s heartbreaking.

[ApprehensiveWitch]

For some weird reason I watched this when I was super young. I think the box picture at blockbuster looked like it was a normal comedy or something so my Mom rented it. I think it traumatized me LOL

[erichelferich]

Good luck Toyaih. I would like to thank you guys for giving me films to watch to forget about the pandemic for a few hours every week or when ever your not off. Truly thank you from the bottom of my heart.

[lonihoots_author]

I remember watching this film in the late 90s and being obsessed with it.

[DendyJungle]

Napoleon dynamite is almost the child friendly version of this movie. It would have terrified me too much as a kid

[MrSpt]

Thanks for making this review of this very important, often forgotten film. I actually believe todays tragic school shootings are often the long and short term result of abuse suffered by kids in middle/ grade school. This film speaks to the fact that we need to dismantle our broken school system. In Europe they teach children about bullying at a young age, they have constant group/ classroom talks about bullying throughout their school years. It becomes ingrained in European students to prevent other student’s from bullying kids (not to mention to report the bullying to the principal, etc). In Finland students don’t receive letter grades until high school. It’s a very effective way to preserve kids self-esteem. I think the United States needs to stop warehousing children under the guise calling it the public school system. We need to get kids more involved in the community learning productive things that help the community function (skills they could use later). These kids should be divided into smaller groups that are constantly rotated, so no group of kids together long enough to become clicky. This type of system would be far better then our current system that encourages a big popularity contest! I also believe they should offer children the opportunity to homeschool on the Internet (especially middle school kids)! If you honestly reflect back on your childhood, what did you really use in life that you learned from middle school? Very little if anything at all!

[JasonMercerUK]

“Do you wanna see my fingers?”
Greatest line ever in a movie 🤣🤣🤣

[michellerosebrown]

This movie was fun to watch. My kind of cinema. Love TCM Underground.

[fournierman]

I am going to be meeting Heather Matarazzo tomorrow. I am looking forward to it. :-)

[insaneone]

Love this movie! Watched it when it premiered on IFC back in the 90's. Way ahead of it's time.

[Ian-kyhf]

Poor Missy 🥲 she doesn’t deserve the hate Dawn gives her. Missy should not be punished for shit she cannot control!

[YacovFreedman]

Here's to Toyiah! Welcome to Le Dollhouse!

[starwoodanime]

Am I the only one who is disturbed by how Dawn treats Missy? :/

[thejdhull]

what a great movie. thanks tcm. loved hated every min of it. keep up the great content.

[RullVox]

Dollhouse is my favorite dark, dark comedy.

[illmsg]

I love this movie so fucking much that's the only way I can describe how much I enjoy this film. Nothing like it before or since, in my useless opinion.

[e_rik.mp]

talking about how they wouldnt make this movie today as if EIGHTH GRADE doesnt exist