This bizarre parody of the animated religious children’s show Davey and Goliath uses actors but looks like Claymation because of the stop motion, distorted voices, giant prosthetic ears and hair and sets that make Pee-Wee’s Playhouse look realistic. Davey’s father whips him with a belt for saying that he saw a bear, though he really did see a bear, while his sister looks on in glee. His dog Goliath, actually a leopard-skin footrest with a grotesque tail, tries to help but gets whipped too. Oedipal dream sequences and Davey’s revenge are also highlights in this unforgettable and darkly hilarious suburban nightmare.
Unfortunately the movie He Was Once is not yet available on HBO Max.
| Directing | Mary Hestand | Director |
| Art | David Nelson | Production Design |
| Sound | Alan Tubbs | Original Music Composer |
| Editing | Barry Ellsworth | Editor |
| Production | Barry Ellsworth | Producer |
| Production | Todd Haynes | Producer |
| Production | Christine Vachon | Producer |
| Art | Daniel Ouellette | Art Direction |
| Costume & Make-Up | Jim Crawford | Makeup Designer |
| Costume & Make-Up | Mark Gibson | Prosthetic Designer |
| Costume & Make-Up | Ellen V. McCartney | Costume Design |
| Production | Todd Haynes | Production Manager |
| Production | Christine Vachon | Production Supervisor |
| Directing | Barry Ellsworth | Assistant Director |
| Production | Martha Camarillo | Unit Manager |
| Camera | Martha Camarillo | Still Photographer |
| Directing | Camila Motta | Script Supervisor |
| Camera | Ellen Kuras | Assistant Camera |
| Writing | Mary Hestand | Writer |
| Camera | Stephen Kazmierski | Director of Photography |
