Don't Be Afraid of the Dark [Special Edition]

Director: John Newland John Newland

Overview

Ranking with Dan Curtis' Trilogy of Terror as one of the spookiest made-for-TV horror films of the 1970's, this atmospheric monster chiller stars Kim Darby and Jim Hutton as a comfortable, reasonably happy young couple who inherit the archetypal "Old Dark House" from the wife Sally's deceased aunt. While renovating the creepy mansion, they enter a previously-sealed room, which features a securely bricked-up fireplace. Despite the insistence of a local contractor (My Three Sons' William Demarest) that they leave the room undisturbed, Sally's husband manages to open the flue, releasing a horde of shriveled mini-monsters imprisoned there for decades. The little demons immediately fixate their malevolent attention on Sally in an effort to claim her soul, a mission which can only be averted by the love of her husband -- which, in light of his self-centered careerism, means poor Sally's pretty much on her own. Director John Newland manages to pull off this one-note premise with some effective, frightening scenes -- especially when he chooses to show as little of the goofy-looking monsters as possible -- but it's hard to sustain this level of suspense for a full 90 minutes.

Product Details

Release Date:	08/23/2011
UPC:	0883316290521
Original Release:	1973
Rating:	NR
Source:	Warner Archives
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono]
Language:	English
Time:	1:14:00
Sales rank:	23,706

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Kim Darby	Sally Hurst
Jim Hutton	Alex Farnham
Barbara Anderson	Joan Kahn
William Demarest	Harris
Pedro Armendariz Jr.	Francisco Perez
Lesley Woods	Ethyl
Robert Cleaves	Doctor
Sterling Swanson	Policeman,Bartender,Bartender
J.H. Lawrence	George Kahn
William Sylvester	Tom Henderson
Don Mallon	Bob
Celia Kaye	Anne
Elizabeth St. Clare	Party Guest
Monica Henreid	Party Guest
Robert Priest	Party Guest
Felix Silla	Creature
Patty Maloney	Creature
Pedro Armendariz, Jr.	Francisco Perez
Tamara De Treaux	Creature
Ethel St. Clair	Party Guest
Billy Goldenberg	Composer

Technical Credits

Nigel McKeand

Hoyt Bowers	Casting
Allen S. Epstein	Producer
John Newland	Director
Lee Rich	Executive Producer
Nigel McKeand	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

This vintage t.v. chiller remains a potent little fright-fest. The enduring potency of Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark comes from a few important things. The first is Nigel McKiand's script: he keeps the storyline simple and direct, building it around nicely-drawn characterizations and steadily ratcheting up the tension throughout the story. The second is the impressive level of commitment to the material in its performances. Kim Darby and Jim Hutton create a believable portrait of a newlywed relationship that is still trying to find its footing and their convincing rapport helps ground the story, even when it is pushing into Twilight Zone/Night Gallery-type territory. The third and most important element is John Newland's tense, skillful direction. Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark is the kind of story that could have come off as silly if directed in the wrong style but Newland makes all the right choices: he plays the story totally straight and creates a genuinely grim and spooky atmosphere from the film's opening frames. The latter element of his work is aided tremendously by an eerie musical score from Billy Goldenberg and Andrew Jackson's shadowy cinematography. In short, Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark is one of the most memorable made-for-t.v. horror films and well worth a look to genre fans.