Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (1973)

Best movie ever!

As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

Excellent characters with emotional depth. My wife, daughter and granddaughter all enjoyed it...and me, too! Very good movie! You won't be disappointed.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Saw this when it aired in 1973. I think 8 year old me had been watching the Patridge Family when this came on as the movie if the week. No one in my family ever remembered watching it and when I described the plot line to others years later no one seemed to remember the movie. My family moved into a new home about 3 months after it aired. There was a closet with built in cabinets I refused to go into them years because of the movie. Mom hid all my Christmas presents there because she knew I wouldn't open those drawers. So glad to learn I'm not the only 50 year old who still remembers being traumatized as a kid. I only saw it that one time. Just watched a clip of the "leg" scene in YouTube and now have no plans to ever watch the movie again.

Although unavailable for decades, DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK has to be one of the best remembered US TV movie horrors of the 1970s, up there with the likes of DARK NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW. Nowadays an insipid remake hasn't put off the scores of fans who were traumatised by this film's scares when they first saw it as kids back in the day.The story is a simple 'haunted house' horror yarn about a married couple who move into a new abode. The wife becomes quietly obsessed with the blocked-up fireplace and grate in the basement, and sets about opening them up despite warnings not to meddle. Soon she finds herself assailed by miniature critters with designs on her very soul.I'd never seen this before so had no idea what to expect, but I was impressed with this TV movie's atmosphere, which is more oppressive and horrific than many a big-bucks Hollywood production of the era. In many ways it's an old fashioned production in which the scares are more subtle than in something like THE AMITYVILLE HORROR with its in-your-face fright sequences.The acting is fairly middling, with the exception of Kim Darby who puts her all into the role of the frightened housewife. The direction and cinematography are fine. The only problem lies with the creatures themselves, one of whom is played by Felix Silla (of BUCK ROGERS IN THE 25TH CENTURY fame). We see far too much of them as the film progresses, and the fact they talk in drawling US accents means that they're not frightening in the least. They should have spoken inarticulately, in hisses or grunts, and they should have been kept in the shadows until the final reveal. Less would have definitely been more in this case.

I seen the remake before only one time. I did not like at all, i found very meh and very boring and I didn't like the final out come at all.This wasn't not great but was a lot better then remake, It did have some cool scenes in this movie, the attack scenes could have been a lot better.I loved the way those things looked in this movie a lot more creepy there the ones in the remake.I really shocked how the movie ended as I didn't think that would have ended at all, Nice for change wen't movies don't end to predicable.The acting was really good in this movie6 out of 10

Made for TV movie from the 70's about to get a glossy makeover. For a TV movie, this is wonderful stuff. They keep the number of characters low, use just a handful of settings, and concentrate on developing a twisted little atmosphere. It was complete in 2 weeks, but you could never tell. The little creatures are eerie and original without being comical. Things are whispered, things are moved, people are attacked, but it carries it off by keeping most things low key. The use of simple panning shots and quiet editing, makes it a film that builds tension with ease. If you are open to less obvious horror, with a love of practical effects, you should find a lot in this mini-treat.