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Moviecut—Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

source: Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

Unbelievably creepy. Is this movie on DVD or video anywhere? I haven't been able to get it out of my mind since seeing it in the 70's. Totally 70's gritty cool horror film. We'll probably never see horror made like this again. Especially when dopey heiresses are playing leads in current horror films. Movies, especially horror, have sucked since the early eighties. The film brings you back to a time when people didn't need spit shined, glossy Hollywood film style to be scared. Budgets were limited, so this movie makes do with lighting, shadows, eerie music, and mood. So again, shut out the lights, curl up under a warm blanket, and try not to be afraid of the dark.

I also saw this movie as a kid and was haunted by it for a long while. I still remember being scared of the little creatures. There was another somewhat similar TV movie called Trilogy of Terror (just found the titles of both of these movies on the web out of curiosity) with Karen Black where she was haunted by a little voodoo like creature with a spear that also really got me good. As far as the effect a scary movie had on me at the time I saw it, this was by far the scariest movie I have seen in my life. I don't know if it would have much an effect on me now or not but it certainly did then. I'm guessing it is not available on DVD or video.

This is a classic horror that will stay with you for years. A young couple moves into a house where the previous owner, the woman's father, mysteriously disappeared years before. As it turns out, the young couple aren't the only ones living in the house, there are scary demons living in the basement. This movie is great! You just scream sequel. The ending will stick with you, it's a shocker. This is an amazing movie for a made-for-tv movie. Grab this one, it's that good!

I saw this when I was 8 years old, and whenever someone asks me what the scariest movie I've ever seen is, I tell them about this one, but nobody seems to know what I'm talking about! I'm so glad to see that I'm not the only one who saw it and was creeped out! Another movie from those days that had the same effect was "Trilogy of Terror," when Karen Black gets a Zuni * doll in the mail and it comes to life and chases her around her apartment---both these movies had a profound effect on how I looked at staircases and other places where little creepy things could be hiding. I'm looking forward to the remake.

I'll always remember when the first advertisement for this movie was shown. It was on the old ABC Wednesday Movie of the Week (1973) and came right after the flick for that week ended with the announcer saying "Next on the ABC Wednesday movie of the Week". A clip of William Demarest telling Kim Darby "Some things are better off left alone" then a few other quick clips concluding with the announcer saying "Don't be Afraid of the Dark" as a lit Flashlight in pitch blackness is snatched up by something which the viewer is given only an eyeblink glimpse of. WOW! It was definitely worth the week long wait. This was hands down the scariest Things that go bump in the night made for TV movie ever! Throughout the years it's amazing how many people I've met have seen and remember this movie. Sometimes all it takes is to say "Did you ever see the movie with the guy who played Uncle Charlie from My Three Sons" and they'll immediately say "DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK."!