The Movie:

Directed by the late John Newland, 1973's made for TV film Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark holds up pretty well more than thirty-five years since it was made. Sure, the fashions and hairstyles all betray the era in which it first aired on TV screens across the country, but that's half the fun of films like this. More importantly, the film actually tells a fun, creepy and cool little story within its seventy-five minute running time.

As the movie opens we hear strange and decidedly inhuman voices emitting from a creepy old house, the same house that meek Sally Farnham (Kim Darby, best known for playing opposite John Wayne in True Grit) and her money hungry businessman husband, Alex (Jim Hutton) have just inherited from Sally's deceased grandmother. After moving in, Sally hires and interior decorator who tells her that her grandmother won't be remembered for her good taste and who then proceeds to give the house a much needed makeover - but of course, there's a 'room' in the basement with a bricked in fireplace that the local handyman insists should not be reopened.

Sally, figuring this is her house and she'll do what she wants with it, decides that she wants a room with a fireplace in it and so she sets about opening it, but that night she's awoken from her sleep when an ashtray goes flying off the night stand. At first Sally thinks she's seeing mice but Alex kindly reminds her that the house was just fumigated, ruling out that option. When she starts seeing strange little goblin-like critters however, she starts freaking out. Alex, ever the sensitive type, figure's this is just some whacko-tactic that she's using to try and get him to pay more attention to her and spend less time at the office, tells her she needs to see a doctor. The goblins, however, are not just some figment of poor Sally's imagination, they're very, very real and it turns out that old handyman was right...

Very briskly paced, Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark might be a little derivative but it sure does make for good entertainment. Kim Darby and her bizarre rats nest of a hair style make for the perfect naïve housewife type and she plays her increasingly confused Sally very effectively. You buy her in the role and you buy her interaction with her husband as well, giving their relationship just enough tension for it to work. While the characters don't really develop much, their story is who with enough style and neat colored lighting effects that you won't mind so much.

The goblins themselves are also worth mentioning. In a day and age where, if this film were to be remade, they'd most certainly be CGI creations it's fun to go back to a time where creature effects were guys in suits - and that's just what we have here. The goblins (one of whom is played by Felix Silla of The Brood and Planet Of The Apes) rummage around the house quickly and skulk in and out of shadows, hide behind plants, and even have some fun with Sally's clothes before the movie is over with. None of it is particularly terrifying but it's entertaining enough particularly when Newland decides some of these scenes should be lit like outtakes from Argento's Suspiria. They speak in hushed, whispering voices and are prone to muttering 'set us free' over and over again - it adds to the film's already bizarre atmosphere quite nicely.

The whole thing builds to a conclusion that you won't see coming. Just when you think that the movie's going to take the easy way out it comes at you with a great twist which is likely a big part of the reason that the picture's maintained its cult following over the years. While it may not be a particularly heavy film, it's creepy, fun, and plenty entertaining.

The Video:

Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark is presented in its original 1.33.1 fullframe aspect ratio in a slightly soft looking transfer. The darker scenes are a bit murky but color reproduction isn't half bad, which is important when the film starts using all those primary colored gels in the last half hour. Skin tones look okay and generally the picture is pretty watchable. Detail won't blow you away and that image can be fairly soft in spots but at least the disc is authored well enough in that there aren't any compression artifacts or edge enhancement distractions or issues to note.

The Audio:

The no frills English language Dolby Digital Mono soundtrack is a bit on the muffled side when the film starts (those monster voices are a bit tough to make out) but this more or less smooths itself out by the five minute mark. The levels are fairly consistent and there aren't any problems with distortion even if there is some occasional minor hiss. Regardless, this is still an older, low budget production that hasn't been given a full restoration so don't expect crystal clear clarity - you won't find it here, but the track is serviceable enough.

The Extras:

Aside from a very basic menu and chapter selection (spaced at ten minute intervals) this release is completely barebones.

Overall:

While Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark may not be a deep film nor will it win any awards for originality, it's a fun seventies horror picture with some memorable moments, great camerawork and a genuinely surprising finale. The Warner Archives DVD-R release won't exactly endear itself to videophiles but it presents the movie in a watchable enough transfer, though the high MSRP makes it hard to recommend it for those who don't already know they want the film in their collection. Recommended for established fans, a solid rental for everyone else.

Ian lives in NYC with his wife where he writes for DVD Talk, runs Rock! Shock! Pop!. He likes NYC a lot, even if it is expensive and loud.