Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (Nightmare) (1973)

67% of critics liked it
(6 reviews)
61% of users liked it
(734 ratings)

An old housea mysterious locked room a terrifying secret. Elements that make a horror movie memorably chilling get a taut, spooky reworking in Don't Be Afraid of the Dark. Kim Darby (True Grit) and Jim Hutton (The Green Berets) star as Sally and Alex, young marrieds who inherit a crumbling mansion.… More An old housea mysterious locked room a terrifying secret. Elements that make a horror movie memorably chilling get a taut, spooky reworking in Don't Be Afraid of the Dark. Kim Darby (True Grit) and Jim Hutton (The Green Berets) star as Sally and Alex, young marrieds who inherit a crumbling mansion. Despite warnings to leave well enough alone in her new home, Sally unlocks the mysterious room, opens a bricked-up fireplace and unleashes a horde of hideous, whispering, murdering mini-demons only she can see and hear. Alex thinks she's imagining things. We know she isn't. And we know Sally should be very, very afraid of the dark!

Play Trailer

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 16 min.
Directed By: John Newland
Genres: Television, Horror

In Theaters: Oct 10, 1973 Wide
Studio: Lorimar Productions

Critic Reviews

R. L. Shaffer, IGN DVD
Certainly inspirational and occasionally haunting, with great effects, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark is also a bit overlong and padded.
John Beifuss, Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)
The husband's hostility seems to encourage disaster, and the depiction of the couple's relationship offers something of a preview of what Stanley Kubrick would do with Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall in the early part of 'The Shining.'
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...fun, often corny and silly, a little creepy, and in fits and starts suspenseful.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
If you were a child and saw it for the first time on television some four decades ago, it might have seemed pretty scary.
Ryan Cracknell, Movie Views
Sticks to the familiar but he does it in such a way that it's still extremely creepy, a little bit campy and, at times, quite a lot of fun.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
That ending would have been enough to send little ones to bed with nightmares for weeks!

Read all 6 critic reviews

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Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

Tim S

The original Don't Be Afraid of the Dark is a television film from 1973. While I'm sure the film was effective at the time, particularly to a 70's TV audience who probably didn't see too many horror movies, I didn't find it to be all that frightening. It may… More
The original Don't Be Afraid of the Dark is a television film from 1973. While I'm sure the film was effective at the time, particularly to a 70's TV audience who probably didn't see too many horror movies, I didn't find it to be all that frightening. It may be because I'm so desensitized to these kinds of movies that it just didn't work on me. Or it could be because that it's very simple in its scares. I like that there aren't any sort of jumpy moments and instead it's all about a creepy atmosphere. I also liked the ending a lot and the score was very nicely played. It is, of course, a bit dated in look and style, but none of that really matters. I tried to take step back from it and see it through younger and less-informed eyes than my own and I'd say that I could have been frightened by this as a child, but as is, I didn't find it all that terrifying or creepy.
Luke B

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… More
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.
Lafe F

The first real horror movie I saw (if you don't count Walt Disney's "Sleeping Beauty" with Malificent the Witch!) We watched this on television as kids, and I've been a fan of horror movies ever since. A woman named Sally (Kim Darby) moves into a big old… More
The first real horror movie I saw (if you don't count Walt Disney's "Sleeping Beauty" with Malificent the Witch!) We watched this on television as kids, and I've been a fan of horror movies ever since. A woman named Sally (Kim Darby) moves into a big old spooky house with her husband. The fireplace in the basement has a metal plate on it, which she decides to open up - and little goblin creatures come out and torment her. It's freaky stuff. They are hiding at different places throughout the house. There's great optical effects as men in slimey suits are scaled down to appear dwarf-sized. The ending haunted me for years. Spooky!
John M

Don´t be afraid of watching this very underrated spooky and atmospheric horror gem which have some genuinely good scares. Technically is very good, photography, music and production. The special effects are actually very impressive. The creatures themselves are convincing.… More
Don´t be afraid of watching this very underrated spooky and atmospheric horror gem which have some genuinely good scares. Technically is very good, photography, music and production. The special effects are actually very impressive. The creatures themselves are convincing. ¨Guillermo del Toro¨ is producing and writing the remake.
Anthony V

Quite scary.