Don't Be Afraid of the Dark Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark Blu-ray Movie Review

No, the good one.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III October 21, 2019

One of ABC's standout Movies of the Week from 1973, John Newland's Don't Be Afraid of the Dark remains an effective little slice of small-screen horror. Kim Darby stars as housewife Sally Farnum, who gets plenty of alone time thanks to husband Alex (Jim Hutton) and his busy schedule. Sally's stubborn enthusiasm is a good match for their new house, a Victorian mansion bequeathed by Grandma and in need of some careful restoration work. Upon discovering a sealed fireplace within the walls of a locked room, Sally's first instinct is to put break out a hammer and chisel...which long-time handyman Mr. Harris (William Demarest) strongly advises against. He sealed it up himself decades ago for as-yet- unspecified reasons, but eerie whispering voices clue us in long before Sally: it's better off staying that way.

Naturally, she doesn't listen...but there wouldn't be much of a movie if she did, right? Soon after unbolting one of the fireplace vents, Sally notices everything we've been seeing when her back is turned: strange green lights in the corner of darkened rooms, those whispering voices, and even a few more dangerous side effects. But it's not until we see the evil creatures that Don't Be Afraid of the Dark finally earns its stripes: this is chock full of grade-A nightmare fuel that likely made unsuspecting single-digit viewers collectively soil their flared slacks. These gruesome, red-lit little demons are still plenty unsettling, even after decades of more polished creature effects have graced the genre. Scarier still is that, predictably, no one believes poor Sally until long after it's too late...and while the stakes are never raised to extend outside their humble home, that just makes everything inside its walls seem more creepily effective.

Likewise, its brisk 74-minute format prevents Don't Be Afraid of the Dark from digging in deeper, but that's OK. This minor but memorable production still holds up fairly well, especially for those willing to grant it a courtesy nostalgia bump. It's also likely the main reason why this film earned two prior DVD editions, released only two years apart and both by Warner Archive Collection. The same studio is naturally responsible for this brand-new Blu-ray, which serves up an outstanding 4K-sourced transfer and two audio commentaries. Unlike the house, it's a real keeper.

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark has joined the ever-increasing number of Warner Archive titles sourced from a 4K scan of the original camera negative, while also maintaining its correct 1.33:1 aspect ratio. Though not a visually strong production by design, the increased level of detail and nuance achieved by Warner Archive's restoration benefits the film in unexpected but meaningful ways. Underlit mansion interiors are often bathed in heavy shadow and low in contrast; previous home video and broadcast versions were tough to follow, especially an early scene where Sally and her interior decorator explore the fireplace room. The excellent black levels and lack of compression artifacts on WAC's Blu-ray wring as much detail out of the picture as possible, while the improved color saturation also breathes new life into the film's era-specific palette and illogical (but cool) light choices. Skin tones look very accurate, as does Sally's avocado-green stove -- I still have one just like it. Film grain is light but very much visible, which also gives the film a much more cinematic appearance than earlier versions. Overall, die-hard fans will be pleased as punch.

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Similarly, the DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio does what it can with limited source material while preserving its one-channel roots. Dialogue and sounds effects are mixed almost perfectly, while Billy Goldenberg's creepy original score sounds better than ever. Not very much depth is achieved, thanks to format limitations and the mostly tight interior scenes, but whispering voices and echos often lend themselves to slight directionality that stands in good contrast with the otherwise narrow soundstage. No pops, hiss, drop-outs, or sync issues were detected along the way.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included; unlike most WAC Blu-rays, these are formatted perfectly rather than ALL CAPS. At this point, I think there are two teams responsible for the job but only one knows what they're doing.

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release arrives in a standard keepcase with ultra-dark cover artwork -- that close-up image of Sally's face is barely visible without a flashlight. As usual, no slipcover or inserts are included and, in keeping with recent WAC releases, the menu interface no longer matches the cover. In addition to one vintage audio commentary ported over from the second Warner Archive DVD edition (released in 2011), we also get a brand-new one to boot.

• Audio Commentary #1 - This 2011 track includes Steve "Uncle Creepy" Barton (Dread Central), Screenwriter Jeffrey Reddick (Final Destination, Day of the Dead), and Sean Abley (Fangoria). It's an informal and chatty track that keeps things surface-level, whether shouting out other 1970s horror landmarks like Black Christmas or sharing insight about the film's two-week production time. But there's no shortage of digs at the dated fashion and furniture, so it's meant for more casual fans than those who really enjoy it. Luckily, there's...

• Audio Commentary #2 - This brand-new commentary is a solo session with Amanda Reyes of Made for TV Mayhem. It's very rushed and stiff at first but Reyes does a good job settling in to this track, delivering a deeper and more informative appreciation that's clearly aimed at die-hard fans. Reyes shares plenty of historical facts and figures, many in regards to the mansion where it was shot, as well as lots of details about the cast and crew. She also draws several comparisons to Charlotte Perkins Gilman's 1892 short story The Yellow Wallpaper, as well as other made-for-TV movies of the era. Overall, it's a nice contrast to the first commentary.

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark is an iconic made-for-TV movie that still packs quite a punch thanks to solid performances, a terrific original score, and plenty of decent scares that lead up to one gut-punch of an ending. While new viewers may not be as deeply affected by its spell, those old enough to catch this one on TV back in the day are likely still cursed with 46 years' worth of festering nightmare fuel. Those unfortunate souls are undoubtedly the target market for this welcome Halloween release from Warner Archive, which combines a top-tier A/V restoration with two full-length audio commentaries. Highly recommended to seasoned vets, though newcomers may want to proceed with caution.