Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark

Being told not to do something always makes me want to rebel against it & do the opposite though this time it seems a little reverse psychology in a film title has shot me in the foot with Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark.  The re-imagining of a 70′s TV movie with the writing & producer stamp of Guillermo Del Toro, presents another creepy fairy tale wrapped in a haunted house of sorts.  Poor little Sally is shipped off by her Mother to live with her architect father Alex, played by Guy Pearce,  & step mom Kim (Katie Holmes) who are putting the finishing touches to a decadent dwelling.  They must have left fumigation off list of home improvements during the renovation as there’s something more malevolent than bed bugs & baby raccoons causing a nuisance.  Sally’s isolation & deportation from her LA life leads her to explore the grounds of her new home & stumble upon a concealed lower level.  If  the back of a wardrobe can transport you to Narnia it seems only right that an ash trap in the basement can act as an entry for less cuddly critters who whisper through air vents persuading small girls to release them & make friends in the shadows.  Lack of WiFi & TV soon gets the better of Sally’s curiosity as she goes Dora the Explorer with flash light & wrench.  Perceived as twisted imaginary friends & elaborate delusions by the busy grownups around her, the Gremlins du jour have something more meaty on the menu than the handful of raisins Sally offers washed down with a saucer of milk (teeth).  Whilst trying to win Sally’s approval as her new yummy mummy Kim uncovers the truth & history of the mansion.  The makeover on the original story works well with a couple of key scenes that will ruin taking a soak in the tub & getting under bed covers.  I’d wholeheartedly recommend tracking down the original before seeing the new feature & then go further & ask the theatre to turn up the sound on the new version.  Check out the morph below I made to show the monsters from 1974 compared to 2011.

This weekend was Fan Expo /Rue Morgue Festival of Fear – National Horror Expo where we picked up a few goodies from Alliance Films to pass on to you, enter the contest below to win some swag consisting of a Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark T-shirt & camera + lots more!