Made for TV Movie: Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

Welcome back for Day 3 of Made for TV Movie and thought we would go right into a darker story. A young couple inherited an old two story Victorian mansion. It seems a bit out of sorts but pleasant all the way around. But what lurks in it? This is Don't Be Afraid of the Dark.

Give us the soul of Carrot Top and we will leave!!!

Directed by John Newland (Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond, Dr. Kildare, Peyton Place, Police Woman, Wonder Woman and The Suicide's Wife) and written by Nigel McKeand (The Movie Game, The Waltons, Family, For the Love of Nancy, Under One Roof and Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (2010) brings us a story of a couple Sally (Kim Darby of True Grit, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, Better of Dead..., Teen Wolf, Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers, Dark Realm and Cold Ones) a mousy and slightly neurotic housewife and her business oriented husband Alex (Jim Hutton of Major Dundee, The Hallelujah Trail, The Green Berets, Hellfighters, The Name of the Game, The Deadly Hunt and Ellery Queen) inherit this old mansion from Sally's grandmother. After they moved in, Sally discovers an old bricked-up fireplace in the basement den. Sally asked the estate handyman Mr. Harris (William Demarest of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, The Lady Eve, Sullivan's Travels, My Three Sons, The Wild McCullochs and Ellery Queen) about it. He tells Sally's grandmother had him seal it up after her grandfather died and that it is best to leave it the way as it was intended.

What could go wrong in this ominously lit room?

After Harris leaves for the day he left his tools behind and Sally decides to remove the bricks herself. Not strong enough to budge the bricks she manages to pry open the small side door that removes the ashes from the fireplace. Deep inside of the fireplace was actually a sub-basement and Sally starts hearing unearthly voices calling Sally's name and pleading for her to set them free.

Ignoring what is clearly a figment of her imagination, Sally sets about her household tasks convinced she is just hearing things until that night, something grabs her by her very downy dress, demanding to be freed. She scoffs at it like it might have been just an animal in the house. Finally she conveys these nightmares to her husband who is extremely skeptical and feels she has been tending the house by herself too long and maybe it is time to invite folks over to the hell infested house for a party. Of course this is none of Sally's friends as Alex is up for a promotion and partnership at the firm. During the party Sally notices a small goblin like critter around by the dinner table and no one else sees it. Alex getting pissed with Sally is convinced she is off her rocker and may have to do something about it.

Off for a business meeting (*COUGH* Mistress) Alex cannot care for Sally so he asks if she can stay with her friend Joan (Barbara Anderson of Ironside, The Six Million Dollar Man, SST: Death Flight, Simon & Simon and The Return of Ironside)

Is Sally cursed? Will the creatures continue to haunt her? Is her husband an ass?

A few fun facts now. Nigel McKeand stated the creatures were a bit too lumbering for his take. In his script they were quick, thin and looked more demonic. The role of Alex Fanham was originally supposed to be played by George Hamilton but I guess he had to work on his tan instead.

This flick has eerie elements, monsters that are never truly seen in the light and the makings of woman gone mad from fright. Without the added need of gore splatter, it gives more of a fright than a gross-out.

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