Horror Fans: Is DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK (1973) on DVD? (1 Viewer)

[RoyM]

Well, that's less than good news. As great as WB's film division is at getting out high quality titles, their TV-on-DVD division is inept to an inversally proportional degree.

In other words, we can probably look forward to finally seeing DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK on DVD in some kind of 100th Anniversary Special Edition (right around the year 2074 or so).

 

[RoyM]

Bradley, here is some news that you might find VERY pleasing...

According to DVD Times:

"Universal Studios Home Video have announced the Region 1 DVD release of Frankenstein: The True Story for 26th September 2006 priced at $19.98 SRP. Released alongside the Frankenstein 75th Anniversary Edition is this 1973 TV movie starring James Mason, Leonard Whiting and Jane Seymour. At three-hours it’s touted as a more psychological telling of the Mary Shelley story which has a different kind of monster...

Presented in 1.33:1 Full Frame with English DD2.0 Mono and subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing, extras (if any) are TBC."

Source: http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=62205

 

[Bradley Newton]

Roy,

Holy Crap! You've just officially made my day. Thank you so very much for the info! I cannot believe it's being released. I want this, Shock Treatment (October), Let's Scare Jessica to Death, and eventually, someday, Lindsay Anderson's "if..." and I will be a happy, happy man.
Oh, hell, I already am a happy man, but thanks again for the terrific news about a Halloween favorite!

 

[Jake Johnson]

What about "DARK NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW"? Any news on that coming to DVD?

 

[RickER]

I bring up Frankenstein: The True Story, and then i read it is coming to DVD September. I must have the touch?

 

[GregoryMesh]

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark is now available in Japan on DVD double-featured with 1972's Gargoyles

 

[Michael Elliott]

There's also another company that owns rights into the film, which could be another reason this won't see the light of day anytime soon in this country. There was a smaller horror company that looked into buying the rights several years ago and they were told that Warner and this other company couldn't come to an agreement about a release and that was why the film was off the market for so long.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

It sitll is. I just picked up the double-feature disc with the sequel, The Night Strangler from Deep Discount for about $10.

Regards,

Joe

 

[Lou Sytsma]

Anyone remember The Norliss Tapes with Roy Thinnes? Something about a making a statue of a demon out of clay mixed with blood. That one creeped the crap out of me. 'Course when I saw it many years later it was nowhere near as scary.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

Anyone remember The Norliss Tapes with Roy Thinnes?

Yeah, I remember kinda liking it when I first saw it, but at the same time being annoyed by it. It seemed so obviously a rip-off of The Night Stalker. Fred Mustard Stewart (The Mephisto Waltz) is credited with the story and William F. Nolan (Trilogy of Terror) the screenplay, so maybe I'm not being fair to them - or maybe Curtis had Nolan tailor the material to more closely match his previous success. (People forget that The Night Stalker was the highest-rated TV movie in U.S. history up to that time, and it would hold that place for many years.)

Dan Curtis had bought Jeff Rice's unpublished novel, The Kolchak Tapes, for Richard Matheson to adapt to the screen. The conceit of a character in danger recording his account of some horrible event and then vanishing - leaving only the incomplete tapes - is taken directly from the original Jeff Rice story.

Rice's book was published as a paperback original after the success of the film. Ironically he also wrote the novelization of The Night Strangler which was based on Richard Matheson's original screenplay for the sequel to the first film. So there was an interesting game of literary ping-pong between the two.

I can't remember that last time I saw the film, and what I do recall is hazy. I'd be interested to see what I think of it now. I do know I was seriously creeped out when I did see it.

Regards,

Joe

 

[Daryl Stovall]

I'm surprised no one hasn't mentioned Crow Haven Farm and The House That Would'nt Die, which came out during the same time period. (The early to mid seventies). Good Stuff!

 

[Peter M Fitzgerald]

Looks like Anchor Bay will be releasing THE NORLISS TAPES (1973) on R1 DVD on Oct 3. Likely licensed to AB from Fox. I saw it listed on today's DVD PRICE SEARCH upcoming DVD list, and several e-tailers offer it for pre-order.

 

[RoyM]

Sweet mary! That's awesome news! With Trilogy of Terror and Frankenstein: The True Story coming as well, it looks like the classic made for TV horror films are starting to see the light of day on DVD.

Add in the upcoming release of Let's Scare Jessica to Death, and we'll soon be able to have our very own marathon of creepy 70's horror classics.

Apparently this is some kind of magical thread. Someone just has to mention their favorite made for TV horror film from the 70's and a week later it is scheduled for release!

 

[Jordan_E]

Wow, I was just thinking of The Norliss Tapes the other day when I started figuring out my October DVD list. Excellent news!

 

[Xenia Stathakopoulou]

Lol ! I wish you guys would stop doing that, every time i see this thread updated im thinking , that its finally confirmation from warners that their releasing dont be afraid of the dark!

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

The doll was visible in the first installment of Nightmares and Dreamscapes. The story featured William Hurt as an assassin-for-hire who kills the head of a toy company and later finds himself locked in mortal combat with a bunch of green army men made by the same company. Different set-up, but similar ultimate situation to that in Trilogy of Terror, where Karen Black likewise struggles with a tiny killer in the claustrophobic confines of a darkened appartment.

The King story that the teleplay was based ("Battleground") on predates thatTV movie, but he may have been influenced by the Richard Matheson story ("Prey") the Trilogy segment was based on and I'm sure he got a chuckle out of the fact that someone put the original devil doll (or a reproduction) on top of William Hurt's curio cabinet in Nightmares. (The person responsible may have been the screenwriter who adapted that episode - who just happens to be Richard Matheson's son, Richard Christian Matheson. )

Regards,

Joe

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Where can I buy the Region 2 DVD of Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark?

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Never mind! Found it here!

 

[Xenia Stathakopoulou]

Is there any site where they sell the movie on its own, without gargoyles?

 

[Steve Phillips]

www.xploitedcinema.com has the same disc if you want to buy it from a domestic company.