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

[Tony Richards]

Wasn't The Night Stalker on DVD at one time?

 

[Rich H]

Funny about "Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark" - everyone who saw it as a kid remembers it as just about the most frightening film they ever saw (as a kid). It was only shown a few times too, and became very much sought after by collectors.

I actually found a copy on VHS (someone sent me their copy) and it's still quite a bit of fun.

Another movie that haunted just about anyone who saw it as a kid was "The Bermuda Triangle" or "Up From The Depths." It was by Bass and Rankin of "Santa Clause Comes To Town" fame (and all those other stop motion animated specials).
The Bermuda Triangle was about a mysterious woman from the sea (Connie Seleca) who, it turns out, has a giant magical sea turtle as her protector. With it's memorable score and theme song, it's incredibly surreal mood, it just stuck in anyone's head who saw it. And because this intensely moody film was only ever shown twice on North American TV, people were left later in life wondering "Just what the heck did I see as a kid that seems to have lodged so mysteriously in my memory?" There should be support groups for those who saw that movie.

BTW, yes the Night Stalker is on DVD. Best damned horror flick ever made for TV. The pacing, mood and acting are soo good that I can still watch it over and over even now.

What I really want is for some classics like the original "Tales From The Crypt" to come out on DVD (or Vault Of Horror).

 

[Xenia Stathakopoulou]

So whats the holdup with this movie being released ? You would think there would be some studio willing to release it.

 

[Kevin M]

I guess they never did the remake, huh?
Shame...that could have helped get the original onto DVD.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Rich, you are spot on about THE BERMUDA DEPTHS (which besides Connie Sellica also starred Burl Ives, Carl Weathers and Leigh McClosky). I saw it only once as a kid and it haunts me to this day! I still have many images from this telefilm etched in my memory, including the creepy and effective ending (you know what I'm talking about, I'm sure). I would like nothing better than to see this again (though it may have dated badly and a rewatching of it may tarnish its mysterious memory.)

Where's the first meeting of the support group?

SATAN'S TRIANGLE (starring Doug McCLure) was also exceedingly creepy.

Haven't seen DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK but it sounds splendid.

The 70s were indeed a golden time for made-for-TV horror.

 

[Xenia Stathakopoulou]

The dvd company thats releasing trilogy of terror on dvd next month, would be perfect for releasing dont be afraid of the dark.I can always wish cant I?

 

[Jordan_E]

That one popped into my head immediately when I started going through this thread. God, I miss those downbeat, 70's endings!

 

[richardWI]

okay here's a tough one, I wanna say it was bette davis, but I've searched her filmography and couldn't find it. A stuborn older woman lives in a house by a sea and she has a vase? or some heriloom that the sea wants back. the characters are trapped in the house through a hurricane and at one point the storm stops and everything goes erriely silent because now the house is in the eye of the storm. eventually she can't take it anymore and hurls the thing back into the ocean. my memory is it's in B+W but I could be wrong. It's haunted me for years.... help!

 

[Jack Theakston]

For that matter, don't forget Leonard Nimoy's late '60s ESP romp, "Baffled". Also, "Phantom of Hollywood" with Jack Cassidy. I think that was the last film shot on the MGM backlot as they were tearing it down

 

[Bradley Newton]

Great thread...I remember this movie well.
I want to jump in and ask you guys if anyone remembers Frankenstein: The True Story? It was a four hour TV movie written by Christopher Isherwood (his life and short stories formed the basis for the musical "Cabaret") and starring Leonard Whiting (Romeo and Juliet) as Dr. F and Michael Sarrazin as the creature. It's really an amazing film with terrific special effects and an incredible cast: James Mason, John Gielgud, Agnes Moorehead, Ralph Richardson, Jane Seymour, etc.
Anyway, the four hour version is very rarely shown anywhere. I caught it on Sci-Fi many years ago and it has never been re-run since. It's another film from my childhood that scared me silly. A man has his arm sawed off and it comes back to life and crawls across the floor. A woman has her head ripped off at a formal dance. Lots of creepy moments. And I love the fact that the "creature" begins his second life as a beautiful, cultured man until his flesh begins to rot and decay.
I would LOVE to see this on DVD. I contacted Tim Lucas at Video Watchdog to inquire who owns the rights and he told me to contact Universal. But I'm sure this is so far off their radar.

 

[Bob Graham]

Another great macabre movie from that era that I'd like to see on DVD is DR COOK'S GARDEN with Bing Crosby as small town doctor who "weeds out" undesirable residents.

 

[Jordan_E]

Frankenstein: The True Story was excellent, and if I remember, James Mason, John Gielgud were told that it was going to be a theatrical release, not made for TV.

 

[Xenia Stathakopoulou]

No offense meant to anyone , but i revived this thead to get interest in a dvd release of dont be afraid of the dark . It has turned into what horror movie you want to see released, lol !!!

 

[Jordan_E]

And you're surprised by this turn of events? Heheh.

 

[David Tolsky]

Man, I remember Satan's Triangle and Trilogy of Terror. As a kid, I vaguely remember Satan's Triange as being scary as hell (no pun intended). Trilogy of Terror with Karen Black had it's moments and of course those little critters running around the kitchen with knives wanted to stab the hell out of Karen. Man, they don't make 'em like that anymore : )

 

[Xenia Stathakopoulou]

Dont you mean little critter, instead of critters? I recall there was only 1 chasing her. Man, its going to be a treat seeing that dvd released at the end of this summer.

 

[TonyD]

yep one critter. in trilogy.
dont be afraid had critters.

btw someone over in tv section said the trilogy of terror demon doll appeared in a tv episode on the new stephen king anthology series the other day.

 

[Xenia Stathakopoulou]

I just read an older thread here at home theatre forum , where someone mentions dont be afraid of the dark is owned by warner bros, is this true ? Specifically it was in a thead titled abc movie of the week.I wonder if warner bros even knows their is a decent demand for the dvd.

 

[Amy Mormino]

It could be a good sign if the movie is owned by Warners. They won't have much left in terms of horror product after their Halloween stuff comes out this year, so perhaps they will turn to their TV movies.

 

[Peter M Fitzgerald]

Yeah, DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK (1973) is currently owned by Warner Bros, due to it being a Lorimar release. However, apparently WB's catalog movie division, which has given us so much over the last few years, can't release it themselves, since the old TV-movies the company controls belong to WB's separate TV-on-DVD division. This info came out in one of the threads in this forum's "Home Theater Software - TV Shows and TV Movies" section, around the time of the last big HTF chat with George Feltenstein & co.