MovieChat Forums > Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (1973) Discussion > Freaked me out as a kid

Freaked me out as a kid

posted 22 years ago by eyegee
42 replies | jump to latest

I've mentioned this movie to a number of people over the years and it the response always falls into two categories: Either they've 1) never seen the movie before. Or 2) they've seen it as a kid and it seriously warped their mind. I saw this movie back in in the late-70s as a nine year old and it scared the crap out of me... especially the little men calling "Salllll-lyyy..." I think the next time I saw it was ten years later and it still have me freaked out. Now if hollywood wants to do a remake of something, I think this is the one for them to do. Not much in terms of special effects and no gore at all.. just a good scare.

[–] postalet 22 years ago

Even today, I can scare the crap out of my wife by wispering "Sally, Sally, Sally." Does anyone have a source for this movie on DVD?

[–] warriorsheart 21 years ago

There is a guy on ebay selling an asian import of this movie on dvd. Apparently was never rereleased on dvd in US.

[–] TotalMonkeesFan 21 years ago

Oh MY G-d,that's so funny. I remember how freaked out this movie made me. I was like 10 or 11 when I first saw it and I think I had a nightmare that night because of it. But I laugh now that I think about it. Remember the Freaky ending Demon: "Salllllllllllllly I want your souuuuuuuuuuuuul" Sally: "You Have iiiiiiit". Sheesh it was enough to make your flesh crawl.

[–] larry-thomas-1 20 years ago

I watched this movie also, as a child in 1973. I had been creeped out by it like no other movie, but never remembered the title. In 1989, I was watching Joe Bob Briggs on one of his television shows and decided to e-mail him with a brief description of what I remembered the movie to be. It took two months, but I finally received a reply and this is what it said:

Dear Larry,

The name of that movie was "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark." It was a made-for-TV movie starring Kim Darby and Jim Hutton (father of Timothy), and I get TONS of people asking me about it. I think it scared the dibber-dabbers out of a lot of kids, and they still haven't gotten over it.

Do you remember the end, where she was tied and gagged, and being dragged off by the little guys?

Preciate the support. And send me your postal mailing address so I can put you on my mailing list for the propaganda I occasionally send out.

Hang in there,

Joe Bob

I tried to find the movie them, but had no luck. The other day, I was talking with a friend who had seen the same movie and was describing how it had freaked him out equally. I decided to research it a little more, being 2005 and how much the internet has made almost everything accessible. It took less than an hour and I had purchased the DVD. I have since watched it and remember so much more. The movie was excellent for a low budget "made for TV" movie. Don't ever confuse bug budget flicks, like the Exorcist with movies like this...it's unfair. This movie had a huge impact. That, alone, warrants it as being an icon in scary movies.

[–] MarkTuck21 22 years ago

It's funny, all these years I thought that I was the ONLY one to have seen this film!

Of all the bits I can remember, the bit that freaked me out most was the 'failed attempt' by the creatures in the 'shower scene'. I feared taking a bath or shower when I was little in-case those creatures turned off the electrics and came for me. . . .

I know it sounds sad now - but this was a great film and scary to say the least!

[–] random_ax 22 years ago

And yes, they ARE remaking this.

[–] JiffyJam 21 years ago

I can't remember how old I was when I saw this, but I was young. I can't believe my parents let me watch this. I would love to see it again after all these years.

It's nice to read that I too wasn't the ONLY one that remembers this movies existence.

Does anyone remember seeing The Shuttered Room? That scared the crap out of me too when I was a kid. It was a made for TV movie back in the late 60's.

[–] moonflea 21 years ago

Ah, this must be the one. I remember a scene in a dark hallway with some little creature behind a basement door. That's all. But the Sallllyyyy part rings a bell. This must be the movie - but I had no idea it was a made for TV. My parents (my father especially) loved scary movies and watched them with my sister and I even though we were little kids. The one that freaked me out the most was The Exorcist. We hid under my bed saying the rosary for hours afterwards praying the devil wouldn't get us... am I warped because of it? Don't know... Sallllyyy, Sallllyyyy... I want to watch that one again! Other childhood favorites were Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Them, Poltergeist, The Shining and The Amityville Horror. Halloween is putting me in the mood to relive these flicks...

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[–] tkinney 21 years ago

I couldn't have been much older than nine when i saw this on TV. I was forever scared of the dark after seeing it. I was afraid to even let my arms or legs hang over the side of the bed for fear of those little creepy monsters grabbing them. When i got older I went on a crusade to see all the scary movies I could to break the curse of fear all started from this cheesy movie. But it still lurks there in the back of my mind whispering my name...

[–] amon_101 21 years ago

Same here. I saw it at 7, and to this day, more than 30 years later, I cannot lie in bed with any part of my hanging over the edge.
Getting up in the middle of the night in a dark house to go the fridge or bathroom is no problem though, just lying in bed. I've been scarred for life!

...Dan

http://www.captiongallery.com

[–] 21 years ago

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[–] amon_101 21 years ago

Check out eBay. That's where I got my copy.

...Dan

http://www.captiongallery.com

[–] chelby7710 20 years ago

Me too. This movie made it impossible for me to sleep with anything out of the covers or over the edge of the bed!! I saw this movie when I was about 6 and it scared the bejesus out of me. I vividly remember them tying up Sally and dragging her down the stairs, while she attempted to deter them with the camera flash!! I tease my mom, Sally all the time, whispering 'Sally, sally'!! LOL I would love to see this movie again!!

[–] ScottishWarrior 21 years ago

My wife was talking about a movie the other day about creatures pulling people down the fireplace. Is this it? She also has a phobia about hands or feet hanging over the bed. Thanks, would love to get it for her )evil grin(

Terror is foreplay, but Horror is the orgasm!

[–] carr_philip 21 years ago

Yup, that's it, you should be able to find a copy of it on EBay. Get it for her, it'll help curb all those phobias it created. At least it did for me!

[–] amon_101 21 years ago

I have the exact same issue. I cannot sleep with any part of my body hanging over the edge of the bed, for fear that the little guys from the basement are gonna get me! I can walk around in the dark with no issue, but I just can't handle having a hand hanging off the bed.
I bought the video off eBay over a year ago, but I just can't bring myself to watch it. I'm too scared!!!

...Dan

http://www.captiongallery.com
http://100megsfree4.com/horrormovies/

[–] greenlee91 21 years ago

I remember seeing this as a kid and only today did I find out the name of it, thanks to somebody on an internet forum message board.

Totally scared me as a kid.

[–] mcerion 21 years ago

I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who was freaked out by this little film. I saw it when I was 12 and it gave me some seriously bad nightmares for quite a few years. I finally got over it, but those ugly little buggers really had me creeped out for the longest time.