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IMDbPro

Les créatures de l'ombre

Original title: Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
  • TV Movie
  • 1973
  • Unrated
  • 1h 14m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
4.3K
YOUR RATING
Kim Darby in Les créatures de l'ombre (1973)
HorrorMysteryThriller

A young couple inherits an old mansion inhabited by small demon-like creatures who are determined to make the wife one of their own.A young couple inherits an old mansion inhabited by small demon-like creatures who are determined to make the wife one of their own.A young couple inherits an old mansion inhabited by small demon-like creatures who are determined to make the wife one of their own.

  • Director
    • John Newland
  • Writer
    • Nigel McKeand
  • Stars
    • Kim Darby
    • Jim Hutton
    • Barbara Anderson
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.5/10
    4.3K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • John Newland
    • Writer
      • Nigel McKeand
    • Stars
      • Kim Darby
      • Jim Hutton
      • Barbara Anderson
    • 184User reviews
    • 50Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos90

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    Top cast20

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    Kim Darby
    Kim Darby
    • Sally Farnham
    Jim Hutton
    Jim Hutton
    • Alex Farnham
    Barbara Anderson
    Barbara Anderson
    • Joan Kahn
    William Demarest
    William Demarest
    • Mr. Harris
    Pedro Armendáriz Jr.
    Pedro Armendáriz Jr.
    • Francisco Perez
    • (as Pedro Armendariz Jr.)
    Lesley Woods
    Lesley Woods
    • Ethyl
    Robert Cleaves
    • Doctor
    Sterling Swanson
    • Policeman
    Joel Lawrence
    • George Kahn
    • (as J.H. Lawrence)
    William Sylvester
    William Sylvester
    • Tom Henderson
    Don Mallon
    • Bob
    Celia Kaye
    Celia Kaye
    • Anne
    Elizabeth St. Clair
    • Party Guest
    Monika Henreid
    Monika Henreid
    • Party Guest
    • (as Monica Henreid)
    Robert Priest
    • Party Guest
    Ted Swanson
    • Bartender
    Felix Silla
    Felix Silla
    • Creature
    Tamara De Treaux
    • Creature
    • (as Tamara DeTreaux)
    • Director
      • John Newland
    • Writer
      • Nigel McKeand
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews184

    6.54.3K
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    Featured reviews

    7claudio_carvalho

    Simple and Effective Horror Film

    Sally Farnham (Kim Darby) and her husband Alex Farnham (Jim Hutton) move to an old mansion that belonged to Sally's grandmother and they hire an interior designer and the carpenter Mr. Harris (William Demarest) to redecorate the manor.

    Sally opens a locked door in the house and finds a sealed fireplace and ash pit. She asks Mr. Harris to open the fireplace but the old man argues with her and refuses to follow the order. Sally uses Mr. Harris' wrench to remove the bolts of the ash pit cover. Soon Sally finds that evil little creatures that fear the light have escaped from the underground through the ash pit and are threatening her. However, Alex and her friend Joan Kahn (Barbara Anderson) believe that Sally's imagination is affected by the words of Mr. Harris.

    "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" is a simple and effective horror film made for television released in Brazil only on VHS. The story of a young couple that moves to an old house and the wife Kim Darby, the unforgettable Miri of "Star Trek" and the girl Mattie Ross of "True Grit", releases demon-like creatures is original and developed in an adequate pace.

    In 2010, Guillermo del Toro remade this film with a lame screenplay that included silly sub-plots and spoiled the original story. My vote is seven.

    Title (Brazil): "Criaturas da Noite" ("Creatures of the Night")

    Note: On 15 December 2021, I saw this film again.

    Note: On 17 March 2023, I saw this film again in a recently released DVD.
    7cutter21-695-733856

    Scariest movie

    I must have seen this movie when I was around 7 or 8 yrs old. This was the scariest movie I had ever seen. I was never afraid of the dark prior to seeing it, but afterward was a different story. When my parents put me to bed my door had to be slightly cracked open the the hallway light on. I slept with my covers over my head and I was so afraid those little creatures were going to get me. I then began telling some neighborhood kids about these little creatures and I don't think their parents were too happy with me. The parents complained to my parent saying I was "scaring their children" and they were having problems sleeping at night. Little did they realize how really scared I was and I guess I just wanted some company....oops. I've brought this movie up to many friends but no one ever seemed to know what I was talking about. But after reading a bunch of these reviews I am relieved to find out that I wasn't the only one scared out of their wits! To this day I really don't care for scary movies, perhaps that is a effect from seeing this movie, who knows? I am happy to report that I no longer am scared of sleeping in the dark :)
    Brock-47

    Very Scary When I Saw it as a Kid

    I also saw this movie as a kid and was haunted by it for a long while. I still remember being scared of the little creatures. There was another somewhat similar TV movie called Trilogy of Terror (just found the titles of both of these movies on the web out of curiosity) with Karen Black where she was haunted by a little voodoo like creature with a spear that also really got me good. As far as the effect a scary movie had on me at the time I saw it, this was by far the scariest movie I have seen in my life. I don't know if it would have much an effect on me now or not but it certainly did then.

    I'm guessing it is not available on DVD or video.
    jonesy74-1

    A movie that was fun to be scared by

    What a sadistically weird movie this was! Have you ever thought you saw something out of the corner of your eye, but when you looked directly at it, it wasn't there? Of course, it was in the shadows, so if it really WERE there, you wouldn't know for sure, would you? That's what this movie is about. Small, dangerous things in the shadows. Of course, they couldn't harm you directly... while you were alert... but they sure could mess you up if, say... they strung a rope across the stairs or did something to you in your sleep.

    The theme of this movie is, "Did I really see it?" And of course, we know Kim Darby really did, but it was too late when she finally knew forsure.

    As a t.v. movie, it was okay - production, setting, acting, special effects and make-up... but the idea of things... lurking... waiting... made your hair stand up and want to exit the room along with the rest of your body.

    And what the heck WERE those things, anyway? They lived in the furnace... or BELOW the furnace - we know that for sure. But were they demons? Goblins? Aliens? And was one of them Kim Darby's grandfather? We never know the answer to this. All we know is they're nasty spiteful little things that want to make you one of them. And, I guess, that was the spookiest part of the story - it never let you know the answer. Just made you wonder what sort of ickies could be lurking below YOUR furnace! The spookiest moment is when Kim ticks one of them off and it makes the nastiest face. You really don't want to tick one of these little creepy-crawlers off.

    I watched this movie-of-the-week alone at night really late while I was home by myself. Even though I was well into my teens at the time, I was totally weirded out.

    The moral of the story, I guess, is that if you don't want evil miniature creatures to drag your wife off to the nether-regions below your furnace, don't be a workaholic and ignore her when she says she's seeing strange nasties in the corners or the room.
    BaronBl00d

    Unique

    This is one of those little films that lends itself to legendary status, because it is almost impossible to see nowadays. With a great deal of effort and patience, one can find a copy....but it sure isn't easy. So many of us remember seeing it when it aired...I was all but six or seven and remembered only these gnome-like creatures. Recently I was able to see it again....and started to remember a lot more of it. The film is pretty atmospheric as it chronicles the slow then fast menacing of Sally Farnham by pint-sized demons with conical shaped heads. Sally and her husband recently moved into this large house and forsaking the advice of carpenter William Demarest, Sally opens a fireplace which had been sealed over twenty-five years ago. These creatures lived in the fireplace and now they want Sally...to join them. Kim Darby does a good job playing Sally as she slowly descends into madness...as well as other destinations. Forget all the talk about it being only good for a television movie...this is a good movie period. It has loads of atmosphere and suspense, albeit a bit shallow in the area of plot.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The total production time - including script approval by Lorimar, casting, special effects, voice-overs, and exterior shots - was slightly over two weeks, making this one of the quickest made-for-TV movie turnarounds ever. This was due mainly to a writers strike that began just before the script was completed.
    • Goofs
      The creatures keep changing size. During one scene, the creatures aren't much bigger than a few inches, as they hide behind the books. But, when they go outside to cut the cables, they are as tall as the trash cans.
    • Quotes

      Creatures: [opening lines] Will she come? Do you think she will come?

      First Creature: She will. You know she will.

      Second Creature: But when? When?

      First Creature: Very soon. It's just a matter of time. Of waiting for a while. All we have to do is bide our time. Bide our time.

      [laughs]

      Creatures: But it's been so long. So many years. When will she come and set us free-set us free!

      First Creature: Patience! Patience! We've all the time in the world.

      [laughs]

      Creatures: We've all the time in the world. In the world. In the world. To set us free! In the world!

      [Maniacal laughter]

    • Connections
      Featured in WatchMojo: Another Top 10 Scariest Movie Monsters (2017)

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 10, 1973 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
    • Filming locations
      • Piru Mansion - 829 & 837 Park Road, Piru, California, USA(Exterior)
    • Production company
      • Lorimar Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 14 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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