Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark: The TV Movie That Made Me Afraid Of The Dark

The seventies were a bad time for fashion but a good time for television horror movies, and few stand out as strong as Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark. The 1973 movie was originally broadcast an ABC’s “Movie of the Week.” The film earned cult status in large part to its chilling atmosphere, imaginative creature effects, and performances. It also fostered my fear of dark rooms and shadowy corners.

I wrote how the 1970 TV movie Crowhaven Farm, was one of my childhood movies that haunted me for years. Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark was not on that list, because, unlike those movies, I never forgot the name of this one. I watched it the night it premiered, and it sent me running from the room. More details to come about that.

The Production

Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark was written by Nigel McKeand, and directed by John Newland, best known for his work on the anthology series One Step Beyond. The film was an original screenplay, influenced by Gothic traditions and mid-century fascination with haunted-houses.

The production was modest, being a made-for-television feature. The budget was estimated to be around $300,000 ($1.9 million in 2025 adjusted dollars). Despite the limited funds, the production team leaned into atmosphere, practical tricks, and creative cinematography to conjure effective scares. They certainly scared the crap out of me.

Without a doubt, the creature design is central to the film’s enduring reputation. The tiny “goblins” were created through a combination of prosthetics, puppetry, and forced-perspective camerawork. Actors in makeup were shot at specific angles to appear smaller than their surroundings, with exaggerated facial prosthetics giving them an eerie, supernatural quality. Their hushed, whispering voices added an unforgettable layer of dread; “Sally…We’re coming for you, Sally.”

Always Listen To The Old Man

The story follows Sally Farnham (Kim Darby), a young wife who inherits her grandmother’s decaying Victorian mansion. She moves in with her husband Alex (Jim Hutton), and sets about cleaning and organizing the large house. Apparently, this does not involve buying lamps. Even as a youngster, I was surprised how dark the rooms were kept. I would have broken all my toes walking around a place like that.

The trouble begins when Sally investigates a little room in the basement. She is interested in its renovation potential because of its cozy size and having its own fireplace. However, the fireplace is sealed, locked with heavy iron bolts. When she asks the local handyman, Mr. Harris (William Demarest) about restoring the fireplace, he tells her, in no uncertain terms, to leave it alone. Despite his warning, Sally returns to the room, removes the bolts and looks inside.

Now, this facet of the story always intrigued me. Maybe I need to study up on Victorian fireplaces. When Sally opens the hatch and peers inside, she finds a very deep shaft. What was the purpose of this shaft? Was it used to dump ashes? Was it just a story element with no connection to reality?

Sally completes her check of the fireplace, returns the cover and bolts, and leaves. However, she does not tighten the bolts to their original state, and soon, one of them begins to unscrew.

Be Afraid Of The Dark

The newly-released goblins make their presence known tormenting Sally in little ways; they move objects like the kitchen garbage can, knock books from shelves, and whisper to her from the shadows. Alex dismisses his wife’s fears as hysteria, leaving her increasingly isolated in the mansion.

The goblins grow bolder, telling Sally, they have come for her. The breaking point for Sally, and for me, is during a dinner party with friends. Sally’s napkin “slips” off her lap. When she ducks under the table to retrieve it, she comes face to face with one of the goblins.

It was in this moment that my young self ran screaming from the family room, across the kitchen, into the living room, and into my cousin’s lap. They were visiting from out of state, which is probably how I was able to watch the movie in the first place. My cousin calmed me down, but instead of going to my room or changing the channel, I returned to finish the movie.

Sally is alone overnight when Alex goes away on business. It is then, the goblins come for her. They spike her water with sedatives, prescribed after her breakdown, tie her with rope, and drag her towards the basement.

Sally tries to fight back with a camera. She realizes the creatures cannot stand light. The bright flash of the bulb sends them scurrying but they always return and continue their task. While this is happening, Alex races home, now convinced Sally is in danger.

The creatures drag Sally down the steps into the small room as Alex arrives home. He breaks into the locked house, in time to hear Sally’s fading scream. Alex runs to the room, but Sally is gone. He calls for her down the open shaft, but there is no reply.

The movie ends with the outside of the dark house in the night. The creatures whispering voices play over the scene, wondering if the next one will come. A new voice joins them. It is Sally but transformed into the same eerie whisper. She tells them not to worry, they will come. They all laugh.

Nod to the Cast and Crew

• Kim Darby (Sally Farnham): Darby was best known for her role as Mattie Ross in True Grit (1969).
• Jim Hutton (Alex Farnham): Hutton was a familiar face in 1960s features such as Where the Boys Are (1960) and The Green Berets (1968).
• William Demarest (Mr. Harris): A veteran character actor remembered for his long-running role as Uncle Charley on the television sitcom My Three Sons (1965–72).

Director John Newland brought his experience in creepy anthology television to making Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark, using shadow, silence, and psychological tension to heighten the scares. Writer Nigel McKeand, who later worked extensively on Family (1976–80), scripted the lean, suspenseful tale.

A Personal Legacy

The movie’s ending messed with me. One reason, was because the creatures got Sally. There was no last second heroic rescue. The second was because of the shaft. Between my bedroom and the bathroom was our laundry shoot. Behind a small wooden door, was where you dropped your clothes into the basement laundry room. I would particularly have a panic attack dashing past it to the bathroom in the middle of the night. My imagination had no difficulty conjuring the creatures dragging me down there. Don’t get me wrong. I liked playing in our finished basement, when the lights were on. It was a different story when the lights were off.

Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark demonstrated the potential of classic television horror, when helmed by a gifted cast and crew. I was happy to discover the 1973 film is available on Blu-Ray, and immediately ordered a copy. I will be sure to watch it only at night with all the light’s off.

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