93 reactions from 3 sources (Bluesky, TMDB reviews, Lemmy) · newest Oct 14, 2026 · last updated Oct 15, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
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| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluesky * | 5 | 0 | 24 |
| TMDB reviews * | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Lemmy * | 0 | 0 | 1 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
62 newer reactions are still waiting for a label.
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What people are saying
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Critics, per Wikipedia
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 61% based on reviews from 178 critics, with an average rating of 5.9/10. The website's critical consensus states, "While it's pleasantly atmospheric and initially quite scary, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark ultimately fails to deliver the skin-crawling chills of the original". On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score 56 out of 100 based on reviews from 35 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "C−" on an A+ to F scale. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film 3½ stars out of 4, calling it "a very good haunted house film" and adding that it "milks our…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 93 · most liked firstSince the remake was first released #OTD back in 2011, I looked at DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK as well as the original 1973 horror TV-movie it's based on.
neutral · AI labelView post →Happy Iconoscope Announcement day! I'm really excited about this release of Don't Be Afraid of the Dark. My OG commentary from Warner Archives is included, as well as a new essay where I write about director John Newland and his sensitive portrayal of women vinegarsyndrome.com/collections/...
neutral · AI labelView post →Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (1973) 📺🎥 Directed by John Newland
neutral · AI labelView post →^Was that Pickman's Model, from Del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities? That had a lot of original spooky paintings. The other one that it reminds me of is Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (also GDT-related).
neutral · AI labelView post →#MusicChallenge #KillerTunes 10/9 Vampire Gang - Near Dark Robert Cray - Don't Be Afraid of the Dark www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ra2Q...
neutral · AI labelView post →#MusicChallenge #MindMelodies Day 20 - Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark by Robert Cray youtu.be/Ra2Qndv_xeE?...
neutral · AI labelView post →#IsmuasMonthOfMusic #MusicChallenge #14 A song that feels like advice The Sonics Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark youtu.be/vGIHqQfMfvE?...
neutral · AI labelView post →The 1970s were the pinnacle for great, low-budget, TV horror movies. The movie "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" from 1973 scared the living crap out of me as a kid.
positive · AI labelView post →#5albums50s60s3 #NowSpinning #NP #vinyl #vinylrecords THE SONICS BOOM When you walk through the dark hold your head up high & .. #YNWA Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark youtu.be/vGIHqQfMfvE?...
neutral · AI labelView post →Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (1973) John Newland (director) Made for TV horror from the director of The Legend of Hillbilly John. Saw it on tv in the '70s. I would've been nearly 6 when it aired, but I watched a lot of horror at that age. 📽 #FridayNightHorror #HorrorMovies #Horrorsky #Horror
positive · AI labelView post →#MusicChallenge #Howl-A-Ween #MusicSky 17 fear Robert Cray - Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ra2Q...
neutral · AI labelView post →Now watching DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK (1973), a made for TV horror movie in which a neglected wife moves into a mansion with her workaholic husband and soon discovers the place to be inhabited by goblins who want her to live with them forever Starring Kim Darby Directed by John Newland
neutral · AI labelView post →Twitch Schedule 5/03 [TIMES ET]: *HALFWAY TO HALLOWEEN* 3:00pm - Movie Jo Night: The Devil's Hand 4:00pm - Movie Jo Night: Snoop Sisters 5:33pm - Matt, Emmy & Chris: Hider in the House 7:27pm - The Mads Are Back: The Manster 8:33pm- Movie Jo Night: Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
neutral · AI labelView post →#spookytunes Day 16 FEAR Robert Cray : Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark youtu.be/5tCG5Aw_4i4?...
neutral · AI labelView post →Now watching DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK (2010).
neutral · AI labelView post →Don't Be Afraid of the Dark 1973
neutral · AI labelView post →Robert Cray - Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark
neutral · AI labelView post →Emily is watching DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK (2010). We call this "a baller move," and implore you: be more like Emily.
neutral · AI labelView post →New month, new writing round-up. For August, my writing included: A retrospective on both the original '70s horror TV-movie DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK and its del Toro-penned remake from 2011. 🧵
neutral · AI labelView post →DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK (1973) was a made-for-tv movie that scared me very badly as a kid, and god bless @vinsyn.bsky.social for bringing it back into my life! Hardly anybody saw it & I thought it was gone forever
positive · AI labelView post →youtu.be/Ra2Qndv_xeE?... ROBERT CRAY 'Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark'
neutral · AI labelView post →#CatchThePhrase #MusicChallenge | 423 The Sonics Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark youtu.be/vGIHqQfMfvE?...
neutral · AI labelView post →#NowWatching 🎬 Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark (1973) No. 16 #HorrorMovies #FilmSky
neutral · AI labelView post →Vinegar Syndrome forms 4K Blu-ray distributor, Iconoscope, which currently has 40 Warner Bros. licensed titles, including the made-for-TV chiller Don't Be Afraid of the Dark. ***Warner Bros. Physical Media*** While we stand on the cusp of the transition of Warner Bros.' management as the Hollywood legacy studio will soon be under the control of Netflix, there may be a mad dash of sorts to get all their past physical media titles. Luckily, for years, Warner Bros. has also regularly licensed its…
neutral · AI labelView post →Some more The Cabin in the Woods Goosebumps (series) Marianne (series) Midnight Mass (series) Nope (all his stuff) Nosferatu (all his stuff) Midsommar Don't Be Afraid of the Dark Men Things Heard & Seen Scary Movie (hehe) There are so many more I can't remember now
neutral · AI labelView post →#breakingkindsongs #musicchallenge Song that starts with Don't Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark - Robert Cray youtu.be/Ra2Qndv_xeE?...
neutral · AI labelView post →Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark - The Sonics
neutral · AI labelView post →Later this year, they'll be playing ANOTHER famous one, "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" #Svengoolie
neutral · AI labelView post →DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK (the original 1973 made-for-TV film, not the big-budget remake) wrecked my tiny brain; I lived in constant fear that our old country farmhouse also contained whispering nighttime gremlins that would drag me away after I fell asleep. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho4S...
positive · AI labelView post →Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (original made-for-TV movie, NOT to be confused with the TV series Are You Afraid of the Dark) deserves a place in the pantheon of iconic horror movies despite its relative obscurity.
positive · AI labelView post →Share a movie that legitimately scared you the first time you watched it. Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (1973) Why my Mom let me watch it, I'll never know. But I was terrified of those freaking demons.
unlabelledView post →A generation was traumatized OTD in 1973 when, just in time for Halloween, ABC premiered the classic made-for-TV movie DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK with Kim Darby, Jim Hutton, and those...things. Directed by ONE STEP BEYOND's John Newland. Nightmare fuel.
unlabelledView post →After watching the 1973 TV movie, I decided to finally give the 2010 theatrical remake of DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK a watch.
unlabelledView post →I missed it while it was happening, but the photo flash thing was also used at the end of Don't Be Afraid of the Dark! I guess it's a 70s TV movie kind of thing! #TVMParty
unlabelledView post →watched 3 SHOCKINGLY good old horror B-movies: -The Mummy's Shroud, 1967 3rd of the 4 Hammer Mummy movies -Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, 1973 TV movie involving little monsters in a house -Curse of the Undead, 1959 slightly lurid vampire gunslinger all of these are like...REALLY strong?
unlabelledView post →Hey! "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" (73) is available on Youtube (with Japanese (?) subtitles but English soundtrack). Just sayin', for future reference. That movie taught me to never dangle my limbs over the edge of the bed. ;)
unlabelledView post →Movie 70- Don't Be Afraid of the Dark #100HorrorMoviesin92Days #HorrorSky #FilmSky boxd.it/1uE2
unlabelledView post →Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark (either the 70s tv version or, more likely, the Guillermo del Toro produced remake)
unlabelledView post →#NowWatching Don't Be Afraid of the Dark 🛌🏻 More Guy Pearce Horror & Sci-Fi Rankings & Reviews #filmsky #horrorfamily 🎬🖤
unlabelledView post →The Problematic Fave: The Conjuring Baby's First Jump Scare: House on Haunted Hill (1959) Daniel Radcliffe is Good Actually: The Woman in Black Underrated Gem: Lights Out Bitey Faeries: Don't Be Afraid of the Dark A Funny One: The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia
unlabelledView post →ONE STEP BEYOND (sponsored by Alcoa) debuted on ABC OTD in 1959, and for three seasons host John Newland (who also directed most eps) presented tales of the unnatural purported to have basis in fact. He would later helm episodes of THRILLER, NIGHT GALLERY and the movie DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK.
unlabelledView post →When I was little my cousin Doug babysat me on Sat morning when my parents were working, and he loved watching horror movies. So I would watch them between my fingers with my hands over my eyes. One was Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, with little green glowing guys who whispered "Sssssaaaalllllyyyy"
unlabelledView post →Things I was frightened of as a child: - Earwigs (blame mom, night gallery, and Star Trek II) - Nuclear war (it was the 80s + the day after) - the vampire from Buck Rogers - the little men in the vents (Don't Be Afraid of the Dark on afternoon TV) - Leeches (built into brainstem)
unlabelledView post →Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (original made-for-TV movie) is such an underrated gem
unlabelledView post →"Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" (the 1970s made-for-TV movie). It's not on streaming, only on DVD, but it's an absolute hidden gem of a movie and a timeless story.
unlabelledView post →Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, the original 1970s made-for-TV movie.
unlabelledView post →Some good shit. Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (1972) Phobe (1994)
unlabelledView post →One of my personal fav DON'T movies is the TV movie Don't Be Afraid of the Dark. #TheLastDriveIn
unlabelledView post →🏚️ "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (1973)." | A couple who inherited an old house learn they share it with small creatures determined to possess the wife's mind. | Available on 4k UHD/Blu-ray from @vinsyn.bsky.social. vinegarsyndrome.com/collections/... #VinegarSyndrome #Bluray #Movie #Horror
unlabelledView post →Nearly every other ABC Movie of the Week: DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK WHEN MIICHAEL CALLS CROWHAVEN FARM THE NIGHT STALKER TRILOGY OF TERROR THE LONGEST NIGHT THE DEVIL'S DAUGHTER SCREAM, PRETTY PEGGY SATAN'S TRIANGLE
unlabelledView post →October Horror Movie #27 Don't Be Afraid of the Dark We got hairy little fellas royalty in this as it stars the actor who played Cousin Itt and the actor who played Lumpy Chewbacca's son from the Holiday Special in this as two of the creatures.
unlabelledView post →#283 DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK (1973) dir. John Newland
unlabelledView post →#HorrorMovieMarathon 🎃 Day 11. Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark (2010) #Moviesky
unlabelledView post →You may be thinking of this movie, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark. There was a remake, too. www.imdb.com/title/tt0069...
unlabelledView post →The pruny little goblins chasing Kim Darby around and chanting, "Sally, we want you!" in 1973's DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK.
unlabelledView post →Was that Don't Be Afraid of the Dark? That TV movie scared the CRAP out of me!
unlabelledView post →Don't Be Afraid of The Dark (1973). I was pretty young when I saw it and it terrified me, and I was afraid of all small doors for years. Saw it again as an adult and it was laughably ridiculous and not at all scary. Aside from that, I'd say Jaws & Amityville Horror.
unlabelledView post →Don't Be Afraid of The Dark, Sunrise, Ravenous & more #ThereforeHorror from the Guy Pearce Re-Watch #filmsky! 😱 Peep our #PearceofMind Ranking #horrorfamily 🎃🖤🎬
unlabelledView post →Be sure to check out Ovredal's other movies and writer/producer del Toro's other gateway horror Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark!
unlabelledView post →Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark (1973) Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark (2011) Cobweb Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark The Car (1977) Candyman (either original or reboot)
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