3551
(0 votes, average 0 out of 5)
Written by Gregg Shapiro
Aug 30, 2011
Katie Holmes in “Don't Be Afraid of the Dark“ – Photo: Courtesy
'Don't Be Afraid of the Dark'
What does it say that the late-summer movie season in August comes to a close with remakes of two horror movies? The first, “Fright Night,” features a fit Colin Farrell as vampire Jerry, a role originated by Chris Sarandon in the 1985 version.
The second is a loose remake of “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark,” a 1973 TV movie of the week. In the new version, architect Alex (Guy Pearce) and his interior designer girlfriend Kim (Katie Holmes) are in the process of remodeling Fallen Mill, a very old mansion in Rhode Island that has a very bad history. Blackwood (Garry McDonald), the house’s original owner, was an artist whose nature illustrations and paintings rivaled Audobon.
Alex and Kim’s tight schedule – they want the restoration of the house to be a cover story for Architectural Digest and are on a tight deadline – is interrupted by the arrival of Alex’s precocious and artistic young daughter, who has been sent to live with her father by her flaky mother. The tiny creatures who inhabit the house like a rodent infestation, and who previously had their way with Blackwood’s son, are happy about Sally’s arrival, because they love to snack on the teeth of children.
Sillier than it is scary, “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark,” does a decent job as homages go. But when the lights come up as the credits roll, there isn’t much on which to chew. You’re probably better off seeing “Fright Night.”
