One of the things that distinguishes Guillermo Del Toro's horror films from the rest of the genre rabble are their formal elegance, to say nothing of their narrative discipline. Where a movie like the recent Fright Night remake demonstrates a short-term memory for scares -- cramming multiple jolts into every scene with little regard to the overall arc of the film -- Del Toro takes his time establishing a compelling mood, intriguing characters and a distinctive setting before getting down to the spooky stuff. The setting plays a particularly important role in Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, a haunted house chiller that takes place almost entirely within the walls of a 19th century manor. From the minute we lay eyes on the place, we know there's something not quite right about it -- beautiful Gothic architecture and to-die-for closet space notwithstanding -- and part of the fun of the movie lies in watching the house's hidden horrors slowly bubble to the surface. The difference between Fright Night and Don't Be Afraid of the Dark is like the difference between a novice poker player and an experienced card shark; the former tips his hand too quickly, while the latter bides his time before revealing what he's holding.

Tags: Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

In the Guillermo Del Toro-produced horror film Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, an architect moves his girlfriend and young daughter into Blackwood Manor, a centuries-old mansion that he's trying to restore to its former glory. In the course of their stay, the trio is shocked to discover that this house is -- gasp -- haunted! That won't come as a shock to any of us in the audience; the minute we lay eyes on the manor's dimly lit rooms, Gothic decor and dark, dank basement, we know that there are some serious supernatural shenanigans going on in there. Chalk that up to years of observing other cinematic haunted houses and learning to recognize the tell-tale signs of ghosts, monsters and other creatures that go bump in the night. Now we're putting that knowledge to the test, imagining the way real estate agents might try to sell novice buyers on some famous poltergeist-ridden properties and the things we'd tell them to be wary of.

Tags: Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, Guillermo Del Toro

For those of you that were around in 1973 and old enough to watch a primetime TV movie, let me firstly offer you my congratulations on finding the internet -- good job, you! Secondly, you'll have to tell me about the ABC telefilm Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, which I've learned has since turned into a cult classic. All joking aside (I'm giving myself until I turn 30 to make ageist remarks--eight more months and you old farts won't hear a PEEP out of me), I probably wouldn't know about the program anyway, because I'm a giant scaredy-cat who can't handle creepy movies. One man who can handle the creep, however, is Guillermo del Toro, who has just signed on to produce a remake of the ABC special for a theatrical release for Miramax.

Tags: Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, Guillermo del Toro, Hellboy, Hellboy II: THe Golden Army, Pan's Labyrinth