Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
Guillermo del Toro co-produces this horror based on the children's book series of the same name. From the director of Trollhunter and The Autopsy of Jane Doe.
A girl living in a small-town mansion turned her tortured life into a series of scary stories, written in a book that has transcended time. But her stories end up becoming all too real for a group of outcast teenagers who discover Sarah’s terrifying home.
- Director:
- André Øvredal ('Trollhunter', 'Future Murder', 'The Autopsy of Jane Doe')
- Writer:
- Dan HagemanKevin Hageman
- Cast:
- Dean NorrisJavier BotetAustin AbramsGil BellowsZoe Margaret CollettiAustin ZajurMichael GarzaNatalie GanzhornGabriel Rush
Reviews & comments
Scary stories for children
The Geets (greats): A somewhat forgettable entry into Horror anthology series which does bring some elements of adventure. I wasn't aware that it is based on the classic Horror anthology series, but given the direction of most movies coming out these days I'm not surprised. This movie does a satisfactory job of maintaining some level of anticipation and...
Stuff
pressScary Stories to Tell in the Dark is an efficient, attractive and well put together film. It didn't scare me at all, but in this most predictable and prescriptive of genres, that's hardly unusual. If horrors are your thing, I reckon you'll still find plenty to enjoy here.
New Zealand Herald
pressThe stories that made it to the big screen range from the overtly horrific - an abused scarecrow stalks a bully in a cornfield - to the ickier side of things: a germ-phobic finds a toe in his soup. Indeed, there is a surfeit of gross-out moments here, no surprise considering Del Toro's involvement.
Sydney Morning Herald
pressThe plot takes many twists with an ingeniously designed set of monsters creating havoc at regular intervals.
Los Angeles Times
pressIf you're not in the mood for messages or social commentary, however, "Scary Stories" is still fertile enough with its accessible gross-outs and giggle shocks to serviceably add to a legacy of kid-centric mainstream mayhem Del Toro clearly loves.
Time Out
pressThere's a sincere fondness for the power of imagination, one that makes the film more than a nostalgia-delivery device. If only it were scarier.
Vulture
pressThere is absolutely nothing original in Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, which just goes to show that you don't need originality to be effective.
Variety
pressThe emotions of the stories have been lost. We could be watching the standard ghoulish CGI effects that take place in any horror movie of the week.
The New York Times
pressIf Alvin Schwartz's popular "Scary Stories" children's books condensed folklore into an accessible anthology form, "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark," an agreeable bit of fan service, performs a similar gateway function for movies.
Stuff
pressScary Stories to Tell in the Dark is an efficient, attractive and well put together film. It didn't scare me at all, but in this most predictable and prescriptive of genres, that's hardly unusual. If horrors are your thing, I reckon you'll still find plenty to enjoy here.
New Zealand Herald
pressThe stories that made it to the big screen range from the overtly horrific - an abused scarecrow stalks a bully in a cornfield - to the ickier side of things: a germ-phobic finds a toe in his soup. Indeed, there is a surfeit of gross-out moments here, no surprise considering Del Toro's involvement.
Sydney Morning Herald
pressThe plot takes many twists with an ingeniously designed set of monsters creating havoc at regular intervals.
Los Angeles Times
pressIf you're not in the mood for messages or social commentary, however, "Scary Stories" is still fertile enough with its accessible gross-outs and giggle shocks to serviceably add to a legacy of kid-centric mainstream mayhem Del Toro clearly loves.
Time Out
pressThere's a sincere fondness for the power of imagination, one that makes the film more than a nostalgia-delivery device. If only it were scarier.
Vulture
pressThere is absolutely nothing original in Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, which just goes to show that you don't need originality to be effective.
Variety
pressThe emotions of the stories have been lost. We could be watching the standard ghoulish CGI effects that take place in any horror movie of the week.
The New York Times
pressIf Alvin Schwartz's popular "Scary Stories" children's books condensed folklore into an accessible anthology form, "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark," an agreeable bit of fan service, performs a similar gateway function for movies.
Scary stories for children
The Geets (greats): A somewhat forgettable entry into Horror anthology series which does bring some elements of adventure. I wasn't aware that it is based on the classic Horror anthology series, but given the direction of most movies coming out these days I'm not surprised. This movie does a satisfactory job of maintaining some level of anticipation and...
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