Ночные истории для рассказа в темноте

Фильм

Страшные истории для рассказа в темноте

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, Канада, США, Китай, 2019

О фильме В ролях Отзывы (37)Похожие

Захватывающий фильм ужасов от продюсера Гильермо дель Торо

Культовую «ужасную трилогию» американского литератора Элвина Шварца поставил Андре Эвредаль — режиссер фильмов «Охотники на троллей» и «Демон внутри». Классический хеллоуинский сюжет вертится вокруг школьников, нашедших странную книгу, истории в которой пишутся сами собой, а затем сбываются. Учитывая, что материал шварцевских книг — многочисленные городские легенды, то и волшебная книга, вероятно, привнесет множество ловко выдуманных и разнообразных монстров.

Продолжительность1 час 48 минут

Дата выхода8 августа 2019

Дата выхода в России8 августа 2019

Возрастное ограничение16+

Самые ожидаемые события

Рецензия «Афиши» на фильм «Страшные истории для рассказа в темноте»

6

Ретрохоррор по мотивам детских страшилок

На Хэллоуин 1968 года в маленьком пенсильванском городке старшеклассница Стелла (Зои Коллетти), фанатка хоррора в больших очках, и двое ее таких же нескладных друзей (Остин Зажур и Гэбриел Раш) решают забросать какашками местных хулиганов. Спасаясь, они залезают в машину к отважному мексиканскому юноше Рамону (Майкл Гарза), а потом уже вместе с ним отправляются в дом с привидениями: в конце XIX века жившее там семейство фабрикантов держало взаперти девочку Сару, с которой что‑то было не в порядке: та через стенку зачитывала окрестным детям страшные истории, и дети вскоре умирали.

«Страшные истории» — антология страшилок для младшего и среднего школьного возраста, которую по мотивам городских легенд сочинил писатель Элвин Шварц и издал в трех томах в 1980-е — начале 1990-х. Насколько можно судить, в Америке эти книжки, снабженные к тому же удачными (и правда очень страшными) иллюстрациями, были и остаются чрезвычайно популярны; по крайней мере, всяческие ассоциации озабоченных родителей неоднократно пытались их запретить или хотя бы изъять из школьных библиотек. Экранизацию собирался снимать Гильермо дель Торо, но он в итоге остался лишь продюсером, а режиссером стал норвежец Андре Эвредаль, тоже большой любитель фольклора, на родине поставивший славный фэнтези-мокьюментари «Охотник на троллей», а в Англии — недурной камерный хоррор про морг и ведьм «Демон внутри».

Поскольку книга просто сборник коротеньких, на пару страниц, сказок для костра в пионерлагере, авторы фильма придумали собственный большой сюжет, достаточно элегантно, пусть и не слишком оригинально, вплетя туда эти рассказики. Получились как бы вставные короткометражки — очень тупые и очень эффектные мини-новеллы про монстров: пугало-убийца, страшный прыщ, труп, который требует вернуть его палец, оказавшийся в супе, и все такое прочее. Это, несомненно, лучшее, что есть в фильме.

В остальном же тут в дель-торовской манере лихо перемешаны, как, опять же, в супе, сразу несколько жанров. С одной стороны, история про не в меру любопытных подростков-гиков а-ля 80-е (или «Очень странные дела», если угодно). С другой, тин-фантастика в духе «Пункта назначения». С третьей, готический хоррор со встроенной самокритикой, как теперь принято, всего готического. С четвертой, нежное ретро про конец 60-х: автомобильные кинотеатры, где крутят «Ночь живых мертвецов», психоделическая песенка Донована в исполнении сперва автора, а потом (на финальных титрах) Ланы Дель Рей, и так далее; забавно, что действие «Историй» разворачивается за считанные месяцы до действия выходящего у нас одновременно «Однажды… в Голливуде».

И, конечно, тут есть политика, без которой дель Торо тоже трудно представить. На заднем плане (но очень настойчиво) идут выборы горе-президента Ричарда Никсона, чем‑то неуловимо напоминающего нынешнего. Вьетнамская война не только фон, но и важный элемент сюжета. Героя мексиканского происхождения оскорбляют на национальной почве злые подростки и офицер полиции. Капиталисты оказываются такими же чудовищами, как, собственно, чудовища. От взрослых вообще ничего хорошего не жди: главную героиню, например, в детстве бросил даже не папа, как обычно, а для разнообразия мама.

Все это неизменно мило и по большей части несколько пластмассово. Эвредаль — техничный режиссер, и отдельные кусочки вроде бы довольно страшные, не стоит верить мягкому подростковому рейтингу (чего стоит улыбчивая женщина в коридоре или составной человек). Но фильм в целом слишком эклектичный, слишком дробный, слишком знакомый и слишком вылизанный, чтобы залезть под кожу, испугать по-настоящему. «Истории» напоминают, что монстры, когда ты ребенок (хотя герои не то чтобы дети, и тут тоже есть некоторая несуразность), поджидают тебя повсюду: дома, когда родители уехали, в школе, а тем более в полицейском участке или в психушке. Но повсюду и маркетологи, готовые упаковать твои кошмары в нейтральную упаковку, впихнуть дюжину и без церемоний толкнуть тебя в очередь на сиквел.

9«Это не ты читаешь книгу, это книга читает тебя»

«Это не ты читаешь книгу, это книга читает тебя» – эти слова одного из главных героев фильма «Страшные истории для рассказов в темноте» вполне характеризуют всё, что происходит на экране.
Действительно, по сюжету этого ужастика описанные в таинственной, мистической книге монстры воплощаются в реальности под воздействием своего рода магии оживляющих их людей. И это отличная кино-метафора, показывающая, что человеческие страхи и фобии оживают только после проговаривания их вслух. А для того, чтобы спастись от преследующего, воплощённого в реальности кошмара требуется всего лишь побороть свой страх. Но вот это «всего лишь» для большинства – непреодолимое препятствие…
Фильм структурно подразделяется на несколько историй, в каждой из которых свой герой-подросток и свой монстр. Особенно шикарной мне показалась линия Бледной леди с воплощённым ужасом для арахнофобов (да, я сама боюсь пауков, поэтому смотреть, замирая, на тысячи атакующих членистоногих – это особого рода щекочущая «пикантность»).
Среди актёров я бы выделила игру Зои Маргарет Коллетти. Это девчонка, которая и втянула ребят во всю эту заварушку с монстрам – я её помню по фильму «Энни». И это типичный такой образ вечно ищущей приключения на свою пятую точку девушки, без ложной скромности отмечу, что чем-то похожа на меня=). Ну и, конечно, порадовал Дин Норрис, который после своей поистине звёздной роли полицейского из сериала «Во все тяжкие» в особом представлении не нуждается.
Что же в итоге? А в итоге получается, что «Страшные истории для рассказов в темноте» – один из тех по-настоящему пугающих фильмов, которые занимают достойное место в ряду американских хорроров. Впрочем, кто-то сомневается в том, что фильм, сделанный под руководством Гильермо дель Торо, может быть нестрашным?

1

Ходили с подругой в день премьеры. Очень многообещающе выглядета афиша. Сюжет небанальный, что-то новенькое, но вот штампы… Собраны все клише этого жарна. Знаешь, что случится дальше, предсказуемо. Монстры очень смешные чудики, совершенно не внушают страх. Много моментов, в которых я смеялась над ними. Затянуто и высосано из пальца. К финалу абсурдность происходящего возросла, развязка неинтересная.

8

Я бы в жизни не подумала, что выползу из кинозала под таким впечатлением от ужастика. То есть, обычно ничего кроме хихиканья и шуточек такое жанровое кино у меня не вызывает, а тут прямо за сердце прихватывало в некоторых сценах.
Суть сюжета сложно передать в двух словах. Есть такая книга с историями про монстров, которые оживают, если к ним обратиться. Они и ожили на беду группы подростков, которые сначала не верят, что всякого рода кошмарусы существуют на самом деле…
Очень сильный фильм, рекомендую посмотреть эти «Страшные истории», о которых вы потом точно не захотите рассказывать в темноте.

2Хотите выйти с недоумевающим лицом после сеанса, что за г.. вы посмотрели, идите обязательно!

Уныло и грустно. Давно не писал ничего, но тут бомбануло. Вот никогда бы не подумал, что будет привлечено такое количество «ручных» ценителей кино, с просьбой поставить 9 баллов этому безобразию. Тут не то, что испугаться, досидеть бы до конца этого творения норвежского режиссера. Сходите, и вспомните этот отзыв. Напишите свой, остановите проплаченные!

1

Не знаю почему такой рейтинг и почему такие коментарии, но я не советую идти на этот фильм. Только для домашнего просмотра. Сюжет не банаден … соглашусь, но игра и истрии совершенно не захватывают. Может не хватает досказанности, мистики и тд.

Все отзывы

Группа подростков, скрываясь от школьного хулигана на Хэллоуин, встречает заезжего мексиканского паренька Рамона и недолго думая ведёт его к местной достопримечательности — «дому с привидениями», в котором когда-то жила семья злобных капиталистов, чья дочь сошла с ума и начала травить детей в городе. Её душа, по легенде, до сих пор живёт в доме и, если её попросить, может рассказать гостю одну из своих страшных историй, после которой тот непременно отправится в мир иной. Рамон, человек наблюдательный и смекалистый, обнаруживает в доме потаённую комнату, которую никто раньше не находил. Там девочка Стелла, wannabe-писатель и жертва комплексов, находит книгу той самой сумасшедшей девочки с историями, написанными детской кровью. Стелла берёт книгу домой, и вскоре страшилки из неё начинают претворяться в жизнь.

Шестидесятые, дамы и господа, снова в моде: в одну неделю в мировом прокате объявилось сразу две картины, кардинально разными способами, но с одинаковой ностальгической слёзкой у глаз возвращающие нам старые-добрые. В обоих случаях — с сильно заметной ревизионистской оптикой, в обоих случаях — с громкими именами за пазухой. Первый, конечно же, Тарантино со своим «Однажды… в Голливуде», второй — несколько затерявшийся на фоне первого (а кто бы тут не затерялся) — Гильермо дель Торо с продюсерским проектом «Страшные истории для рассказа в темноте». Хоррором с инструментарием детской страшилки и амбициями манифестального среза эпохи.

Дель Торо и режиссёр Андре Овредал — неплохой, но откровенно здесь наёмный постановщик «Демона внутри» и «Охотников на троллей» — работают примерно в пространстве Джеймса Вана, но, к счастью, не сваливаются в подражательство его эстетике, в последние годы откровенно доминирующей над жанром условно «глупого» хоррора. «Страшные истории для рассказа в темноте», вторя своему игривому названию, обращаются скорее к традиции Р.Л. Стайна и прочих детских ужастиков, впитавших в себя городские легенды и героев тех полуночных мифов, что дети так любят рассказывать друг другу перед сном. Собственно, магистральный сюжет фильма — челночный бег между такими вот ожившими историями. Эдакая серьёзная версия Goosebumps, где вместо йети и милых садовых гномиков — инфернальные чудовища прямиком из больной фантазии Стефана Геммела (иллюстратора оригинальных книг, чьи дизайны монстров Овредал с дель Торо перенесли почти досконально).

Как и всё те же Goosebumps, «Страшные истории» строят над обособленными страшилками единый нарратив, связывают их в одну большую метаисторию. Но в остальном они абсолютно точно следуют их эстетике: всё те же знакомые приёмы, всё те же лица, характеры и страхи. Которые, как ни странно, работают — оказывается, даже самую вторичную историю можно развернуть интересно, если у вас есть хороший рассказчик, а герои хотя бы в трёх случаях из пяти ведут себя как живые люди.

«Страшным историям» не хватает разве что банальной выразительной смелости: все встречи с монстрами и прочие громкие «бу» интересны концептуально (бесконечный кукурузный лабиринт, зеркальный мир, где героиня примеряет другую личность), но они будто боятся развить идею чуть дальше простого концепта, спеша перейти к следующей главе и следующему «бу». Фильм вообще очень неусидчивый — он вечно скачет от событию к события и без лишних раздумий сметает с пути персонажей ещё до того, как зритель поймёт, что к чему.

Освободившийся хронометраж Овредал и дель Торо используют своеобразно: их «Страшные истории» с навязчивой регулярностью напоминают зрителям, что на дворе вообще-то закат 60-х, Никсон вот-вот пойдёт на второй срок, а во Вьетнаме бушует кровавая война. Радиоволны бубнят смыслы, по телевизору им вторит лучезарная улыбка консервативного президента — и всё это до поры до времени выглядит лишним, странным, коряво привязанным к совершенно неполитической истории о детях, которых терроризирует старая книга. Даже тот факт, что один из героев — призывник-уклонист, скорее работает как источник инстинктивного страха, чем как какое-либо заявление.

Заявление будет потом: почти что в самом конце «Страшные истории» вдруг произносят нарочито двусмысленную речь о том, как важно не скрывать правду и не копить в себе праведный гнев, а горько-сладкий финал в том числе намекает, что страна, в отличие от главных героев, ничему не научилась. Хорошо, Гильермо, не уверены, что это было необходимо, но мы тебя выслушали — а теперь иди и сними уже чёртовы «Хребты безумия».

С 8 августа в кино.

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Причины посмотреть Факты О фильме

Продолжительность
1 час 48 минут

Год выпуска
2019

Премьера в России
8 августа 2019

Премьера онлайн
22 октября 2019

Премьера в мире
8 августа 2019

Возраст
16+

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	André Øvredal
Screenplay by	Dan Hageman Kevin Hageman
Story by	Guillermo del Toro Patrick Melton Marcus Dunstan
Based on	Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz
Produced by	Guillermo del Toro Sean Daniel Jason F. Brown J. Miles Dale Elizabeth Grave
Starring	Zoe Colletti Michael Garza Gabriel Rush Austin Zajur Natalie Ganzhorn Austin Abrams Dean Norris Gil Bellows Lorraine Toussaint
Cinematography	Roman Osin
Edited by	Patrick Larsgaard
Music by	Marco Beltrami Anna Drubich
Production companies	CBS Films Entertainment One 1212 Entertainment Double Dare You Productions Sean Daniel Company
Distributed by	Lionsgate (United States) Entertainment One (Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Austria, Benelux and Spain)[1]
Release date	August 23, 2019 (United States)
Running time	108 minutes[2]
Countries	United States Canada
Language	English
Budget	$25–28 million[3][4]
Box office	$104.5 million[3]

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is a 2019 horror film directed by André Øvredal, based on the children’s book series of the same name by Alvin Schwartz. The screenplay was adapted by The Hageman Brothers, from a screen story by producer Guillermo del Toro, as well as Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan. The film, an international co-production of the United States and Canada, stars Zoe Colletti, Michael Garza, Gabriel Rush, Austin Zajur, Natalie Ganzhorn, Austin Abrams, Dean Norris, Gil Bellows, and Lorraine Toussaint.^[5][6]

In 2013, CBS Films acquired the rights to the book series from 1212 Entertainment^[7] with the intent of producing it as a feature film. By January 2016 it was announced that del Toro would develop and potentially direct the project for CBS Films. Øvredal was later set to direct the film, with del Toro, Daniel, Brown, and Grave being among the producers. Principal photography commenced on August 27, 2018, and ended on November 1, 2018, in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark was theatrically released on August 23, 2019, in the United States by Lionsgate. The film was well received by critics with praise for its depictions of the horror features from its source material, and went on to gross $106 million at the box office.

Plot[edit]

On Halloween 1968, in the Pennsylvania town of Mill Valley, three teenagers, Stella, Auggie, and Chuck, prank bully Tommy Milner. When Tommy and his gang chase them in retaliation, the three take refuge in the car of young drifter Ramón Morales. They conclude Halloween by visiting the supposedly haunted former home of the wealthy Bellows family, who owned the local paper mill. Inside, they find a book of horror stories written by Sarah Bellows, the Bellows’ young daughter who was accused of witchcraft when the town’s children mysteriously began to die; she allegedly committed suicide. Tommy locks the group inside along with Ruth, Chuck’s sister. They escape, and Stella takes Sarah’s book.

Back home, Stella discovers that a new story, entitled «Harold,» has appeared on a page that was blank moments before. In a nearby cornfield, an inebriated Tommy is stalked by the titular Harold, his family’s scarecrow, after it comes to life. He notices that Harold continuously moves towards his location. Harold starts walking towards him; Tommy bolts. But when he runs smack into Harold, the creature stabs him with a pitchfork, causing Tommy to vomit hay and undergo a violent transformation. Tommy is reported missing; Stella and Ramón find Harold dressed in Tommy’s clothes. Stella is convinced that Tommy has been turned into a scarecrow.

A new story titled «The Big Toe» appears; the protagonist, Auggie, is kidnapped by a corpse searching for its missing toe, which is inside a stew that Auggie unwittingly eats. Auggie is then dragged under his bed by the corpse and disappears. After the remaining friends vainly attempt to destroy the book, they research Sarah’s life. A new story, «The Red Spot», is written. Ruth is sitting in the backstage room, getting her makeup ready for the play, starts poking at a swollen spider bite on her cheek, which explodes and releases hundreds of tiny spiders. Ruth is rescued but is traumatized, and the play is cancelled.

The group’s investigation takes them to the elderly Lou Lou Baptiste and they learn that Sarah did not die in the Bellows’ House, like many believed, she hanged herself in the hospital where her brother, Dr. Ephraim Bellows, was her doctor. They head to a local hospital, where they discover that Sarah’s brother performed electroshock therapy on her as part of a cover-up and to get Sarah to confess to killing the children. The family’s mill had been poisoning the town’s water with mercury, leading to the deaths of the town’s children and Sarah was tortured by her family for trying to reveal the truth. To avoid suspicion, they blamed her for the deed. Chuck, while trying to evade hospital security, accidentally triggers an alarm, bathing the hallways in red light. Stella begins to narrate a story with Chuck as the main character. Chuck is then attacked and cornered by the Pale Lady, a phantom from his nightmares, who absorbs him.

Stella and Ramón are arrested for trespassing by Police Chief Turner, who reveals that Ramón is a Vietnam War draft dodger. Ramón reveals that it was out of fear after his brother enlisted and his dead body was returned to them in pieces. A head falls down the chimney; more body parts follow. Ramón realizes that the next creature is called the Jangly Man, a monster from a story called Me-Tai-Do-Tee-Walker that frightened him as a child. The Jangly Man snaps Turner’s neck; Ramón and Stella escape and run to the Bellows house for answers. Stella is taken back in time while Ramón tries to evade the Jangly Man. Living out Sarah’s experience of the torture, Stella promises Sarah that she will tell the truth of her innocence if she stops harming people. Stella writes down the true story in blood, and Sarah and all of her monsters vanish.

Stella writes the truth about Sarah’s life in the papers, keeping her promise. Ramón accepts his enlistment and shares an emotional goodbye with Stella before he leaves for the war. With Ruth recovered, Stella states that she will find a way to rescue Chuck and Auggie.

Cast[edit]

Production[edit]

In 2013, CBS Films acquired the rights to the Alvin Schwartz’s children’s book series Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark from 1212 Entertainment,^[7] with the intent of producing it as a potential feature film.^[8] It was announced in 2014 that writer John August had been set to pen a film version.^[9]

On January 14, 2016, it was announced that Guillermo del Toro would develop the film, as well as possibly direct, and that he would also produce along with Sean Daniel, Jason Brown, and Elizabeth Grave, with Roberto Grande and Joshua Long executive producing.^[7][10] In February 2016, CBS Films hired screenwriting brothers duo Dan and Kevin Hageman to polish the draft written by August.^[11] In December 2017, it was reported that André Øvredal would direct the film.^[12] The Hagemans received final screenplay credit, with del Toro, Patrick Melton, and Marcus Dunstan receiving «story by» credit. CBS Films co-financed with Entertainment One.^[1]

In August 2018, Zoe Colletti, Michael Garza, Austin Abrams, Gabriel Rush, Austin Zajur, and Natalie Ganzhorn joined the cast.^[13][14][15] In September 2018, Dean Norris, Gil Bellows, Lorraine Toussaint, and Javier Botet were added as well.^[16][17] Principal photography commenced on August 27, 2018, and ended on November 1, 2018, in Hamilton, Ontario.^[18][19]

In July 2019, at the San Diego Comic-Con, del Toro explained why Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark was not produced as an anthology film:

«When we started talking about this about five years ago, I had to think about it … Anthology films are always as bad as the worst story in them — they’re never as good as the best story…^[20] I remembered in Pan’s Labyrinth, I created a book called ‘the Book of Crossroads’. I thought it could be great if we had a book that reads you, and it writes what you’re most afraid of. Then the theme became stories we tell each other.»^[20][21]

Music[edit]

The film features an original score by composers Marco Beltrami and Anna Drubich.^[22] In addition to the original music, period songs from the 60s are heard in the film, such as «Season of the Witch» by Donovan, which plays during the film’s opening.^[23]

A cover of «Season of the Witch» by musician Lana Del Rey is heard in the closing credits to the film and was featured in a trailer for the film. While talking about his choice to have Del Rey sing the cover for the film, del Toro stated, «I have admired Lana’s music for a while now and felt in my gut that she would run with ‘Season of the Witch’ – that she would use her alchemy to transform it. She is a great artist and has been an amazing partner with us in this adventure. It is an honor for me to have met her.»^[24] Del Rey’s version of the song was released for digital download and streaming on August 9, the same day as the film’s premiere. Mirko Parlevliet of Vital Thrills praised the pairing of Del Rey’s sound and the film’s vintage aesthetic.^[25] Savannah Sicurella of Paste stated, «Del Rey managed to capture the prickly, macabre feeling of the popular Alvin Schwartz stories on which the film was based.»^[26]

Marketing[edit]

The first footage of the film premiered during Super Bowl LIII.^[27] The first trailer was released on March 28, 2019, and the second on June 3, 2019. On August 5, 2019, a third trailer was released, featuring a cover version of the Donovan song «Season of the Witch», by Lana Del Rey, performed for the film’s soundtrack.^[28] All-in-all, the studio spent over $20 million promoting the film.^[4]

Release[edit]

Theatrical[edit]

The film was originally set to be theatrically released in the United States on August 9, 2019, by CBS Films via Lionsgate, but the film was pushed back two weeks later, to August 23.^[29][30]

Home media[edit]

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark was released in the US on digital download by Lionsgate Home Entertainment on October 22, 2019, and also on Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD on November 5.^[31]

Reception[edit]

Box office[edit]

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark grossed $68.9 million in the United States and Canada, and $35.6 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $104.5 million.^[3]

In the United States and Canada, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark was released alongside The Kitchen, Dora and the Lost City of Gold, The Art of Racing in the Rain, and Brian Banks, and was projected to gross $15–17 million from 3,000 theaters in its opening weekend.^[32][33] The film made $8.8 million on its first day, including $2.33 million from Thursday night previews. It went on to debut to $20.8 million, finishing second, behind holdover Hobbs & Shaw.^[4] It dropped 52% in its second weekend to $10.1 million, finishing fifth.^[34]

Critical response[edit]

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 77% based on 233 reviews, with an average rating of 6.4/10. The site’s critical consensus reads, «Like the bestselling series of books that inspired it, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark opens a creepy gateway into horror for younger genre enthusiasts.»^[35] Metacritic gave the film a weighted average score of 61 out of 100, based on 33 critics, indicating «generally favorable reviews.»^[36] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of «C» on an A+ to F scale, while those at PostTrak gave it an average 3 out of 5 stars and a 53% «definite recommend.»^[4]

Owen Gleiberman of Variety wrote that «the movie faithfully re-creates the peak moments of half a dozen of Schwartz’ most popular stories,» but «doesn’t totally embrace the Gammell vision,» referring to the infamy of the illustrations in the original book series.^[37] Ben Kenigsberg of The New York Times called the film «an agreeable bit of fan service.»^[38]

Keith Uhlich of The Hollywood Reporter conversely termed it a «lackluster adaptation,» adding that the monsters depicted in the film are «scary,» though «they’d be much more so if they felt less like franchisable IP and more like fervent expressions of the ills of the eras on which the film aims to comment.»^[39] William Bibbiani of Bloody Disgusting wrote that the film «often works very well for several, breathless minutes at a time. But in between those excellent scares there’s a lot of filler, a lot of perfunctory plotting and a lot of mediocre character development.»^[40] Alan Jacques of Limerick Post gave the film two points out of five and stated «This movie is definitely not meant for a pre-teen audience. There are one or two genuinely creepy moments that would leave your precious nippers sleeping with the lights on until they finish college…. For a young audience coming to horror for the first time, this isn’t a bad place to start, but for anyone with a real appreciation of the genre this might feel rather dull and unoriginal.»^[41] In his review for The Verge, Noah Berlatsky stated «…Scary Stories is remarkably insightful and sober in its assessment of the way stories control people, rather than the other way around. Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was supposed to be the summer’s virtuoso meta-fiction, but its rewritten happy ending, musing on the impotence of writing, seems a lot less bleak than Scary Stories’ acknowledgment that some scripts will take you far away where you’ll never be seen again.»^[42]

Tomris Laffly of RogerEbert.com gave the movie three stars out of four, stating «Still, Scary Stories is a strangely uplifting throwback to old-fashioned clans of investigative teens. While it doesn’t break any new ground, there is plenty of vintage fun to be had with kids who feel their way through life’s impending fears and live to tell the tale.»^[43] Writing for The Guardian, Simran Hans gave the film three stars out of five, noting «Producer and co-writer Guillermo del Toro brings Alvin Schwartz’s much-loved children’s book series to the big screen, but this uneven film can’t decide who it’s trying to scare.»^[44] The New Yorker‘s Richard Brody mentioned «There’s authentic charm to the fine-grained didacticism of the plot of “Scary Stories,” which embodies the very virtues that it promotes. In the process of displaying the redemptive power of factual knowledge, however, the movie flattens and tames the power of imagination.»^[45] David Ehrlich of IndieWire added «André Øvredal’s film adaptation, as clever and well-crafted as it is, can’t help but invert the formula that the source material relied upon for its success. Here is an R-rated concept that’s been watered down until it passed for a PG-13 movie; it’s plenty harrowing and full of gruesome effects, but it never feels dangerous.»^[46] The Atlantic‘s Julie Beck noted «The best scary stories do that—they get under your skin and emerge again and again. (The worms crawl in, the worms crawl out.) Scary Stories the movie just bounces right off.»^[47]

David Fear of Rolling Stone gave the movie three stars out of five, commenting «It’s all a lot of chain-rattling, black-cat-screeching fun, though not such a blast that you don’t notice how generic and ramshackle the whole endeavor feels… The pity is that Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark will mostly be seen by jaded genre completists and nostalgic fortysomethings. Wrong demographic. You owe it to your kids to take them to this. It’s training-wheels horror done right.»^[48] Aja Romano of Vox gave the film three and half points out of five and wrote «…the film leans all the way into the chance to tell a story beset with cultural anxieties of the past that strongly mirror those of the present. It’s far more like a classic piece of young adult fiction than the juvenile fiction it’s adapting; its focus isn’t on kids, but on teens who are coming of age in a turbulent, complicated, and often maliciously unjust world. Their supernatural monsters, in contrast, are culled from juvenile fears and fantasies. The resulting folkloric aesthetic makes Scary Stories’ brand of fantasy all the more effective as fun visual horror. But on a thematic level, it creates a discordance with the film’s more adult social horrors, and the two elements never quite unify.»^[49] A.A. Dowd of The A.V. Club gave the film B grade and wrote «Like scouts huddled around a campfire, each trying to send a bigger chill down the others’ spines, Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark keeps coming up with new gruesome attractions, piling one on top of the next. Yet as gross and spooky and, yes, occasionally frightening as these terror tactics get, they never quite cross over into the deep end of truly grown-up horror.»^[50] The Times of India’s Neil Soans gave the film three stars out of five, noting «The screenplay ends up as a jumble of unexplored ideas onscreen rather than a cohesive narrative. However, if you only enjoy horror films for creepy monsters, you’ll manage to get a kick or two.»^[51]

Accolades[edit]

Sequel[edit]

On April 23, 2020, it was announced that a sequel to the film is officially in development, with Øvredal returning to direct and Paramount Pictures (who absorbed CBS Films as part of the Viacom/CBS re-merger) distributing.^[53][54][55] Zoe Colletti, Michael Garza, Natalie Ganzhorn, and Dean Norris are set to reprise their roles with Dan and Kevin Hageman returning as writers and Guillermo del Toro returning as producer.

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Official website
• Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark at IMDb
• Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark at Rotten Tomatoes

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	André Øvredal
Screenplay by	Dan Hageman Kevin Hageman
Story by	Guillermo del Toro Patrick Melton Marcus Dunstan
Based on	Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz
Produced by	Guillermo del Toro Sean Daniel Jason F. Brown J. Miles Dale Elizabeth Grave
Starring	Zoe Colletti Michael Garza Gabriel Rush Austin Zajur Natalie Ganzhorn Austin Abrams Dean Norris Gil Bellows Lorraine Toussaint
Cinematography	Roman Osin
Edited by	Patrick Larsgaard
Music by	Marco Beltrami Anna Drubich
Production companies	CBS Films Entertainment One 1212 Entertainment Double Dare You Productions Sean Daniel Company
Distributed by	Lionsgate (United States) Entertainment One (Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Austria, Benelux and Spain)[1]
Release date	August 23, 2019 (United States)
Running time	108 minutes[2]
Countries	United States Canada
Language	English
Budget	$25–28 million[3][4]
Box office	$104.5 million[3]

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is a 2019 horror film directed by André Øvredal, based on the children’s book series of the same name by Alvin Schwartz. The screenplay was adapted by The Hageman Brothers, from a screen story by producer Guillermo del Toro, as well as Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan. The film, an international co-production of the United States and Canada, stars Zoe Colletti, Michael Garza, Gabriel Rush, Austin Zajur, Natalie Ganzhorn, Austin Abrams, Dean Norris, Gil Bellows, and Lorraine Toussaint.^[5][6]

In 2013, CBS Films acquired the rights to the book series from 1212 Entertainment^[7] with the intent of producing it as a feature film. By January 2016 it was announced that del Toro would develop and potentially direct the project for CBS Films. Øvredal was later set to direct the film, with del Toro, Daniel, Brown, and Grave being among the producers. Principal photography commenced on August 27, 2018, and ended on November 1, 2018, in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark was theatrically released on August 23, 2019, in the United States by Lionsgate. The film was well received by critics with praise for its depictions of the horror features from its source material, and went on to gross $106 million at the box office.

Plot[edit]

On Halloween 1968, in the Pennsylvania town of Mill Valley, three teenagers, Stella, Auggie, and Chuck, prank bully Tommy Milner. When Tommy and his gang chase them in retaliation, the three take refuge in the car of young drifter Ramón Morales. They conclude Halloween by visiting the supposedly haunted former home of the wealthy Bellows family, who owned the local paper mill. Inside, they find a book of horror stories written by Sarah Bellows, the Bellows’ young daughter who was accused of witchcraft when the town’s children mysteriously began to die; she allegedly committed suicide. Tommy locks the group inside along with Ruth, Chuck’s sister. They escape, and Stella takes Sarah’s book.

Back home, Stella discovers that a new story, entitled «Harold,» has appeared on a page that was blank moments before. In a nearby cornfield, an inebriated Tommy is stalked by the titular Harold, his family’s scarecrow, after it comes to life. He notices that Harold continuously moves towards his location. Harold starts walking towards him; Tommy bolts. But when he runs smack into Harold, the creature stabs him with a pitchfork, causing Tommy to vomit hay and undergo a violent transformation. Tommy is reported missing; Stella and Ramón find Harold dressed in Tommy’s clothes. Stella is convinced that Tommy has been turned into a scarecrow.

A new story titled «The Big Toe» appears; the protagonist, Auggie, is kidnapped by a corpse searching for its missing toe, which is inside a stew that Auggie unwittingly eats. Auggie is then dragged under his bed by the corpse and disappears. After the remaining friends vainly attempt to destroy the book, they research Sarah’s life. A new story, «The Red Spot», is written. Ruth is sitting in the backstage room, getting her makeup ready for the play, starts poking at a swollen spider bite on her cheek, which explodes and releases hundreds of tiny spiders. Ruth is rescued but is traumatized, and the play is cancelled.

The group’s investigation takes them to the elderly Lou Lou Baptiste and they learn that Sarah did not die in the Bellows’ House, like many believed, she hanged herself in the hospital where her brother, Dr. Ephraim Bellows, was her doctor. They head to a local hospital, where they discover that Sarah’s brother performed electroshock therapy on her as part of a cover-up and to get Sarah to confess to killing the children. The family’s mill had been poisoning the town’s water with mercury, leading to the deaths of the town’s children and Sarah was tortured by her family for trying to reveal the truth. To avoid suspicion, they blamed her for the deed. Chuck, while trying to evade hospital security, accidentally triggers an alarm, bathing the hallways in red light. Stella begins to narrate a story with Chuck as the main character. Chuck is then attacked and cornered by the Pale Lady, a phantom from his nightmares, who absorbs him.

Stella and Ramón are arrested for trespassing by Police Chief Turner, who reveals that Ramón is a Vietnam War draft dodger. Ramón reveals that it was out of fear after his brother enlisted and his dead body was returned to them in pieces. A head falls down the chimney; more body parts follow. Ramón realizes that the next creature is called the Jangly Man, a monster from a story called Me-Tai-Do-Tee-Walker that frightened him as a child. The Jangly Man snaps Turner’s neck; Ramón and Stella escape and run to the Bellows house for answers. Stella is taken back in time while Ramón tries to evade the Jangly Man. Living out Sarah’s experience of the torture, Stella promises Sarah that she will tell the truth of her innocence if she stops harming people. Stella writes down the true story in blood, and Sarah and all of her monsters vanish.

Stella writes the truth about Sarah’s life in the papers, keeping her promise. Ramón accepts his enlistment and shares an emotional goodbye with Stella before he leaves for the war. With Ruth recovered, Stella states that she will find a way to rescue Chuck and Auggie.

Cast[edit]

Production[edit]

In 2013, CBS Films acquired the rights to the Alvin Schwartz’s children’s book series Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark from 1212 Entertainment,^[7] with the intent of producing it as a potential feature film.^[8] It was announced in 2014 that writer John August had been set to pen a film version.^[9]

On January 14, 2016, it was announced that Guillermo del Toro would develop the film, as well as possibly direct, and that he would also produce along with Sean Daniel, Jason Brown, and Elizabeth Grave, with Roberto Grande and Joshua Long executive producing.^[7][10] In February 2016, CBS Films hired screenwriting brothers duo Dan and Kevin Hageman to polish the draft written by August.^[11] In December 2017, it was reported that André Øvredal would direct the film.^[12] The Hagemans received final screenplay credit, with del Toro, Patrick Melton, and Marcus Dunstan receiving «story by» credit. CBS Films co-financed with Entertainment One.^[1]

In August 2018, Zoe Colletti, Michael Garza, Austin Abrams, Gabriel Rush, Austin Zajur, and Natalie Ganzhorn joined the cast.^[13][14][15] In September 2018, Dean Norris, Gil Bellows, Lorraine Toussaint, and Javier Botet were added as well.^[16][17] Principal photography commenced on August 27, 2018, and ended on November 1, 2018, in Hamilton, Ontario.^[18][19]

In July 2019, at the San Diego Comic-Con, del Toro explained why Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark was not produced as an anthology film:

«When we started talking about this about five years ago, I had to think about it … Anthology films are always as bad as the worst story in them — they’re never as good as the best story…^[20] I remembered in Pan’s Labyrinth, I created a book called ‘the Book of Crossroads’. I thought it could be great if we had a book that reads you, and it writes what you’re most afraid of. Then the theme became stories we tell each other.»^[20][21]

Music[edit]

The film features an original score by composers Marco Beltrami and Anna Drubich.^[22] In addition to the original music, period songs from the 60s are heard in the film, such as «Season of the Witch» by Donovan, which plays during the film’s opening.^[23]

A cover of «Season of the Witch» by musician Lana Del Rey is heard in the closing credits to the film and was featured in a trailer for the film. While talking about his choice to have Del Rey sing the cover for the film, del Toro stated, «I have admired Lana’s music for a while now and felt in my gut that she would run with ‘Season of the Witch’ – that she would use her alchemy to transform it. She is a great artist and has been an amazing partner with us in this adventure. It is an honor for me to have met her.»^[24] Del Rey’s version of the song was released for digital download and streaming on August 9, the same day as the film’s premiere. Mirko Parlevliet of Vital Thrills praised the pairing of Del Rey’s sound and the film’s vintage aesthetic.^[25] Savannah Sicurella of Paste stated, «Del Rey managed to capture the prickly, macabre feeling of the popular Alvin Schwartz stories on which the film was based.»^[26]

Marketing[edit]

The first footage of the film premiered during Super Bowl LIII.^[27] The first trailer was released on March 28, 2019, and the second on June 3, 2019. On August 5, 2019, a third trailer was released, featuring a cover version of the Donovan song «Season of the Witch», by Lana Del Rey, performed for the film’s soundtrack.^[28] All-in-all, the studio spent over $20 million promoting the film.^[4]

Release[edit]

Theatrical[edit]

The film was originally set to be theatrically released in the United States on August 9, 2019, by CBS Films via Lionsgate, but the film was pushed back two weeks later, to August 23.^[29][30]

Home media[edit]

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark was released in the US on digital download by Lionsgate Home Entertainment on October 22, 2019, and also on Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD on November 5.^[31]

Reception[edit]

Box office[edit]

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark grossed $68.9 million in the United States and Canada, and $35.6 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $104.5 million.^[3]

In the United States and Canada, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark was released alongside The Kitchen, Dora and the Lost City of Gold, The Art of Racing in the Rain, and Brian Banks, and was projected to gross $15–17 million from 3,000 theaters in its opening weekend.^[32][33] The film made $8.8 million on its first day, including $2.33 million from Thursday night previews. It went on to debut to $20.8 million, finishing second, behind holdover Hobbs & Shaw.^[4] It dropped 52% in its second weekend to $10.1 million, finishing fifth.^[34]

Critical response[edit]

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 77% based on 233 reviews, with an average rating of 6.4/10. The site’s critical consensus reads, «Like the bestselling series of books that inspired it, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark opens a creepy gateway into horror for younger genre enthusiasts.»^[35] Metacritic gave the film a weighted average score of 61 out of 100, based on 33 critics, indicating «generally favorable reviews.»^[36] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of «C» on an A+ to F scale, while those at PostTrak gave it an average 3 out of 5 stars and a 53% «definite recommend.»^[4]

Owen Gleiberman of Variety wrote that «the movie faithfully re-creates the peak moments of half a dozen of Schwartz’ most popular stories,» but «doesn’t totally embrace the Gammell vision,» referring to the infamy of the illustrations in the original book series.^[37] Ben Kenigsberg of The New York Times called the film «an agreeable bit of fan service.»^[38]

Keith Uhlich of The Hollywood Reporter conversely termed it a «lackluster adaptation,» adding that the monsters depicted in the film are «scary,» though «they’d be much more so if they felt less like franchisable IP and more like fervent expressions of the ills of the eras on which the film aims to comment.»^[39] William Bibbiani of Bloody Disgusting wrote that the film «often works very well for several, breathless minutes at a time. But in between those excellent scares there’s a lot of filler, a lot of perfunctory plotting and a lot of mediocre character development.»^[40] Alan Jacques of Limerick Post gave the film two points out of five and stated «This movie is definitely not meant for a pre-teen audience. There are one or two genuinely creepy moments that would leave your precious nippers sleeping with the lights on until they finish college…. For a young audience coming to horror for the first time, this isn’t a bad place to start, but for anyone with a real appreciation of the genre this might feel rather dull and unoriginal.»^[41] In his review for The Verge, Noah Berlatsky stated «…Scary Stories is remarkably insightful and sober in its assessment of the way stories control people, rather than the other way around. Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was supposed to be the summer’s virtuoso meta-fiction, but its rewritten happy ending, musing on the impotence of writing, seems a lot less bleak than Scary Stories’ acknowledgment that some scripts will take you far away where you’ll never be seen again.»^[42]

Tomris Laffly of RogerEbert.com gave the movie three stars out of four, stating «Still, Scary Stories is a strangely uplifting throwback to old-fashioned clans of investigative teens. While it doesn’t break any new ground, there is plenty of vintage fun to be had with kids who feel their way through life’s impending fears and live to tell the tale.»^[43] Writing for The Guardian, Simran Hans gave the film three stars out of five, noting «Producer and co-writer Guillermo del Toro brings Alvin Schwartz’s much-loved children’s book series to the big screen, but this uneven film can’t decide who it’s trying to scare.»^[44] The New Yorker‘s Richard Brody mentioned «There’s authentic charm to the fine-grained didacticism of the plot of “Scary Stories,” which embodies the very virtues that it promotes. In the process of displaying the redemptive power of factual knowledge, however, the movie flattens and tames the power of imagination.»^[45] David Ehrlich of IndieWire added «André Øvredal’s film adaptation, as clever and well-crafted as it is, can’t help but invert the formula that the source material relied upon for its success. Here is an R-rated concept that’s been watered down until it passed for a PG-13 movie; it’s plenty harrowing and full of gruesome effects, but it never feels dangerous.»^[46] The Atlantic‘s Julie Beck noted «The best scary stories do that—they get under your skin and emerge again and again. (The worms crawl in, the worms crawl out.) Scary Stories the movie just bounces right off.»^[47]

David Fear of Rolling Stone gave the movie three stars out of five, commenting «It’s all a lot of chain-rattling, black-cat-screeching fun, though not such a blast that you don’t notice how generic and ramshackle the whole endeavor feels… The pity is that Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark will mostly be seen by jaded genre completists and nostalgic fortysomethings. Wrong demographic. You owe it to your kids to take them to this. It’s training-wheels horror done right.»^[48] Aja Romano of Vox gave the film three and half points out of five and wrote «…the film leans all the way into the chance to tell a story beset with cultural anxieties of the past that strongly mirror those of the present. It’s far more like a classic piece of young adult fiction than the juvenile fiction it’s adapting; its focus isn’t on kids, but on teens who are coming of age in a turbulent, complicated, and often maliciously unjust world. Their supernatural monsters, in contrast, are culled from juvenile fears and fantasies. The resulting folkloric aesthetic makes Scary Stories’ brand of fantasy all the more effective as fun visual horror. But on a thematic level, it creates a discordance with the film’s more adult social horrors, and the two elements never quite unify.»^[49] A.A. Dowd of The A.V. Club gave the film B grade and wrote «Like scouts huddled around a campfire, each trying to send a bigger chill down the others’ spines, Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark keeps coming up with new gruesome attractions, piling one on top of the next. Yet as gross and spooky and, yes, occasionally frightening as these terror tactics get, they never quite cross over into the deep end of truly grown-up horror.»^[50] The Times of India’s Neil Soans gave the film three stars out of five, noting «The screenplay ends up as a jumble of unexplored ideas onscreen rather than a cohesive narrative. However, if you only enjoy horror films for creepy monsters, you’ll manage to get a kick or two.»^[51]

Accolades[edit]

Sequel[edit]

On April 23, 2020, it was announced that a sequel to the film is officially in development, with Øvredal returning to direct and Paramount Pictures (who absorbed CBS Films as part of the Viacom/CBS re-merger) distributing.^[53][54][55] Zoe Colletti, Michael Garza, Natalie Ganzhorn, and Dean Norris are set to reprise their roles with Dan and Kevin Hageman returning as writers and Guillermo del Toro returning as producer.

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Official website
• Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark at IMDb
• Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark at Rotten Tomatoes