The Terrifying Netflix Supernatural Horror Inspired By Classic Anthology Series
When those of us of a certain age look back at our early days blossoming into horror lovers, there’s likely one gateway series of books that stands out among the rest. The three-title anthology, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, penned by Alvin Schwartz with unsettling and trauma-inducing images drawn by Stephen Gammell, took kids of the ‘80s and ‘90s on tales of darkness with every turn of the page. Ushering in one of the best adaptations we’ve seen in recent years, filmmaker André Øvredal joined forces with Guillermo del Toro in 2019 to bring the monsters to life in a movie version based on the book which you can now see in all of its chilling detail on Netflix.
A Powerhouse Production
That’s right, the director behind last summer’s creature feature, The Last Voyage of the Demeter, and the man known to us as the maestro of monsters really knocked it out of the park with this one. With their powers combined, Øvredal and del Toro did a masterful job of projecting nightmares onto the big screen all while staying true to the original tales first made famous by Schwartz and Gammell. Along with penning the script for Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, which he did alongside Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan, del Toro also served as an executive producer, which is likely why there’s so much of his creative stamp evident on the project.
Old Stories With A Modern Twist
But, before we get too far ahead of ourselves in praising the vision of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark’s leaders (too late!), let’s dive into the stories themselves. Just like the books that came before, the movie serves as an anthology of sorts as each of the main characters finds themselves playing out a different chapter of a book penned by the fabled Sarah Bellows – a local boogeywoman and ghost story of sorts. Many favorites from the books that inspired the movie can be found woven throughout from the Scarecrow to a spider bite legend, and more.
Crafting Lore Through Classic Standalone Stories
Essentially, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark follows a group of friends who stumble upon Sarah Bellows’ bewitched book, finding themselves as part of the fresh pages now penned in blood. On a mission for the truth, the gang tries to uncover what really happened to Sarah before it’s too late. Ultimately, the film leaves viewers on a cliffhanger, which has long been hoped to be turned into franchise – or at least a sequel – territory for half a decade.
An Unbelievable Roster Of Talent
Blending up-and-coming young stars with big-league actors like Dean Norris (Breaking Bad) and Gil Bellows (The Shawshank Redemption), Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark features performances from the likes of Zoe Colletti (The Family Plan), Austin Abrams (Euphoria), Michael Garza (The Hunger Games: Mocking Jay – Part One), Gabriel Rush (No Letting Go), and Austin Zajur (Student Body).
Stream Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark On Netflix
GFR SCORE
Raking in an impressive $104.5 million against its $25-28 million production budget, the popularity of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is obvious by its financial gains alone. On our end, we give the movie high praise for sticking close to the source material, its performances from the young and seasoned actors alike, and the monsters expertly crafted to haunt our nightmares. While the script can be a bit cheesy and repetitive in some places, this is definitely one for audiences to check out while it’s still available on Netflix.
