392. Scary Stories To Tell In the Dark; movie review

SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK
Cert 15
107 mins
BBFC advice: Contains scenes of sustained horror

Kids break into a derelict house which is reputed to be haunted.
When they are there, they pick up a book in which stories telling of their demise start to write themselves.
The premise of Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark has potential but, unfortunately, André Øvredal's movie fails to deliver the scares it promises.
Being set in 1968, it has a backdrop, direction and stilted acting which evoke memories of those old-fashioned B-movies.
Some people enjoy that sort of thing. I am afraid it makes me groan.
The problem with them and Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark is that they could only frighten 11-year-olds and under.
Noting its certificate, I struggle to see it putting the heebeegeebees up many older teenagers.
As for blokes in their mid-50s? Nah.
Øvredal's film stars Zoe Colletti as Stella, Gabriel Rush and Austin Zajur as three geeks who wind up the popular kids and find themselves running with a Vietnam draft avoider (Michael Garza) towards the aforementioned haunted house.
There they alight upon the home of Sarah Bellows, long-dead in infamy for being connected with past murders.
In her room is a book in which stories begin to appear, foretelling of horrors to come.
It's not kidding. many of the cast die in most unusual and gory ways.
Anyway, in between the screams and killings, Stella tries to unravel and solve the story of Sarah before she meets her own grisly fate.
Meanwhile, background newsreels are playing out a Richard Nixon election victory amid the controversy over the Vietnam war.
I suspect none of the above is as nearly scary as the book from which the movie has been adapted.
As a movie, it's not terrible but it made so little impact on me, I won't remember it in a month's time.

Reasons to watch: If you are a fan of B-movie horror
Reasons to avoid: Too much been seen before

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 5/10

Did you know? "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" (1981), "More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" (1984), and "Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones" (1991) all feature folklore tales that were "retold" by Alvin Schwartz. The books were frequently banned from schools and libraries in the 1990s.

Final word. André Øvredal: "It’s a movie about stories, what stories can do, and how stories can good and also be bad. Also, how lies can become true with the right power behind the words. Lies can appear like the truth, and that’s an aspect we really loved pulling from 1968 and today." Slash Film

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