Very well executed

One of my all time favorites.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

A young boy, facing impending surgery on his eyes to try to stave off blindness, wanders his quiet London borough.The only problem is he believes that a slasher is stalking blind women....The last time I heard anything about this movie, was when it was released in 1991, the film had a limited release, and I never heard of it again, much like an Ex who I owed money to.I found the film the other night on MGM HD, and just had to kill the curiosities I had when I was 13.And the film didn't disappoint at all, in fact it threw me a right doozy within the first hour. When we start the film, Lucas is surrounded by blind people (one of whom is played by the woman who played Cassandra in'Only Fools...'), one whom in particular is very beautiful, which the director noted, as sh is the only one who doesn't wear glasses.So far it's eerie, and has a very 'don't look now' feel about it. Bu then we have the inclusion of a man who carries a razor to cut blind people up for no good reason.Could it be David Thewlis?, could it be the weird looking window cleaner? Could it be the Ice Cream man? It's not the Mcgann brother who was good in Paper mask, surely?....And then the film takes a very 'Cabinet of Dr. Caligari' turn, it turns out that this was some sort of delusion from the main character, who is losing his sight, and as it turns out, his mind to some extent.The title reads differently now doesn't it?.....With this movie, the director has turned it from some quaffable slasher pic, to something intriguing, and sometimes that tense, you won't want knitting needles in the same room as a child ever again.The performances are first rate, especially from the the boy who played Lucas, and the Girl who played Rose.The rest of the cast are good also, but these two stand out, particularly when you realise they haven't really done anything this big since.A strange, dystopia of a film, heavily dated thanks to the fact that us Brits couldn't part from yuppies at this time, but a film to keep you guessing until the very end.

I do agree with several of the reviews, in that the story is choppy, and the perspective of the boy, played by Ben Kwyworth, is often disjointed and patchy.However, there are a few intriguing scenes, and interesting cinematography. What does the world look like to a blind person? What does it feel like? I imagine that was a point the director was attempting to get across.Yes, the scene with the golden retriever, Toby was awful. But can a blind person imagine that, the dog jumping through the window was possibly a menace? If he were indeed blind, this could be possible.The wedding scenes were annoying and not really essential to the film. A few strange scenes where the boy is friendly with the young bride Rose, and he sees how she is patronized, as the ice cream man stares down her dress and tells her to eat all her ice cream as it will fill her out (She, being blind, is unaware her blouse is partially open).This is not a bad film, if you are patient. Do not expect action and American explosions and violence 8/10.

Young Lucas, an adventurous young boy, is seen as a fearless creature who seems to be in the wrong place, at the wrong time. When we first meet him, he accompanies his mother to a sort of care center for the blind. There are reports of a slasher that is cutting the faces of some of the blind people that attend the center. When he follows one of the women, who leaves nearby, he watches in horror as her face is slashed by the intruder. Lucas flees to the cemetery nearby, where he likes to play. It's at this point that we realize something is wrong with Lucas, who ends up spying on his half sister posing for a photographer.Then, everything changes.The mere reality is that everything one has witnessed is just not so. The fact is that Lucas is going blind if he doesn't have the operation to save his sight. His loving parents, Frank and Miriam, are ecstatic because they are expecting another baby, something that doesn't play well in the young boy's mind. Lucas, who probably feels jealousy toward the unborn baby, thinks of ways of dealing with the intrusion in his life. His obsession with knitting needles prove to be a dangerous proposition.Mark Peploe, who co-wrote the screen play, creates a film that will be disorienting for a lot of viewers, but which ultimately, satisfy the ones that stay close to the story. There are many indications the first section of the movie is just how Lucas' mind work, just the opposite of what one sees on the screen.Ben Keyworth, who plays young Lucas, is perfect for the role. He makes the most of his Lucas, by just being where he is. This boy is an enigma who is not immediately understood and has to assert himself. James Fox and Fanny Ardant play the parents. The supporting cast does fine under Mr. Peploe's direction."Afraid of the Dark" is a film that makes the viewer think because it's not what one sees what's really is going in Lucas' mind.

Psychological horror stories often rely on clichéd images and stories to evoke terror from the audience. A notable exception is the film "Afraid of the Dark" which stars Ben Keyworth as an 11 year old boy who struggles with morbid fears of going blind, as well as fears of a stalker in the streets of London who preys on the blind. This moody thriller has a convoluted story and abstract pace that make it difficult to decipher, but the movie is worth the effort due to it's subtle horror that is mesmerizing! This one ferments in the psyche long after viewing. Keyworth is joined by a strong cast including Fanny Ardent, and James Fox, but Keyworth is the true strength of the film. His intense demeanor is riveting!