Don't Go to Sleep - Misplaced Pages

1982 television film directed by Richard Lang

Don't Go to Sleep
DVD cover
Genre	Horror Mystery
Written by	Ned Wynn
Directed by	Richard Lang
Starring	Valerie Harper Dennis Weaver Ruth Gordon Robin Ignico Oliver Robins Kristin Cumming
Theme music composer	Dominic Frontiere
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
Production
Executive producers	Douglas S. Cramer Aaron Spelling
Producer	Richard Lang
Production locations	Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA
Cinematography	Chuck Arnold
Editor	Patrick Kennedy
Running time	93 minutes
Production companies	Spelling Television Warner Bros. Television
Original release
Network	ABC
Release	December 10, 1982 (1982-12-10)

Don't Go To Sleep is a 1982 American made-for-television horror film that was produced and directed by Richard Lang. The movie features Dennis Weaver, Valerie Harper, Ruth Gordon, and Robert Webber, and youngsters Kristin Cumming, Robin Ignico, and Oliver Robins.

The film focuses on daughter Mary's encounters with the ghost of her late sister, Jennifer, who perished in a car crash and is out for revenge.

Plot

A family of four including parents, Phillip and Laura, son Kevin and daughter Mary move to a new home; they are accompanied by Grandma Bernice, for whom no one other than Laura cares very much. Mourning the recent loss of daughter Jennifer, the family is looking to put the tragedy behind them and start a new life.

After moving in, Mary hears what sounds like her dead sister's voice calling to her from beneath the bed. When she checks it out, Mary's stunned to find that her sister has returned as a ghost. Jennifer appears to Mary numerous times in secret, ultimately communicating her desire to kill the entire family, except for Mary, as an act of revenge.

Following this revelation from Mary, the family members suffer an assortment of twisted fates: the appearance of Kevin's pet iguana in Grandma Bernice's bed causes the elderly woman to suffer a fatal heart attack; Kevin's attempt to retrieve a Frisbee from the roof results in a deadly fall; the radio Phillip listens to while bathing ends up electrocuting him. Laura barely escapes, injuring her arm.

Based on the belief that she committed the murders, Mary is placed in a mental institution and soon experiences a flashback concerning Jennifer's fate. In the flashback, while riding home from their grandmother's house, Kevin convinces Mary to play a prank on Jennifer and they tie her shoelaces together. Aside from being jealous of their parents' favoritism toward their sister, Kevin and Mary are fed up with Jennifer's constant bullying. When a van collides with their car, everyone except Jennifer manages to escape. She screams for help as Mary runs to inform her father of Jennifer's plight, but Phillip is unable to rescue her before the car bursts into flames. Back in the present, Mary now claims that she is actually Jennifer; the deceased sister has possessed her living sister. Mary screams for Jennifer not to leave and that she "loved her".

Later, as Laura sleeps in her bedroom, she is awakened by a sound at the foot of her bed. Jennifer's ghost pops up and says, "Hi, Mommy." The movie ends with Laura's terrified screams.

Cast

Valerie Harper as Laura
Dennis Weaver as Phillip
Ruth Gordon as Bernice
Oliver Robins as Kevin
Robin Ignico as Mary
Kristin Cumming as Jennifer
Claudette Nevins as Dr. Robin Samuel
Robert Webber as Dr. Cole
Marilyn Coleman as Sarah
Tim Haldeman as the Intern
Haven Earle Haley as the Priest
Ned Wynn as the Paramedic
Ross Porter as the Radio Sportscaster (voice)

Reception

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2020)

Don't Go to Sleep garnered positive reviews upon its initial broadcast, earning praise for its suspense and strong performances. Maitland McDonagh of TV Guide awarded the film three out of five stars, commending the film's acting, screenplay, and suspense, calling it "a tight, genuinely scary made-for-TV thriller". Todd Martin from HorrorNews.net offered similar praise for the performances, suspense, and script, as well as the film's ominous tone, and soundtrack. Brian Collins, in a retrospective on Birth.Movies.Death, lauded the film's scares, performances, and mounting tension for retaining their effectiveness years after its first release, although Collins did note that the film's pacing was slower than it should be.

References

McDonagh, Maitland. "Don't Go To Sleep - Movie Reviews and Movie Ratings". TVGuide.com. TV Guide. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
Martin, Todd (30 September 2016). "Film Review: Don't Go to Sleep (1982)". HorrorNews.net. HorrorNews. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
Collins, Brian (November 29, 2011). "Terror Tuesday: TV Movie Trauma From 1982's DON'T GO TO SLEEP". BirthMoviesDeath.com. Birth.Movies.Death. Retrieved 23 April 2020.

External links

v t e Works produced by Aaron Spelling
Feature films	Guns of the Timberland (1960) California Split (1974) Baby Blue Marine (1976) Mr. Mom (1983) 'night, Mother (1986) Surrender (1987) Three O'Clock High (1987) Cross My Heart (1987) Satisfaction (1988) Loose Cannons (1990) Soapdish (1991) The Mod Squad (1999) Charlie's Angels (2000)
TV series	Zane Grey Theatre (1956–61) Johnny Ringo (1959–60) The Dick Powell Show (1961–63) The Lloyd Bridges Show (1962–63) Burke's Law (1963–66) Honey West (1965–66) The Smothers Brothers Show (1965–66) Rango (1967) The Guns of Will Sonnett (1967–69) The Mod Squad (1968–73) The New People (1969–70) The Young Rebels (1970–71) The Most Deadly Game (1970–71) The Rookies (1972–76) Chopper One (1974) Firehouse (1974) S.W.A.T. (1975–76) Starsky & Hutch (1975–79) Family (1976–80) Charlie's Angels (1976–81) Fantasy Island (1977–84) The San Pedro Beach Bums (1977) The Love Boat (1977–87) Vegas (1978–81) Friends (1979) Hart to Hart (1979–84) B.A.D. Cats (1980) Dynasty (1981–89) Aloha Paradise (1981) Strike Force (1981–82) T. J. Hooker (1982–86) Matt Houston (1982–85) At Ease (1983) Hotel (1983–88) Glitter (1984–85) Finder of Lost Loves (1984–85) MacGruder and Loud (1985) Hollywood Beat (1985) The Colbys (1985–87) Life with Lucy (1986) CBS Summer Playhouse (1987) HeartBeat (1988–89) Nightingales (1989) Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990–2000) Melrose Place (1992–99) 2000 Malibu Road (1992) Hearts Are Wild (1992) The Heights (1992) The Round Table (1992) Burke's Law (1994–95) Winnetka Road (1994) Models Inc. (1994–95) Robin's Hoods (1994–95) Heaven Help Us (1994) Madman of the People (1994–95) University Hospital (1995) Savannah (1996–97) Malibu Shores (1996) Kindred: The Embraced (1996) 7th Heaven (1996–2007) Sunset Beach (1997–99) Pacific Palisades (1997) Love Boat: The Next Wave (1998–99) Buddy Faro (1998) Charmed (1998–2006) Rescue 77 (1999) Safe Harbor (1999) Forbidden Island (1999) Titans (2000–01) All Souls (2001) Queens Supreme (2003) Kingpin (2003) 10-8: Officers on Duty (2003–04) Summerland (2004–05) Clubhouse (2004–05) Wanted (2005)
TV films	Cricket on the Hearth (1967) The Over-the-Hill Gang (1969) Wake Me When the War Is Over (1969) The Monk (1969) The Pigeon (1969) The Ballad of Andy Crocker (1969) Carter's Army (1970) The Love War (1970) How Awful About Allan (1970) But I Don't Want to Get Married! (1970) The Old Man Who Cried Wolf (1970) Wild Women (1970) The House That Would Not Die (1970) The Over-the-Hill Gang Rides Again (1970) Crowhaven Farm (1970) Run, Simon, Run (1970) Love Hate Love (1971) Yuma (1971) River of Gold (1971) Congratulations, It's a Boy! (1971) Five Desperate Women (1971) The Last Child (1971) A Taste of Evil (1971) In Broad Daylight (1971) The Death of Me Yet (1971) The Reluctant Heroes (1971) If Tomorrow Comes (1971) The Trackers (1971) Two for the Money (1972) The Daughters of Joshua Cabe (1972) No Place to Run (1972) Say Goodbye, Maggie Cole (1972) Rolling Man (1972) The Bounty Man (1972) Home for the Holidays (1972) Every Man Needs One (1972) A Cold Night's Death (1973) Snatched (1973) The Great American Beauty Contest (1973) The Letters (1973) The Bait (1973) Satan's School for Girls (1973) Hijack! (1973) Letters from Three Lovers (1973) The Affair (1973) Death Squad (1974) The Fireman's Ball (1974) Cry Panic (1974) The Girl Who Came Gift-Wrapped (1974) Savages (1974) Death Sentence (1974) Hit Lady (1974) Death Cruise (1974) Only with Married Men (1974) The Daughters of Joshua Cabe Return (1975) Murder on Flight 502 (1975) The Legend of Valentino (1975) One of My Wives Is Missing (1975) 33 Hours in the Life of God (1976) The Sad and Lonely Sundays (1976) Death at Love House (1976) The New Daughters of Joshua Cabe (1976) The Boy in the Plastic Bubble (1976) Little Ladies of the Night (1977) The Love Boat II (1977) The San Pedro Beach Bums (1977) The Users (1978) Kate Bliss and the Ticker Tape Kid (1978) Wild and Wooly (1978) Cruise Into Terror (1978) The Power Within (1979) Beach Patrol (1979) Love's Savage Fury (1979) The Return of the Mod Squad (1979) Murder Can Hurt You! (1980) Waikiki (1980) Casino (1980) The Best Little Girl in the World (1981) Sizzle (1981) Don't Go to Sleep (1982) The Wild Women of Chastity Gulch (1982) Massarati and the Brain (1982) Shooting Stars (1983) Making of a Male Model (1983) Venice Medical (1983) Dark Mirror (1984) Velvet (1984) International Airport (1985) Mr. and Mrs. Ryan (1986) Dark Mansions (1986) The Hope Division (1987) Cracked Up (1987) Harry's Hong Kong (1987) The Loner (1987) Day One (1989) Just Temporary (1989) Rich Men, Single Women (1990) The Love Boat: A Valentine Voyage (1990) Jailbirds (1991) Back to the Streets of San Francisco (1992) Grass Roots (1992) And the Band Played On (1993) A Stranger in the Mirror (1993) Gulf City (1993) Jane's House (1994) Love on the Run (1994) Green Dolphin Beat (1994) Texas (1994) Crosstown Traffic (1995) Pier 66 (1996) After Jimmy (1996) Odd Jobs (1997) Satan's School for Girls (2000) Stop at Nothing (2001) The Law and Mr. Lee (2003) Hotel (2003) Silver Lake (2004) Hitched (2005) Bounty Hunters (2005) Split Decision (2006)
TV miniseries	The French Atlantic Affair (1979) Hollywood Wives (1985) Crossings (1986) Dynasty: The Reunion (1991) The Invaders (1995) A Season in Purgatory (1996)

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