I’ve never seen the 1973 version of Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, and I’m not sure how the remake, due in theaters on January 21, 2011, is going to fare, but I do know this: the recently released, gimmicky, see-it-coming-a-mile-away trailer did, in fact, make my netherregions pucker something fierce. My loins went into turtle mode and my bum went to Defcon 1. Something about flashlights under blankets and creepy creatures crawling around in said blankets make me tense. And why shouldn’t it? This remake is written by Guillermo del Toro (and Matthew Robbins), who is no stranger to scaring the bejesus out of theatergoers over the last decade or so. Starring Guy Pearce (The Road) and Katie Holmes (Batman Begins), this movie ought to be a creepy little treat.

Take a peek at the trailer and let me know your impressions. Personally, while this could be decent, I’m banking on this doing poorly critically and financially. How many times have we been told the scary story of a family moving into a haunted house and the kids begin to see ghosts and goalies, while mom and dad are oblivious until it’s too late? Unless del Toro and first-time director Troy Nixey have something surprising and adept planned for movie patrons, this is going to sink. The January release days says as much.