Fright Night has an enticing poster that, like its vampire villain, seduces. With a fog caricature of Jerry, the film’s nightwalker, perched above the roof, it’s like a soul-sucking Santa Claus has come to raid a peaceful American town.
And with this horror comedy’s enduring popularity as a so-called cult favorite, I’ve long been watch curious.
Yet unlike many well-remembered 1980s classics, this one had a successful release.
Bringing home ~$24.9 million on a budget of somewhere between $7-9.5 million, the movie was a hit for Columbia Pictures and Vistar Films.
And Fright Night became a franchise, having a sequel bogged down by a troubled release (another story) and even a 2011 remake.
The vision of writer/director and two-time Saturn Award winner Tom Holland (Child’s Play), the film is as much a love letter to the horror genre as a horror comedy.
And it’s a find for those who love throwback films from the 1980s. This piece is so of its decade the protagonist’s mom offers her teenage son a Valium to calm down.
So is Fright Night a good movie?
The Plot of Fright Night:
When horror movie fan Charley Brewster (William Ragsdale) suspects his new neighbor Jerry Dandridge (Chris Sarandon) is a vampire responsible for recent murders in town, nobody will believe him – not even the police.
And with Jerry threatening to kill Charley to keep his identity a secret, Charley seeks out past-his-prime horror TV host Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowall) for help.
Can Charley convince Mr. Vincent; his girlfriend, Amy (Amanda Bearse); and his friend Evil Ed (Stephen Geoffreys) of Jerry’s vampirism before it’s too late?
The Rest of the Main Cast Includes:
- Jonathan Stark as Billy Cole
- Dorothy Fielding as Judy Brewster
- Art J. Evans as Detective Lennox
- Stewart Stern as Cook
- Robert Corff as Jonathan
- Pamela Brown as Miss Nina
What’s Working Well Here:
Goof that Wins, +2 Points
Chris Sarandon, who played villain Jerry Dandridge, was spot on in saying, “… it was clear that the writer/director’s approach to it was one of wanting to have fun with the genre without making fun of it…”
Despite the film’s horrors, it breezes by on a good-natured, campy tone. We feel danger but know, deep down, this will probably end well for our heroes.
The acting wins (more on that later) partly because the tone gives the performances freedom to breathe and deliver some silly lines, especially the cackling sidekick “evil” Ed.
And the film’s events rely on this levity.
The rest of Charley’s block doesn’t notice the giant doom spirals of eerie fog rolling off the new neighbor’s roof.
Charley’s mom is oblivious to her son’s discussion about sex a few feet away from her and sleeps through her son’s tussle with a vampire in his bedroom down the hall.
Those go-with-it vibes help you see all this as charming moments, not plot accidents.
Heartwarming or You Might Say Heart-Cooling Characters, +5 Points
Thanks to Holland’s writing and kickass performances, the film has strong characters who draw you into the film.
Charley is a teen who seems to have the intelligence of an 11 year old. But like a family golden retriever that won’t give up on a rescue, his determination to stop Jerry rather than let him run amuck in exchange for his personal safety is admirable.
Evil Ed is like a merge of fellow 80s classic character Charles De Mar of Better Off Dead and Beavis or Butthead. He’s Charley’s friend, but he is just as likely to ridicule him at his lowest moment as he is to advise him on handling his undead enemy.
Charley’s girlfriend Amy, ribbon in hair, carries herself with the innocence of any Peggy on any American block in the 1950s. But actor Amanda Bearse gracefully manages the shift into vixen when the film calls for it.
Chris Sarandon oozes eloquence. He elevates the undead vampire into a creature of seduction who might just be very lonely when you think about it.
It was actor Chris Sarandon’s idea for Amy to bear a resemblance to Jerry’s long-lost love from, perhaps, his human era. It’s a nice, subtle touch to say there’s still something of a humanity somewhere in there.
Then there’s Roddy McDowall’s Peter Vincent, somewhat a reincarnation of the Cowardly Lion (The Wizard of Oz). Failing as an aging actor and a has-been, if he ever was, it’s a joy to watch Peter find the courage to actually confront evil – yet do it with his old-fashioned, hammy stage props.
McDowall makes us pity Mr. Vincent just enough to care about him yet not enough to make us think he’s downright pathetic.
Dance that Dance of Evil, +2 Points
Among many standout moments of nifty cinematography or clever writing, the film’s strongest scene is the seductive dance and battle over Amy in the club.
As Jerry enters the venue, we enjoy the camerawork and editing as he slips seamlessly among the crowd, stalking Amy with provocative intent.
Then, it’s some mighty fine choreography beautifully executed by Sarandon and Bearse as we watch a young woman fall under the spell of the vampire and, as others have said, a girl grows into a woman.
Hypnotized by Jerry, we can see Amy awake and resisting at moments, playing along and giving in at others.
That Third Story Element, +3 Points
Three is a crowd — except here.
To paraphrase, writer/director Tom Holland has said that he loved the setup of a teen discovering a vampire next door but couldn’t find what would make the film compelling.
Then, when he realized the kid was going to go to his local horror TV host for help, the whole story came together, and the writing was easy.
And this third main character, the cleverly named Peter Vincent (a mashup of horror icons Vincent Price and Peter Cushing), elevates the movie.
Without Peter joining the party, we’re stuck with what could be a knockoff vampire version of Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window – workable, but simplistic and not the memorable comedy horror we get instead.
What’s Not Working So Well Here:
Playing for Time, Not Blood -2 Points
Like Scott being frustrated with Dr. Evil about not just wacking Austin Powers, you have to put up with Jerry and his evil associate, Billy Cole, playing with their food.
Rather than ending Charley and Peter when they have the many chances to do so, they dawdle.
And the altercations can get repetitive.
There’s a battle on a staircase where we flee the steps only to return to the same flight for another showdown.
At times, it feels like intentional meandering to get to full runtime.
You can call that a harsh criticism, as this is a comedy. Still, I’ll counter it’s a problem many comedies run into – having to actually grow up into a legitimate conflict to end the movie and falling short of the tools.
Go Watch Fright Night
Total Arbitrary Points Score: 10 Points
After adjusting to the campish tone and seeing Fright Night for what it was – a joke, but an earnest one – I slipped into the loose vibes at work and enjoyed the somewhat horror show here.
It flubs about and can get somewhat repetitive in its many confrontations between heroes and villains.
But with the movie’s heart and comedic tone, aided by a nifty, all-important third character in Peter Vincent, I recommend it for horror fans or people who like 1980s comedies.
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Disclaimer:
This review’s factual information was gathered through online sources, like Wikipedia, IMDB, or interviews. Misrepresentations and errors are possible but unintentional.
Making art is hard. This is a fan’s blog. Any criticisms are meant to be constructive.
