Review of Fright Night (1985) by Donnie B — 07 Jun 2014

Fright Night is a terrific cult classic 80's horror comedy that still holds up really well...or at least if you put on the rose-colored glasses and are a fan of 80's cheese. Is it scary? No. Is it still a really entertaining film? Oh, yes, it still very much is.

A new neighbor has moved in next to Charley Brewster and his mother. The new neighbor's name is Jerry, and things already seem strange to Charley right from the start, but then things get even weirder when a woman Charley saw with Jerry the night before turns up dead.

As more bodies begin to pile up, Charley becomes convinced that his new neighbor is really a vampire, and recruits his girlfriend, his weird best friend, and the host of his favorite TV show, Fright Night, to help him take down Jerry and the henchman who seems to guard him at night.

But, this could very well not only threaten his life, but the lives of those he cares about as he tries to stop this evil from taking any more lives.

In terms of humor, Fright Night is really quite funny, and it works much better in the comedy category than it does in the horror category. The jokes were funny and I was left constantly laughing and chuckling during all the ridiculous scenes that the film offered. It's definitely one of the better horror-themed comedies you'll find.

In terms of the acting, the actors are all way over the top in their performances, even by the standards of 80's horror flicks. Even the great Roddy McDowall gives a very hammy performance as the character Peter Vincent, the host of Fright Night. However, I will say that Chris Sarandon does manage to deliver a menacing, albeit somewhat cheesy, performance as Jerry. Despite the fact the acting is rather cheesy, I will say that the acting was certainly never boring because it seemed that the cast members were having a lot of fun with their roles.

In terms of scares, the film has little of them, due to its over the top nature. In fact, one of the problems with this film is that it can't find an even balance of horror and comedy, as the two genres ultimately end up clashing with one another. It still has an interesting atmosphere and great set pieces, but the campy nature of the film does hamper any sense of dread or terror that should have been offered.

In the end, however, Fright Night is still loads of vampire-slaying, campy fun with plenty of 80's charm to bolster it. Unless you really enjoy 80's films, this one might not appeal to you if you're looking for scares. But, if you love 80's films, this is a great cult classic to check out.