Review of Fright Night (1985) by Hatem A — 23 Jan 2012

2.5/4.0.

"Fright Night" is a silly yet entertaining horror comedy 1980s B-movie. Today's audiences may laugh at some of the supposedly scary sequences, and the make-up effects (although somewhat groundbreaking at the time) look weak. But the movie is a fun ride for the most part filled with all the things that made the 80s what they were - from the movie and its characters' looks to the clothes and music - as well as a menacing performance by Chris Sarandon and an unexpectedly comic turn from veteran British actor Roddy McDowell.

The plot mashes up "Rear Window" with "Dracula". High schooler and horror buff Charley Brewster (William Ragsdale) discovers that his alluring next door neighbor Jerry Dandridge (Chris Sarandon) - who lives with a friend (Jonathan Stark) - is a vampire. He enlists the help of the two closest people to him, his girlfriend Amy Peterson (Amanda Bearse) and his best friend Ed (Stephen Geoffreys). Roddy McDowell plays Peter Vincent, an ailing British actor who plays a vampire hunter on Charley's favorite TV show "Fright Night". Charley first failingly approaches Vincent to help Charley kill the vampire but later his friends hire him to prove that Charley is disillusioned.

Writer-director Tom Holland (who later directed "Child's Play) infuses the movie with the right amount of creepiness and humor (in big part thanks to McDowall in a scene stealing role). Sarandon is also great playing the creepy charmer. But the movie just feels plain silly at times especially towards its end.