Review of Fright Night (1985) by Craig T — 31 Jan 2011

Fright Night has many viewers praising it and others not so much. I'll be upfront, I usually don't like my whole entree mixed together into one mound on my plate just as I don't usually like horror mixed with comedy.

This one, I'm not sure which it is predominately shown more, the quirks or the fangs. It has both in big portions if you find this appetizing. What John Landis did in An American Werewolf in London is one winner that comes to mind.

That was a horror comedy that I loved so I know I am open to the idea. You could say that is my guilty pleasure horror comedy I suppose. What I can't apparently take here is annoying teenagers stirring up a vampire conspiracy with a kooky old actor.

Fright Night is as cliche as you can get and while it doesn't apologize for it, it should. Perhaps if Stephen Geoffrey's (Evil Ed) had not been in the picture all together I could have looked over the terrible cast.

Or maybe Roddy McDowell would have still ruined that area. Regardless, the makeup and special effects were cheesy and the overall look of the film was cheap. This is a "popcorn" movie in all fairness and it never tried out to be Psycho.

It is a take it or leave it flick and I'll pass on a second viewing. (F).