When it comes to cult favorite horror movies, few others are as high-up on the totem pole as the 1985 picture “Fright Night”. This was one of the first movies to feature vampires in a contemporary setting, and utilizing all their classic tropes, just with a modern spin … and a distinct 1980’s personality. This was two years before “The Lost Boys” took a similar approach, and was another great 80’s staple in its own right. However, “Fright Night” came first, really setting the template for vampires living in our modern world, and personally … it’s one of my absolute favorite films of the genera. It’s rated R, and has the content to warrant it, but the film also makes me feel like a kid again while watching it, and that’s when I find myself liking horror movies the most. It has the same personality, and youthful spirit of any “Goosebumps” or Halloween special I would have grown-up with back in the day, but with that added edge meant for mature audiences.
17-year-old Charley Brewster lives in a regular suburban area, and is obsessed with creature features. He’s so fixated on them, he can’t even have a private night with his girl-friend Amy without a monster movie playing in the background. His main source of enjoyment is the late-night program block called “Fright Night”, which is a marathon of classic horror films, and hosted by a Peter Cushing look-a-like called Peter Vincent.
The premise on paper is rather corny, as well as derivative of other films like “Rear Window”, but director Tom Holland picked just the right tone, and personality to make this premise work. Similar to Hollands other famous 1980’s horror picture “Childs Play”, he perfectly blends campy charms with a looming sense of dread, and a spooky atmosphere. All my favorite horror visuals and moods are on display in this film, including silhouetted tress scraping against windows, empty rocking chairs moving on their own, and mysterious sounds herd off in the distance. We also see all the iconic vampire tropes on display, along with some of their lesser utilized traits … like the ability to transform into fog … which is put to great use during a chase in an ally. Also, if you’re a fan of classic horror, you’ll have fun playing a game of “name that Universal or Hammer movie clip on the TV screen”, or catch that poster hanging on the wall.
The cast likewise adds to the appeal of the film, and helps sell the premise, as goofy as it is. William Ragsdale delivers a fun and passionate performance in the lead role of Charley Brewster, and the character, while very basic, is still likable enough to cheer for. My favorite character performance is from horror host Peter Vincent, who’s played with great charisma by Roddy McDowall, of “Planet of the Apes” fame. His character is a great counterpoint to Charley, as he too is a horror fan, but only the classics, as he’s put-off by the teen slasher films, which viewers of Charley’s age are drawn to. He also has the most layered journey, going from skeptic, to con-artist, to real vampire hunter who needs to find his faith. More then anything, it’s Roddy McDowall’s performance that really sells this character.
Then we have our villainous lead vampire Jerry Dandridge, who’s also brought to life effectively by Chris Sarandon. It’s a performance that’s suitably hammy for a film of this nature, but it’s not too over the top to diminish some genuinely imposing moments. The actor would reunite with director Tom Holland in the role of a detective in “Childs’ Play”, and would later be the voice of Jack Skellington from “The Nightmare Before Christmas” … but I think most viewers will recognize him best as Prince Humperdinck, from “The Princess Bride”. The one other character performance that occasionally threatens to go too over the top is Stephen Geoffrey as Evil Ed, who starts as a hyperactive friend of Charley's, and eventually becomes a willing vampire servant of our main villain. Undeniably, he chews a lot of scenery, but he’s also something of a memorable mascot for the film … so it’s really up to personal taste if he’s too much for the films own good. For me, I think he’s just passable enough, without upstaging the presence of our main villain.
We also have that age old tradition of the vampire viewing the lead girl-friend Amy as the reincarnation of his long-lost love, and thus, aims to take her as his new un-dead bride. It’s an old cliché, but fits right in with the campy tone of the film, and it’s just amusing to see a vampire utilize technology, like a music box as part of his seduction methods. Also, I like that, while the girl-friend Amy is lovely, she also isn’t a complete knock-out either. Actress Amanda Bearse seemed to be having fun, as her performance ranged from shy and emotional, to creepy and seductive when she actually becomes a vampire. Next to Evil Ed, Amy’s vampire design makes for another memorable mascot for the film.
If I had any reservations with the film, it would be that the “boy cried wolf” formula goes on a little too long, checking-off all the repetitive built-points of warning cops or parental figures who obviously won’t believe him, and for me, it slows down the pacing a little. There’s also select details that never made any sense to me. At one point, Peter Vincent successfully uses a cross to repel a vampire, and then in the following scene he apparently doesn’t have faith enough to make it work a second time. Also, Charley gets bitten by a vampire-bat during a fight, and there’s no supernatural effect on him what-so-ever, unlike all the other characters, who get transformed after being bitten. Lastly, the final chilling shot of the film, which is a pair of shining eyes framed through a darkened window … loses any kind of chilling effect due to a randomly placed audio clip from Evil Ed.
Still, with those reservations out of the way, the film more than delivers where it’s supposed to. The whole third act of the film is a riveting, cat and mouse game with our heroes trying to defeat the vampires, while also rescuing Amy … and all the best creature effects are on full display. We have monster transformations, bat-creatures, red-eyed werewolves, epic villain deaths with characters melting into skeletons, and all that good stuff. In typical fashion for Tom Holland’s horror films, the climax has a number of false summits, where you think it’s about to wrap-up, only for something else to spring-up, and keep it going. As a side note, I’ve been around the block with action movies my whole life, and have seen my share of window jumps, to the point where it’s so familiar, it’s not that exciting anymore. With that said, this climax features an amazing vampire window jump, which gives me a jolt of excitement every time I watch it.
In the end, “Fright Night” is a movie that celebrates classic horror, while also giving us something fresh and fun. It takes a goofy premise, with familiar narrative beats, and injects it with an atmosphere and presentation that’s all its own. It’s enjoyably campy, but a lot more competent than you’d think, and it has its fair share of both genuine thrills, and hummer. While the movie has its slower moments, it still effectively builds on the excitement, and the ending absolutely delivers with its big epic battle, and cool special effects. It’s just a really fun tribute to classic vampire flicks, and it also takes me back to that special time when I was young, and Halloween was awesome. If you’re in the mood for campy, spooky fun this October, then I recommend giving this cult classic a watch … it’s definitely a treat to go along with my favorite spooky season.
Thanks for
reading my review of the 1985 Horror picture “Fright Night” … and be
sure to make every day in October feel like Halloween!
No comments:
Post a Comment