Really Surprised!

Fantastic!

A Brilliant Conflict

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowall), a B-class actor performing in the cheap TV show Fright Night, mentions that "the kids today, don't have the patience for vampires. They want to see some mad slasher running around and chopping off heads." This explains the fate of the vampire films in the 80s. Even though "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" saved them a little bit in 1996, they have outlived themselves. Throughout the history you can see a lot of vampire films. If I am not mistaken the first vampire film "Nosferatu" was made in 1922, and after that, vampires conquered cinema and became a trend in horror genre, but gradually lost their territory and replaced by some sick people with masks running around killing people. Directed by Tom Holland, "Fright Night" is a cult film in this genre. It has a runtime of 106 minutes, and promises you an action-packed horror film. "Fright Night" is also the directorial debut of Tom Holland who is mostly known for his directing career in Tv series. "Fright Night" is about a teenager who thinks his neighbor is a vampire and starts to follow him around until he gets himself into trouble.I have seen "Fright Night" and it's Sequel "Fright Night 2" several times because as I mentioned above, it is a cult film in its genre and always a pleasure to fill a rainy night with. Perception of a horror, of course, depends on a good story, location, soundtracks, effects and makeup. However, I have always believed, it also depends on the external factors like what time you are watching it or how is the weather outside. Even though you are watching the best horror film at a beach in the mid-summer day, most probably you are not going to get what the film is trying to give you. If you like to get the full picture of a horror film, you should watch it in late hours and possibly with a storm outside. External conditions are as important as the horror film itself. The last time I have seen "Fright Night" it was after midnight, and there was storm outside and I have enjoyed it like the first time. This is a film I would never get bored of. Because from the acting to the soundtracks, from makeups to costumes, "Fright Night" carries all the symptoms of 80s. Its sincerity is the film's best feature. You can find the sincerity principle in a lot of films that were made in 80s, and those films have heavily affected cinema today. This kind of films really want to give you something. They want you to share their story. Watching this kind of cult films are going to give you strong ideas about how cinema is shaped based on 80s. The same thing applies for 80s films as well, they have been shaped by earlier ages of cinema. This is an unavoidable circle and influence.Vampires are undead, they sleep during the day and hunt during the night, and if they suck your blood you also turn out to be a vampire. They don't like garlic, holy water or crosses if you hold them with faith and they don't cast a shadow in the mirror. Other than these, they are elegant creatures. They know how to dress and walk, they know how to smile and talk, they are charming and highly educated. These features make them perfect hunters because human beings are generally attracted to these virtues. Most of these distinctive marks are references from Bram Stoker's Dracula, and some of them have been developed by cinema and literature. Thanks to that brilliant novel, Vampires are born. It is important to have a general knowledge about vampires before having a look at the main vampire in the film, Jerry Dandrige (Chris Sarandon). I am sure his assistant is not human, but he is not vampire either. Chris Sarandon has all those features I have mentioned above. His charm as an actor makes him very suitable for the job. The way he looks, talks and dresses are all matching with the original description of vampires. I have enjoyed his acting, and I am very happy to see that director respects all the classic features of the vampires and doesn't do a thing to change them. The supporting roles have a way of completing the main character. Even though William Ragsdale, as Charley, has more scenes, Sarandon leads the film.Director tries hard to make a good horror film. He partially manages to achieve this by showing the transformation of the vampires or their death, with acceptable makeup, but I believe that could have been done better. "Fright Night" is also rich with soundtracks made by Brad Fiedel. It is a classic vampire film and one of the best of its own genre. To track the progress of vampire films, Fright Night is a must watch.

Decided to put this gem on the other night for the partner, said to her i wanted to watch remake as well. this film was the pinnacle of my childhood, my mother would put this on for me all the time when i was younger, i loved it. So i put it on for my partner she had never seen this film before.I could see as we started watching it, she was not interested she was on and off her phone like a fly around S***, She started watching around the scene where charlie is looking over to Dandridge house at the hooker, she started enjoying it more then.As we watched more i felt like a kid, the music the tension between Dandridge and Amy and most importantly evil ed, only problem watching this film now was his death scene, my god just die already, the effects are good for the time but come on just die.The film finished and i asked if she enjoyed it, she replied "it was okay", gutted i was never mind you cant please everyone, i hope you enjoy the film, a pinnacle of my childhood.

Ah, the 80s, more blow-waves and bubble-perms than in the entire history of the human race! Fright Night has its fair share of these but it's a nicely played vampire movie that sticks to vampire lore (i.e. doesn't turn them into cgi superheroes) and has an engaging teen cast much aided and abetted by Roddy McDowell and Chris Sarandon.Charlie Brewster (William Ragsdale) discovers that his new next door neighbour Jerry Dandrige, is, in fact, a real life vampire. Nobody believes him, including his girlfriend Amy (Amanda Bearse) and friend Evil Ed (Stephen Jeffries). Inspite of a couple of murders the police chase him too, so Charlie, in desperation, seeks out famous t.v. vampire killer Peter Vincent. Peter too is sceptical, until he sees in one of his movie props that Jerry casts no reflection...Roddy Mcdowell is always welcome - a superb character actor in everything from Planet of The Apes to How Green Was My Valley. Sarandon also is an excellent vampire. And the film gets surprisingly serious as the story develops. It's easy to sit through the opening 20 minutes and expect the rest of it to be a jokey Gremlins-style movie. But it becomes a deadly straight affair. And the vampire make up effects are remarkable for their time. No surprise that Richard Edlund was involved! If the film has a major flaw, it's that the audience is shown way too early that Charlie is right about Jerry - he really is a vampire! More ambiguity until at least Vincent spots he has no reflection would have worked a treat. So it becomes a movie that for a long time the audience is way ahead of everybody else in the cast except Charlie.The disco moves Jerry puts on Amy are pretty daft, too. This whole scene could have been lost without harming things in my opinion.Peter Vincent. Great tribute to messieurs Cushing and Price of that ilk! On the whole this is a good mixture of old style vampire film and the then trendy 80s approach. Who needs remakes?

the first time I have ever heard of this movie it was by reading loads of pulp horror magazines back in the 90's that lead me to be enthralled into seeing it and when I rented it on home video cassette I was amazed on how brilliant it is and the bonus was having the celebrated legendary late and great Roddy McDowall playing the formidable peter Vincent in which it was an combination of peter Cushing and Vincent Price and how it took the whole concept of voyeurism to the next level that's where Charlie Brewster played by William Ragsdale and girlfriend Amy Peterson (Amanda Bearse) comes in during an night of watching late Friday night horror films and love making that's where for Brewster his morbid fascination of peeping on the house next door begins by accusing neighbour Jerry Dandridge (Chris Sarandon)for being an murdering fiend which lead to an confrontation with him one night by warning Brewster of due to the abhorrent theme of the boy that cried wolf scenario with this movie with stellar soundtrack and effects aplenty this movie sure holds up today and ages well like an fine wine 10/10 rating.FRANKIE HOLTZMANN SMALESALIENBUGSTOMPERFAN