Fright Night
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Movie Reviews of Fright Night
Movie Review: Perhaps the Greatest Vampire Movie of all Time
Summary: 5 Stars
Fright Night is a horror movie in its most simplistic form. A teenage boy named Charlie Brewster (William Ragsdale, "Herman's Head") believes that his next door neighbor Jerry Dandridge (Chris Sarandon, "The Princess Bride") is a vampire. Of course no one believes him, especially his girlfriend Amy (Amanda Bearse, "Married with Children") and his buddy "Evil" Ed (Stephen Geoffreys, "Heaven Help Us"). Oh by the way, Evil Ed's classic line in this movie is, "Oh you're so cool Brewster."
Amy and Ed are concerned about Charlie's well being and figure humor his claims that his neighbor is a vampire. So Amy and Ed go to speak to Peter "The Great Vampire Killer" Vincent (Roddy McDowall, "Planet of the Apes"), a burnt out horror movie star turned late night T.V. show host for campy horror films (mainly his own). Charlie is a huge fan of Peter Vincent's work and conceders him a hero. This is why Charlie's friends seek Peter out. On the flip side, Amy and Ed are thinking Charlie's imagination is running amuck about Jerry because of all of his Peter Vincent viewing. Anyway I digress; Amy and Ed talk to Peter about their friend Charlie and the obsession that Jerry is a vampire. Now how two teenage kids are able to convince a movie star (burnt out or not) to speak with their "potential" insane friend, still befuddles me. Anyway, after some pretty definitive proof, it is discovered that Jerry REALLY IS A VAMPIRE! Charlie's confirmation is now fact and the other characters are quite shocked at this finding.
I will not give away any details or spoil this flick for anyone who hasn't seen it yet. Fright Night is really a fun movie and yes it does have some creepy and scary parts to it. I will also add that the movie has some pretty good special effects, they really aren't that cheesy. This movie was also made in 1985, which is the zenith of the 1980s, however this movie really doesn't seem dated. As a matter of fact, it is quite possible this movie is as relative today as it was back in 1985. The one part of the movie that could be abased for having a 1980s flare is the night club scene. There is the peachy music, "colorful" outfits and the hair sprayed hair. Then again, 1980s fashion is somewhat neo in these contemporary times, so it might not seem so dastardly. Ultimately, this movie isn't overshadowed by the fact that it was made in the 1980s.
Now when I say that this is the best vampire movie ever made, that is exactly what I mean. This movie has nothing to do with Dracula it is a basic vampire movie, so any comparisons with a Dracula is dubious. Hence Fright Night it is a marvelous vampire movie, not a marvelous Dracula Movie.
The acting in this movie is also really good; Chris Sarandon is smooth and suave as a vampire. He makes being a creature of the undead look like a lot of fun. Roddy McDowall is awesome as Peter Vincent (I love the throwback to Peter Cushing and Vincent Price in the character's name); he is dichotomy in his grapples with believing in vampires and faith. I think this was a bold performance by McDowall. William Ragsdale did a good job as Charlie. He looked a bit older than a 17 year old teenager, but then again this type of realism isn't why I am watching Fright Night. If that was the logic, then Elizabeth Shue was way too hot to be a hooker in Leaving Las Vegas. Consequently, these are the little persnickety thoughts I place into the box labeled "it is only a movie". Amanda Bearse was also fine as Amy, being both reserved and sexy. Stephen Geoffreys was also quite vexing in a jovial sort of way in his performance as Evil Ed. I also like how Jerry's "roommate" looks like a Xerox of Bill Paxton. Did anyone else notice that or was it just me?
As for the DVD itself, it is presented in letterbox/widescreen. There are several subtitles that can be utilized, so it is foreign speaking friendly. The original preview/trailer is included, which is somewhat a disappointment. It seems rather a mundane promotion for such a great movie. Nevertheless, it is cool that the trailer itself is included on the DVD.
Fright Night is great horror movie period. It also spawned a pretty good sequel in Fright Night 2. However, Fright Night stands fine by itself and I wish future vampire movies would use this movie as a paradigm. Mainly by having a basic story, good characters/acting performance and special effects that don't totally rely on computer graphics. Overall, a timeless piece of horror cinema which I am sure will still be enjoyed for many years to come.
Movie Review: Effective Shocker Delivers in Being Witty, Imaginative and Downright Hilarious.
Summary: 5 Stars
Charley Brewster (William Ragsdale) finds out his charming next door neighbor, Jerry Dandridge (Chris Sarandon) is a bloodthirsty vampire who is feasting off the women of his neighborhood. In desperate need of help, he enlists the aids of his nerdy friend, Evil Ed (Stephen Geoffreys), his whiny girlfriend Amy (Amanda Bearse) and an out of work actor, Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowell) who plays "The Great Vampire Killer" on Primetime. Charley's problem is that no one believes him and his time is running out since Jerry is looking for his first opportunity to silence the snooping teenager for good.
Directed by Tom Holland, "Fright Night" offers loads of humor, horror and suspense yet many of todays younger audience will probably find this movie dated. After all, it has none of todays technical wizardry that is CGI. It appears every Fantasy, Science-Fiction and Horror film of today is saturated with it. I personally do not mind CGI if it is well done and in a fantasy element but so far, every attempt to create decent fright effects in horror films have failed miserably and I strongly feel that CGI is aiding in the death of the horror genre. I cannot tell you how refreshing it is to revisit these films. The special effects are brilliant and there is nothing more effective than seeing 3 dimensional beings in terrific vampire make-up. Apparently Chris Sarandon spent several hours in the make-up chair (gotta love those elongated fingers) and I am sure Amanda Bearse and Stephen Geoffreys, the other 2 vampires, did too but the end result was probably worth it as "Fright Night" is one of the greatest vampire films Hollywood has given us in the last 25 years. Just like Joe Dante's classic "The Howling" and John Landis' epic "An American Werewolf in London" which still reign supreme as far as werewolf movies are concerned. The same can be said for this gem.
The pacing in this film is virtually flawless as the action, horror and comedy are shifted around from one scene to the other and boredom is not an option given to the viewer. The performances are also worth mentioning because the entire cast delivers in spades. They must have really enjoyed making this film and it showed. Roddy McDowell is his usual brilliant self, from his quirky mannerisms to his facial expressions. The man utilized his talents yet managed to give his co-stars their time to shine. Chris Sarandon is effectively charming. You can clearly see how women would be attracted to his looks and cool demeanor. He is after all portraying a modern day Dracula who seduces and kills with ease. Amanda Bearse was also a revelation. She is pretty enough as Charley's girlfriend possessing all the qualities of the girl next door and all the charateristics of a jealous girlfriend. Once infected however, her metamorphoses is stunning and she is almost unrecognizable as a sultry vamp. That is of course before her final transformation and once the fangs come into play, she resembles a Carly Simon-esque freakshow in need of serious dental work. The young lead, William Ragsdale, also turns in a good performance but his foolish character may have some viewers rooting for Mr Vampire. But where will the horror genre be without these nonsensical teenagers?
Those who never lived the 80's will probably be shocked at the amount of cheesy fashion sense draping our actors. The younger generation must remember this movie was made before their time and should forgive the 80's tackiness. It is unfortunate that many great films were made during this fashion disaster decade and sometimes the actors wardrobes provide unintentional laughs. The film also starts off almost resembling a B grade, low budget horror schlock fest but thankfully within the first quarter we are reassured of it's high quality.
Those who haven't seen "Fright Night" and are serious horror buffs need to check it out. The cast, direction, special effects and make-up effects are all top notch and this movie was cool way before "Buffy", "Angel", "True Blood" or the "Twilight" saga ever came into the picture. Highly Recommended.
Movie Review: All-Time Thriller. Vampire movie in comic vein. A classic.
Summary: 5 Stars
All-time entertainment thriller. Now a classic. A vampire movie in the comic vein. Wonderfully written story and screenplay. Great cinematography in great detail. A lot of work went into making this film. Perfectly cast. William Ragsdale is perfect in the lead. William Ragsdale has been married since 1999 and still has an active career.
Amanda Bearse plays "Amy" who is also the perfect female lead. As you know Miss Bearse went on to co-star in the Fox tv series "Married With Children" (1986-1997). Bearse announced in 1993 on a "Comedy Central" special that she was lesbian. She currently has an daughter.
Stephen Geoffreys adds his own style to this film and plays an important part as well. He plays "Evil". Incidentally, Mr. Geoffreys did another horror film,976-Evil(1989) and had the lead role. Stephen Geoffreys tried to get mainstream roles in Hollywood, but went on to do non-hardcore films with male nudity in play and then adult gay porn under a different name. He is now trying to get back into mainstream films again and appeared in Sick Girl (Special Edition DVD) (2007), New Terminal Hotel (2009), Emerging Past (2010), The Diary of Randy Rose (2010).
Stephen Geoffreys and Amanda Bearse also appeared in Fraternity Vacation (1985).
Chris Sarandon is so evil in this film as "Jerry Dandrige"-- The Vampire that I could not watch him in another film. I still can't. Good acting.
Last but not least is Roddy McDowall, as brilliant an actor as he was, he played "Peter Vincinct", a man who is a tv host for broadcast horror movies and "Charlie" (William Ragsdale) hires him to rid of the vampire living next door to him.
Roddy McDowall was a well-liked professional actor who began his acting as a child. You may have seen him in How Green Was My Valley(1941). He had many female and had male friends, however he never officially came out as being "gay". It was hinted a little bit in Mae West (1982-TVM). He died October 3, 1998 of lung cancer.
I'm glad Roddy McDowall agreed to do this film and the sequel. This film is made with class, style and great well-made special effects. Great soundtrack too. On the DVD, I am sorry to say there is no audio commentary, no special features or bonuses, no cast reunion. You do get the choice of Widescreen or Full Screen on either side of the disc. I recommend Full-Screen. The beginning of the film will be in Widescreen because of the titles and credits but will become Full-Screen, if you chose the Full-Screen side.
Stephen Geoffreys delivers the catchy phrase: "You are so cool, Brewster".
I have read somewhere that their were alternative endings of this film. If so, this DVD does not show them here.
Followed by Fright Night Part II (1989), with William Ragsdale and Roddy McDowall.
Update: The FRIGHT NIGHT movie remake will be released August 19, 2011. Colin Farrell will be the evil Vampire. Rated "R".
Movie Review: A surprisingly impressive, entertaining vampire flick
Summary: 5 Stars
At first glance, Fright Night looks like another cheesy vampire film: a young man figures out that a vampire has moved next door, no one believes him, the vampire comes after him, his only hope is an old horror actor, etc. It's pretty predictable, right down to the whole thing about the boy's girlfriend bearing a striking resemblance to one of the vampire's old flames. So yes, in its own way, Fright Night is cheesy. At the same time, though, it is oh so much more than you would expect - an entertaining, somewhat creepy vampire film that features some great acting and some really impressive special effects. You expect to see really bad, noticeably cheap special effects in a film like this, but Fright Night hits a home run in this department.
William Ragsdale plays Charley Brewster, a typical horror-loving kid who just so happens to find out that his new neighbor is a vampire - naturally, no one believes him, including his friend Evil Ed (Stephen Geoffreys in a truly annoying performance) and his girlfriend Amy (Amanda Bearse, who went on to play Marcie on Married With Children). For some reason, Charley decides to be open about his suspicions, thus letting the vampire know that he knows his little secret - not a smart move, as Charley soon learns courtesy of a little visit from the new guy in town. This vampire, I must say, looks nothing like your typical Count Dracula; he actually looks like a reject from Dance Fever, making it a little hard for me to take him seriously (although the threat of "Deney Terrio" busting out some disco moves in the film's one night club scene certainly had me feeling uneasy). In desperation, Charley goes to the only man he thinks can help him - Peter Vincent, Vampire Killer (Roddy McDowall). Vincent killed many a vampire - in the movies - and he is now the local host of Fright Night, a late-night horror show. As you might expect, Vincent doesn't really believe in vampires and, once he sees that Charley is telling him the truth, he isn't too anxious to fight them, either. McDowall is really great in this movie; he is the lynchpin upon which most of the movie's success depends.
I can't say enough about the special effects, especially those in the film's climactic moments. As a horror fan, I really appreciate the filmmakers spending the time and money to give me such an impressive show. The plot features a number of clichés as well as a couple of "oldest tricks in the book," but the inspired performance of Roddy McDowell combined with the fantastic special effects leads me to bump my rating up from four to five stars. This probably won't be the best vampire film you've ever seen, but I am sure that fans of the genre will not fail to get quick a kick out of Fright Night.
Movie Review: "Welcome to Fright Night, for real."
Summary: 5 Stars
It's safe to say that Charley Brewster has a short attention span. In fact, that's probably an understatement. But, when Charley oversees his new neighbor committing murder through his bedroom window, he finally gets some focus in his life. Much to the dismay of his family and friends, however, his new focus is on vampires. After a violent confrontation with Jerry, the creature next door, Charley is desperate to destroy the monster, and he attempts to enlist the aid of local "Fright Night" horror host Peter Vincent, the fearless vampire killer, to do it. Unbelieving Peter is reluctant, but Charley's girlfriend Amy and creepy-geek friend, Evil Ed, convince him with a bit of financial persuading. Their intention is to prove to Charley that Jerry Dandrige is not a vampire at all, but they are in for the scare of their lives, and it's anybody's guess who will survive the real "Fright Night!"
"Fright Night" is an 80s vampire flick for the classic horror fanatic! Paying homage to such staples as Dark Shadows and the Hammer Dracula franchise, this surprising little horror film supplies vampire lore and cliches aplenty, put together so skillfully that the result is this horror fan's favorite vampire indulgence. Of course, this favoritism is in no small part due to spectacular effects and performances! The cast seems tailor made for their roles as they play them, even if some choices seem a bit odd superficially. Hard to imagine this vampire pining away over the centuries for Married With Children's Marcy D'Arcy, but Amanda Bearse plays the role of the teenage object of Chris Sarandon's desires to perfection. Chris, himself, is powerfully convincing and menacing as the hip, 80's vampire. Extremely well adjusted to the times, too. His slave-boy zombie, Billy Cole, is played by an excellently creepy Jonathan Stark, but he's out-creeped by the always somewhat disturbing Stephen Geoffreys as Evil Ed. Of course, William Ragsdale IS Charlie Brewster, and his portrayal is what propels the film. The icing on THIS cake, however, aside from the teenage victim in the window that I've had a crush on all my life, played by someone named Irina Irvine, is the brilliant performance of one of my all-time faves, Roddy "Bullwhip" McDowall, as Peter Vincent, vampire killer! The late, great Roddy McDowall is definitely the yeast that raises this film from vampire movie mediocrity. Despite the nearly bare bones disc, featuring only a trailer and double-sided widescreen/fullscreen selection, this DVD is a must own for vampire, horror, and McDowall fans alike. Be prepared for some cheezy 80's music and a great time that you'll want to experience again and again! Also, be sure to check out "Fright Night 2," one of the best sequels ever made!