Monday 25 June 2012

Fright Night (1985)

"Fright Night" (1985, Tom Holland, Columbia Pictures) is the original Fright Night.

In case you missed my review of the remake from 2011, I love the original Fright Night! I have to say, the remake's good though.

A nice, comedy vampire flick. Young Charley Brewster (William Ragsdale) is convinced his sinisterly suave, fruit loving new next door neighbour, Jerry Dandridge (Chris Sarandon), is a vampire. And he's right! The only problem is no one will believe him! See, he's such a big horror geek that everyone thinks he's finally flipped, a problem I can personally vouch for! His nightly viewings of 'Fright Night', hosted by Peter Vincent, a clever mash-up of Peter Cushing's and Vincent Price's names (Roddy McDowall), have gone to his head!

Jerry knows that Charley is aware of his true nature, and decides to threaten him.

Charley tries at first to convince his girlfriend, Amy Peterson (Amanda Bearse, who you may know as Marcy from 'Married with Children'), and his loser, horror-loving buddy, 'Evil' Ed Thompson (Stephen Geoffreys). Neither are convinced, but when it appears Charley is going to attempt to murder Mr. Dandridge, both jump in and pay Peter Vincent to 'prove' Jerry's not a vampire with faux holy water.

Unfortunately, Peter Vincent spies that Jerry is severly lacking in reflection during their visit and it takes some convincing to bring him back on board! That big scaredy cat!

Jerry kidnaps Amy in an attempt to make her a vampire; can Brewster and Vincent save her before it's too late?!

He also turns Ed into a vampire. Shame he didn't show him the ropes too.

A really 80s movie with some seriously messed up vampire faces and a wolf scene that is one of my favourite vampire deaths to this day (and that includes the bathroom scene from "The Lost Boys", ladies and gentlemen).

Poor ol' Evil Ed gets the short end of the stick, but Geoffreys is just brilliant in the part. And I still say his "You're so cool, Brewster!" is by far the better.

Really a worthwhile watch with lots of 80s gore (green goop, slime and extremely red blood). The soundtrack is not quite as good as "The Lost Boys", but then even now, not many are!

Sarandon's character is perfect. He's scary, creepy but there's something about him you just like. And again, no glitter!

If you've seen the remake and not the original, you are denying yourself a "dubious pleasure".  Now go get that DVD in your player!


[Picture: Columbia Pictures]

Hani 

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