Matt Greene
It's always fun when a movie is firmly set within a world in which movies exist. This is a light horror-comedy outing with some great transformation makeup and lots of self-awareness. More 80s teen dramedy than it is horror, it's as lightly fun as it is completely inconsequential.
Tweekums
As this film opens seventeen year old Charley Brewster is kissing his girlfriend Amy while a horror movie plays in the background. He complains that she won't go as far as he would like
then she offers to sleep with him but now he is watching the new neighbours taking what appears to be a coffin into their house. She is not impressed with his behaviour. The next night he thinks he sees the neighbour murdering a woman; biting her in the neck with his obvious fangs. He reports a vampire attack but understandably the police don't believe his story of modern day vampires. The neighbour Jerry Dandrige soon pays Charley a visit and it is clear that he really is a vampire. Wanting help Charley seeks out Peter Vincent, an actor who starred in many vampire films and presents 'Fright Night', a late night horror show. He is not interested but later, after being approached by Amy and Charley's friend 'Evil Ed' who persuade him to show Charley that Dandrige is human
he has quite a shock when he sees that Dandrige has no reflection in a mirror. Initially he just wants to get away but ultimately he and Charley will confront Dandrige in order to save Amy, who he has bitten.I enjoyed this film more than I expected; it has some good scary moments and plenty of tongue in cheek humour. The physical effects are pretty impressive and can be quite gruesome at times. The story is entertaining; I liked that nobody, including the 'vampire hunter' believed Charley until they saw concrete proof that Dandrige is a vampire. William Ragsdale does a solid job as protagonist Charley and Amanda Bearse and Stephen Geoffreys are fun as Amy and Evil Ed. Chris Sarandon is impressive as the suave Dandridge; both menacing and seductive. It is Roddy McDowall however who is most memorable; he is great as Peter Vincent the cowardly TV vampire killer who ends up doing it for real. The tension increases nicely towards the end, but not at the expense of humour, giving us an enjoyable final confrontation. Overall I'd certainly recommend this to fans of '80s horror; it isn't the scariest horror film but it is a lot of fun.
hellholehorror
It has some amazing setups. The opening shot is a real spectacle; there are also some nice and effective visual gags without the use of unnatural CGI. The sound was not that good at all. The use of rear speakers was occasional and very awkward. One scene in a nightclub had people stamping their feet in the rear speakers but it sounded so disconnected. The music wasn't very good either - way too eighties. I'm not a big fan of vampire movies but this was kinda fun. Not as memorable as The Lost Boys (1987) and not as well acted as The 'Burbs (1989) but similar to both. It is a cute eighties story but really nothing amazing. Some cool effects and reminded me of so many other films but ultimately average.
andrew_flay
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.
AD
