I Watch 'Em So You Don't Have To

SLEEP FRIGHT, SLEEP TIGHT...

Fright Night (1985)
Fright Night II (1988)

There are some movies that just become part of your favorites for life because they were just so much fun to watch. Toward the top of mine is Fright Night.

The 80's saw a lot of teen movies in every genre. So although this was to be a horror movie, it centers around a high school kid Charlie Brewster (William Ragsdale) who has an obsession with horror (hey, my kind of guy) and his favorite TV show Fright Night is hosted by the 'great vampire killer' Peter Vincent (done with style and humor by Roddy McDowall. I miss you Roddy.). His girlfriend Amy (played by a young Amanda Bearse, later of Married With Children fame) is frustrated by his seeming lack of attention.

One night he sees new neighbors moving in next door. To his consternation, the two men seem to be carrying a coffin into the house. Being a teenager he proceeds to tell everyone he knows and the police what he suspects but, being a teenager and the typical teen movie he is altogether ignored.

His new neighbor Jerry Dandrige (played by the every smooth Chris Sarandon - the 80's was really his decade to shine) hears of this and decides to pay Charlie a visit. He offers him something he himself says he doesn't have - a choice. Forget him, or lose everybody he loves.

Again, being a teenager, Charlie can't just keep his nose out of other people's business. Despite the lack of support from his girlfriend and 'Evil Ed' (played hilariously by Stephen Geoffreys) he seeks out the help from the only person who he knows can help him - Peter Vincent, the famous vampire killer himself.


Peter, of course, is a total fraud. No, that's not fair. He's an actor. He's done these movies for years but doesn't believe in a single bit of it nor should he. So of course he takes Charlie's ramblings as the silliness of youth - only promising to check it out when offered money for the job.

They confront Jerry - Peter being totally apologetic, Charlie accusing. Peter gives him 'holy water' (he assures him it's just tap water) to drink to 'prove' he's not a real vampire. All goes well until, I guess to move the story along, he happens to look in a prop mirror and notices Jerry has no reflection. Gulp.

He reacts predictably - he's gonna skedaddle out of town. After a lot of convincing, he agrees to help Charlie who now how has rescue his girlfriend, seduced by the ever suave Jerry (a little creepy since she's an underage high school girl) and has lost his best friend to the 'evil'. They gather crosses, stakes and holy water (Jerry must be Catholic like all good vampires) and they set out.

Again, I just adore Chris Sarandon. He appears casually, announcing "Welcome to Fright Night. For real." The battle is intense, cliche's notwithstanding, the girl is saved and Peter and Charlie have triumphed. I was almost sad about that - I kind of wanted Chris to win this one.

Highly watchable and very memorable - I see it every chance I get.

Horror movies were picking up steam in the late 80's and so were sequels. So in 1988 we have Fright Night II. Charlie and Peter still keep in touch although Charlie is now in college with a new girlfriend (Alex, played by Traci Lind). Charlie has also been convinced by his therapist (they're always spoiling things) that Jerry Dandrige was simply a serial killer whom he only thought was a vampire.

Peter loses his job on Fright Night to a newcomer to town, a very sultry woman named Regine (Julie Carmen, a real beauty who I've only seen in one other movie, The Mouth Of Madness, but surely has been in others). She brings a pack of cronies with her (for comic relief more than anything) and starts her stalking of Charlie Brewster. After Charlie conveniently cuts himself shaving, Regine takes advantage and visits him though he's unaware of it, feeding off of the cut and making him a slave-like groupie of sorts.

Peter Vincent soon realizes that Regine too is a vampire. He's not happy about this (but still hilarious to watch). He can't convince Charlie though, a reversal of the first movie.

A few comic diversions and some silly incidents murk up the movie in the middle. It's not as tight or well written as the original, but then again sequels seldom are.

Finally it's revealed that Regine is actually Jerry Dandrige's sister (ewwww, that a little too close of a family - who sucked on who?) seeking revenge for his death.

The battle is good, not as good as the first but still good. Evil seems to be vanquished, the heroes triumph, and the movie is over.... but room is left for a possible third (which never surfaced).

Oh yes, they had the audacity to remake this movie last year. Not cool. I don't even like Colin Ferrell even though for the life of me I couldn't tell you why. What is Fright Night without Roddy, without Stephen, without Chris Sarandon? I didn't want to find out. It was just one of over 50 movies that have been or will be remade starting last year and continuing through 2013 (I hear Colin is also in the remake of Total Recall - ewww). I would say don't bother but women seem to get hot and heavy over Colin Ferrell so just watch at your own discretion.