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| Images Courtesy of Columbia Pictures |
There are few films that manage to walk the tightrope between terror and comedy without falling into one of the genres and overshadowing the other. Fright Night is a pristine example of a film that is both frightening and funny in equal portions. Anchored by an unusually soulful premise and a wonderful mix of performances, Tom Holland’s masterpiece remains a pillar of American horror cinema.
Charlie Brewster is a teenager with a
very serious problem: His handsome neighbor Jerry Dandridge is a vampire. After
numerous attempts at getting help, Charlie and a washed-up TV personality are
forced to confront the ghoul and their fears on Dandridge's home turf.
William Ragsdale stars as Charlie. He does an excellent job portraying a hormonal teen whose erotic predispositions are abruptly shattered by a real-life nightmare, taking the pituitary output to a lizard brain level of self-preservation. Charlie's transition from hapless victim to fierce vampire hunter is aided by some amazing makeup work from Ken Diaz, which allows the viewer to visually chart Charlie's progression throughout the movie. Chris Sarandon delivers his most iconic performance as the vampire Dandridge. He presents as a lost soul, tormented by his past who straddles the divide between menace and charm in every interaction. Amanda Bearse does a magnificent job as Charlie's girlfriend Amy, appearing virginal in the first two segments and then transitioning into a sultry fatale in the final act. Stephen Geoffreys has the film's most memorable lines as Evil Ed, while the legendary Roddy McDowell steals the show as the "fearless" vampire expert Peter Vincent.
It is easy to dismiss Fright Night
as a simple vampire movie. On its surface it is a story about a young man and
an old man battling a vampire, with the youth trying to save the one he loves
and the elder trying to find meaning in his wasted life. However, these simple
concepts are the blood slicked portals through which a deeper meaning can be
found: This is a film about relationships. There is the skin-deep level in
which Charlie and Amy flirt with losing their virginity. There is the
romanticized, sexy dangerous fantasy of Amy and Dandridge and the pseudo father
son relationship between Charlie and Peter Vincent. Most importantly, however,
is how each of the character's relate to the central dilemma and how their
various actions produce a menagerie of results. While Charlie's friend Evil
chooses to embrace the darkness in order to feel whole, Peter Vincent chooses
to fight it for the exact same reason. Dandridge gives his would-be killers a
plethora of opportunities to escape and only truly commits to non-essential
violence when pressured. Both Vincent and Dandridge spend the bulk of the
narrative trying to avoid conflicts in favor of living out their existences in
relative peace, despite the vampire having to kill and Vincent being a faded
star desperate for the limelight. Everyone in Holland's world is a loner and it
is how each uses their individuality that makes Fright Night an amazing
horror experience.
Brad Fiedel's synth heavy score is a resplendent 80's triumph, while Thaine Morris's visual effects are an outstanding nod to the creatures of weird pulp horror novels. Whenever the vampires and other monstrosities shed their human disguises to reveal themselves, their revolting countenances bring an otherworldly malevolence that sets them apart from their unflinchingly serious cinematic brethren. It's the perfect amount of over-the-top gore that never becomes satiric in its presentation. Jan Keisser's cinematography and Jerry Adams' set design weave everything together, presenting the city as dangerous and enticing, much like the killers who stalk its alleyways. The house at the center of the action in the finale is ominous with its outward decoration, while its Gothic interior is pure flea market Dracula.
Available now for digital rental, Fright Night is a one-of-a-kind horror experience. If you are looking for a horror film that is incessantly smart and surprisingly funny, you can't go wrong with this ultra 80's smash. Sexy, scary, and never too serious for its own good, this is the perfect blend of creature violence and intelligent humor.
--Kyle Jonathan