MAY 18: Fright Night

            Oh, Fright Night. Arguably the most widely beloved movie on my lineup, how I dread to say something even vaguely impolite about you for fear of the horror fanbros who shall surely burst out of my internet connection to correct me. Yet here you are, and here I am, and here we go.

Fright Night is fine. It’s not bad, it’s not great, it’s just fine. Oh, stop shouting at me and hear me out.

For the uninitiated, Fright Night tells the story of Charley Brewster, your average, everyday teenage schmo who could maybe use a quick primer on consent. Charley enjoys watching Fright Night, an anthology movie series of dusty Hammer Horror type gothics hosted by Vincent Price, er, Peter Vincent. When that’s not on, he enjoys crossing the clearly set boundaries of his girlfriend, Amy, and hanging out with his unpleasant friend, Evil Ed, a proto-Matthew-Lillard that makes you appreciate the sheer character acting skill it takes to Matthew Lillard effectively, because Evil Ed doesn’t have it. Chaley also enjoys pointing his binoculars at his neighbor’s house, and if he’s lucky he gets to see some boob. What I’m trying to say, Charley is a real shit boy, though I have no doubt that generations of teenage boys have identified with him deeply. God, I can already hear this write-up coming back to haunt me. Look, like it or not, there are parts of this movie that do not age well, and the part where we meet Charley as he feels up his girlfriend after she repeatedly tells him to stop, and then she apologizes and the movie bounces right along, is one of those things.

Ugh, I’m sorry. I’m sure I’m being a big feminist killjoy. I promise, there were many parts of this movie that I found absolutely delightful. Grant me one further sidebar. It’s widely known and acknowledged amongst cinema connoisseurs that Hobgoblins is a Gremlins pastiche, but might it also have notes of Fright Night? It too features a girlfriend named Amy who grows up into a seductress through supernatural means, and whomst the protagonist is rewarded by getting to have sex with. She too is amongst the most compelling of her peers, though in Hobgoblins she is outshone by the goddess Daphne, whose analogue in Fright Night is sadly absent.  

So anyway, Charley soon discovers that the new owner of the appropriately gothic house next door is a vampire, Jerry Dandridge, who takes beautiful young women as his prey. Charley is painfully obvious about his secret knowledge and soon Jerry is out to get him. He and his friends look to the down-and-out Peter Vincent for assistance, and Vincent is forced to put his fictional vampire-killing kills to the test.

Peter Vincent, vampire killer

The delights of the older leads compensate for the younger actors’ limited charms. Chris Sarandon is a delight as Jerry, disdainful and bored with notes of sadism whenever he has the chance to pick on Charley. When the camera lovingly moves over his silhouette as an oh-so-‘80s guitar riff blares, it’s impossible not to smile. And as Peter Vincent, Roddy McDowell carries the movie. His Vincent would like nothing more than to leave this movie, but events just keep drawing the unlucky guy back in. He’s cute as a goddamn button, and has the movie’s one real character arc. Well, I guess there’s Evil Ed, but he just gets eviler.

And many things about this movie have aged well, not least it’s extraordinary theme song which has aged like fine wine. As a loving homage to the cobwebbed gothic films of the pre-slasher days, the film shines. From its loving recreation of Vincent’s fictional films, to cameo appearances by some deep cut classics, to Jerry’s gothic mansion and the perpetual fog that rolls over the streets at night, there’s a coziness to its nostalgia. But make no mistake, this movie is deeply, deeply ‘80s. Jerry has traded the dusty cloak for a long leather jacket. The soundtrack is a cheesy delight. And the practical effects, oh the effects, full of that characteristic ’80s skeletons and goo. You’ll get to see bodies melt, a gnarly wolf transformation, some demon face that made me say, hey that’s some pretty good demon face (and I’m notably picky about my demon face). My little teenage gorehound heart was very pleased.

Okay, fine, I think this silly little film has grown on me since I first watched it. I do wish it would keep its hands to itself. But I understand why horror fans of a certain age have a certain nostalgic affection for the little guy. The good folks at Faculty of Horror have some smart takes, including an oppositional reading where Jerry represents an alternative to adolescent conformity that appeals to Amy and Evil Ed but terrifies Charley, who becomes an agent of American conservatism. And the film’s early moments do kind of look like Charley is freaking out at the homos next door, what with Jerry’s, ahem, roommate, Billy Cole, with whom he’s plenty cozy. I like that reading better, though I do think Amy’s getting a raw deal either way – I know Amanda Bearse was well into her 20s when she made this, but goodness gracious does she make Amy seem very 16. I still don’t think it’s one of the greats, but where it’s good, it’s delightful, and it clearly has a lot of heart. I would gladly watch Peter Vincent and Jerry Dandridge do battle all day. Just, maybe they can leave Brewster out of it.

Friendly neighborhood vampire 

Vibecheck: So it’s the 80s

Scare Factor: The gore effects are a cheesy delight, and the whole movie has a delightful Halloween feel, but be assured, thrills are well on the safe side.

Pairs Well With: Goes nicely with other boy’s own adventure type horror movies, think Phantasm and Gremlins. Or, you know, there’s always Hobgoblins. And it’s been a minute, but I remember the remake being rather good actually.

But how gay is it?: Let’s see, we’ve got a gothic bi guy with a live-in boyfriend, a Vincent Price impersonator, and not one but two of the younger characters grew up to be great big queers. In other words, pretty damn gay!

Girlfriend’s Corner: I’m not terribly sad I didn’t watch this one, on the other hand, although the theme song really is a banger. (Also, Sara, the phrase you’re citing is “goffik bi guy.”)