Thursday, 31 May 2018

Fright Night (1985)****.

In 1985, writer/director Tom Holland made a cult horror classic called "Fright Night", the tale of Charley Brewster, (William Ragsdale), a teenage boy who thinks that his neighbour Jerry Danbridge, (Chris Sarandon), is a vampire. Holland, who wrote "The Beast Within", (Phillipe Mora, 1982); and "Psycho II, Richard Franklin, 1983), fuses humour with classic vampire lore, to create a cult classic that would please fans of the old vampire movies from Europe, and the UK, (especially the ones that starred the late Sir Christopher Lee in the 1950's, and 1960's, by Hammer Films).
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William Ragsdale in Fright Night (1985)
Charley Brewster, (William Ragsdale), thinks that there's something wrong with the neighbour across the road...Tom Holland's "Fright Night", (1985).
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The movie surrounds itself with Charley Brewster, (Ragsdale), who lives with his mother, Judy Brewster, (Dorothy Fielding). He has a girlfriend, Amy Peterson, (Amanda Bearse)-from "Married with Children); and is friends with "Evil Ed", (Stephen Geoffreys). When a young woman is on a date with Jerry, the blinds are drawn...and the next day she is found dead. Brewster believes Jerry is a vampire-but no one believes him.
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When Charley attempts to convince his friends, and Detective Lennox, (Art J. Evans), who is African-American, they meet Billy Cole, (Jonathan Stark), who attempts to lighten the mood by suggesting Charley's imagining things...and is crazy. The Detective leaves in his car, and suggests the teenager not to bother people, and the police, again.
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Charley decides to talk to Peter Vincent, (Roddy McDowell, Planet of the Apes, 1968, The Legend of Hell House), 1973), a horror television host. At first he doesn't believe him. When they meet Jerry, Vincent is convinced that Charley is joking with him...until he sees that Jerry hasn't cast a shadow. Afterwards, they plan to get rid of the vampire.
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When Charley's mother invites Jerry into their house, he is scared. Then, as revenge, he romances his girlfriend during the famous "Night club" scene; he then bites "Evil Ed", who gives into his own will power, leaving Charley and Peter Vincent to battle the vampires...alone.
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In all, "Fright Night", is an excellent vampire movie of the mid-1980's: it is funny, scary, great acting, a electronic music score, cinematography, and special effects. It then spawned a sequel, and several re-makes.
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