Synopsis: Nobody believes teenager Charley Brewster (William Ragsdale) when he discovers that his suave new neighbor, Jerry Dandridge (Chris Sarandon), is a vampire. So when the bloodsucker starts stalking Charley, he turns to has-been actor Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowall), famed for portraying a ghoul hunter. Unfortunately for the would-be vampire slayers, Dandridge has set his sights on Charley's girlfriend in this clever spoof of the horror genre.
Review: As every horror fan already knows the cult classic I have before myself today was remade and got very mixed reactions from fans in the horror community, luckily for that remakes sake I don't have to review it. For me seeing this film back when I was around 10 years old it was awesome due to it's well done balance of terror and comedy. I have always looked at this film as one that went along perfectly with Gremlins, Ghostbusters, and An American Werewolf In London due to them being able to have the same balance of comedy and horror.
Fright Night takes on the classic vampire films elements that they used in the Hammer and Universal films, but takes them into the 80's and adds a newer edge to them and also I think unintentionally pays tribute to Hitchcock's "
Rear Window". Now there was a few other films out in the 80's that did the same thing by mixing horror and comedy and they for the most part were great as well. Aside from the great combination of the genres you also get some awesome practical effects done by those who did them in the film Ghostbusters! You do get some of those effects early in the film, but it doesn't get really going with them until the third act of the film which makes for a great finale.
The other thing that shines for Fright Night is the cast involved. You get a very Peter Cushing-esque character Peter Vincent from Roddy McDowall (Class of 1984), Chris Sarandon (The Nightmare Before Christmas) as the evil but likable vampire next door Jerry Dandrige, Stephen Geoffreys (976-Evil) as eccentric friend Evil Ed, William Ragsdale (Fright Night Part 2) as horror fiend Charley Brewster, and Amanda Bearse (Married With Children) as lovable girlfriend Amy Peterson. With a main cast like that you really can't go wrong!
Now as far as the presentation goes on this blu-ray release, well you will get exactly what you pay for and that is and awesome presentation in it's original 2.35:1 aspect ratio and also has a picture quality that blows the older DVD release out of the water! The grain is still intact and seems to be untouched by the film killing DNR or edge enhancement which makes for a more theatrical like experience. You also get some great detail that you were not quite able to see on the previous DVD release due to the film being compress down quite a bit. Now there is not really much when it comes to special features besides the isolated score track and the original theatrical trails, which is fine to me because really it ultimately comes down to the film when I buy any release.
Overall this is a very frightfully fun horror comedy that does deserve the cult status it has gotten and the love and attention to detail as Twilight Times has given to this HD release of this film!
-Daniel "Damnation" Lee
Director: Tom Holland
Genre: Horror/Comedy
Blu-Ray Release Year: 2011
Theatrical Release Year: 1985
Time Length: 106 mins.
Company: Twilight Time
Website:
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