Fright Night Theater
I did get a good viewing and gave a rather comprehensive review from my own favored perspective in 2016 (April 8th). I want to say I caught this on an Encore channel during a weekday evening back then. It wasn't like this evening where "Fright Night Friday" was made in advance. I watched its sequel this week but the 1985 original was decided, and rightfully so, for tonight. And this felt so right. Just like in my youth, this was an absolute staple certain Fridays when I would visit my grandmother's, as my cousin and uncle who lived with her would often have HBO and allowed me before "Rated R age" to watch the film. I still don't know why the sequel was never so available...that will always be puzzling to me.
The monstrous vampire prosthetic designs, I really remember grooving to them quite a bit when I watched the film way back thirty years ago. And the werewolf Evil Ed transformed into and gradually transitioned out of the undead back to dead human is just incredible. What they were doing back then with makeup, even with Sarandon, Bearse, and Geoffreys with various stages of vampire, was simply top of the line work. I think why those of us at a certain age at that time still love the 80s so much is what the horror genre was offering, even as the past was updated for then present. Of course casting was great at the top. I mean Sarandon as the handsome vampire, McDowell as the failed horror show host finagled into helping Ragsdale when no one else believes him, and Geoffreys as the high strung, high school bully victim (and I think gay) who wanted people to stop calling him evil. I think Bearse feels miscast but her seduction by Sarandon in the club and upstairs at his home are still quite erotic and sexy. I freely admit that when she removes her top and Sarandon bites her with the blood slowly stringing down her naked back, I am aroused. Ragsdale as the Fright Night TV show fan who tries and fails to get anyone to believe him about a vampire across the yard in the dusty, webby, clock-filled house, obviously the eyesore frightened kids tell ghost stories about, is the perfect foil for Sarandon and the Rear Window touches are wonderfully realized. Still a horror hallmark of my youth and perfect summer entertainment always. But no reason my peers and those who come upon it and dig it couldn't pull it out for October or Halloween. For me, even early September, "Fright Night" retains the starter weekend fun so often prevalent for the horror marathons of my youth.
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| My ole DVD copy from a rental store |
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