Saturday, August 20, 2011

Vampires with Fang



WELCOME ... TO ...
FRIGHT NIGHT
For real.


Hey you hopeless romantics, why not slough that doey eyed haze that you're in and go see the reboot of Fright Night? It opened this Friday and it's getting good reviews.


The original Fright Night was, is and may always remain my all time favorite vampire movie. Dare I say THE movie to spark my interest in all things vampy. I accidentally stumbled upon it one late weekend night when I was 15. It drew me in and engrossed me. It's scary but it doesn't take any cheap shots like the lame ass horror movies of today. Nothing is going to jump out at you (lame) and there's no disgusting sexual references to keep the pervs interested. It's the epitome of a good horror movie in the vain that was envisioned by the horror masters of yesteryear.

Along with all that classically enjoyable scariness is a heavy helping of humor. Fright Night is a funny movie. Peter Vincent, the aging B horror movie star turned late night movie host (played by the late great Roddy McDowall) easily sprinkles in campy humor.

Chris Sarandon as the sexy, mysterious and unnerving Jerry Dandrige will forever be the perfect virile vampire against which I shall judge every other fanged honey.

But the whole cast was great and memorable, as was the plot. I, being the fan that I am, had always intended to see (and was secretly excited about) the remake of Fright Night, starring Colin Farrell as Jerry Dandrige and David Tennant as the re-imagined Peter Vincent character. But what I didn't expect was that this new Fright Night would lovingly pay homage to the original in such a way that demands respect for both manifestations.

I don't just plan to dutifully go sit through the reboot just to be reminded of my favorite movie, I am going to dig up my Fright Night t-shirt and proudly go see a new generation pump fresh blood into the dusty carcass of one fine horror classic.

No comments: