Fright Night

Director: Tom Holland Tom Holland

Overview

A teenage horror film addict is shocked to discover that his new next-door neighbor is a vampire in this delightful mix of horror and comedy. The problems only grow for young Charley Brewster (William Ragsdale) when he expresses his thoughts about fanged new neighbor Jerry Dandridge (Chris Sarandon). His girlfriend, Amy (Amanda Bearse), thinks Charley is avoiding their relationship issues, his single mom thinks Dandridge (Chris Sarandon) could be a potential boyfriend, and his buddy "Evil" (Stephen Geoffreys) just thinks Charley's losing it. Worst of all, Dandridge and his nasty assistant, Billy Cole (Jonathan Stark), are on to Charley's wild notions -- and have plans to pay him a late-night visit to silence him. With no one to help him, Charley turns to the one man he knows has faced the wrath of the undead and lived, the fearless vampire killer Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowall). A washed-up actor who has just been fired from his job as the host of a late-night horror show, Vincent is not about to believe in the rantings of an impressionable teen. However, lured by Amy's cash offer, he agrees to help her convince Charley that Dandridge isn't a vampire. There is just one problem: Dandridge is a vampire and when Amy falls under his evil spell, its up Charley and Peter to drive a stake through their potential romance.

Product Details

Release Date:	09/07/1999
UPC:	0043396056299
Original Release:	1985
Rating:	R
Source:	SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMT
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:46:00
Sales rank:	4,439

Special Features

Languages: English, French; Subtitles: English, French; Theatrical trailer; Scene selections; Widescreen and full screen formats

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Chris Sarandon	Jerry Dandridge,Jerry Dandridge
Roddy McDowall	Peter Vincent,Peter Vincent
William Ragsdale	Charley Brewster,Charley Brewster
Amanda Bearse	Amy Peterson,Amy Peterson
Stephen Geoffreys	Evil Ed,Evil Ed
Jonathan Stark	Billy Cole,Billy Cole
Dorothy Fielding	Judy Brewster,Judy Brewster
Art Evans	Detective Lennox,Detective Lennox
Stewart Stern	Actor,Actor,Cook,Cook
Nick Savage	Bouncer,Bouncer
Ernie Holmes	Bouncer,Bouncer
Prince A. Hughes	Actor,Actor,Bouncer,Bouncer
Heidi Sorenson	Actor,Actor
Irina Irvine	Teenage Girl,Teenage Girl
Bob Corff	Actor,Actor,Jonathan,Jonathan
Pamela Brown	Miss Nina,Miss Nina
Chris Hendrie	Newscaster,Newscaster
Jackie Burch	Actor,Actor
Brad Fiedel	Composer,Composer
Tangerine Dream	Composer,Composer

Technical Credits

Tom Holland

Tom Holland	Director,Director,Screenwriter,Screenwriter
Herb Jaffe	Producer,Producer
Richard Edlund	Special Effects,Special Effects
Albert Lannutti	Special Effects,Special Effects
Michael Lantieri	Special Effects,Special Effects
Clay Pinney	Special Effects,Special Effects
Darrell D. Prichett	Special Effects,Special Effects
Jackie Burch	Casting,Casting
Jerry Brutsche	Stunts,Stunts
Nick Dimitri	Stunts,Stunts
Larry Holt	Stunts,Stunts
Donna Hall	Stunts,Stunts
C.E. Duncan	Stunts,Stunts
Mark Harden	Stunts,Stunts
Gerald Clarke	Stunts,Stunts
Jerry Wills	Stunts,Stunts
Chere Bryson	Stunts,Stunts
Clyde Hart	Key Grip,Key Grip
Bill Couch	Stunts,Stunts
Bradley Alan	Stunts,Stunts
Clifford Strong	Stunts,Stunts
Lane Leavitt	Stunts,Stunts
Gardner Doolittle	Stunts,Stunts
Frank Perrino	Stunts,Stunts
Mike Washlake	Stunts,Stunts
Darrell Pritchett	Special Effects,Special Effects
Christine Baur	Stunts,Stunts
Alonzo Brown, Jr.	Stunts,Stunts
Paula Crist	Stunts,Stunts
Loren Janes	Stunts,Stunts
Kim Washington	Stunts,Stunts
Terry James	Stunts,Stunts
David Spence	Sound Editor,Sound Editor
Neil Burrow	Sound Editor,Sound Editor
Michael P. Redbourn	Sound Editor,Sound Editor
Gordon Davidson	Sound Editor,Sound Editor

Editorial Reviews

Tom Holland perfectly blends horror and comedy in this popular, well-made send-up of the old "Chiller Theater"-style horror shows that could be found on late-night television in the 1960s and '70s. Holland's screenplay doesn't try to be fancy. Instead, he concocts the simple, suspenseful story of a teen who discovers an awful secret -- that his next-door neighbor is a vampire -- and then lets his actors take care of the rest. William Ragsdale does an excellent job playing the frazzled teen protagonist, while Chris Sarandon takes full advantage of his role as the ultra-evil blood-sucker. Amanda Bearse and Stephen Geoffreys also turn in solid supporting turns as Ragsdale's girlfriend and best friend, respectively, but it is Roddy McDowall who steals the show. Playing the part of aging horror host Peter Vincent (named for Peter Cushing and Vincent Price) who comes to Ragsdale's rescue, McDowall really seems to enjoy himself in the meaty role whether he's pretending to be the "great vampire killer" of his character's movie roles or just plain running scared from Sarandon's nasty vampire. From a technical perspective, Fright Night maintains a chilling, uneasy atmosphere thanks to the great haunted-house setting of the vampire's lair in which the bulk of the film's scariest scenes occur. The special makeup effects by Richard Edlund are well-done with particular acclaim reserved for the fantastic slaying of the vampire's day-walking helper (played by Jonathan Stark). Even the effects-filled finale doesn't come close to this incredible sequence. Bearse's vampire look is outlandish, but disturbing thanks to its clownish mouth full of teeth. The costumes, makeup, and soundtrack date this film a bit to its 1980s roots, as they are heavily influenced by the styles and sounds of the decade. The J. Geils Band performs the title track. McDowall and Ragsdale reprised their roles in the 1989 sequel Fright Night Part II.