Review: Fright Night (1985)

Man, what a fun movie.

That's really all there is to say about this film, when you get down to it.  This tale of teenager Charley (William Ragsdale), who happens to find out that his new neighbor Jerry Dandrige (Chris Sarandon) is a vampire, is an amusing romp with some genuinely thrilling sequences and some top-notch performances.  It is, in my opinion, the better of the two teen-oriented vampire movies of the 80s (though The Lost Boys is still fun), and the only thing keeping it from being the best of the decade is the decidedly different approach of Near Dark.

Even parts of the movie that people generally dislike about this film I have a fondness for: 'Evil' Ed might drive the audience crazy, but that's only because actor Stephen Geoffreys absolutely nails the character.  Sometimes teenagers are annoying, and Geoffreys conveys that so well people end up hating the character far more than he deserves.

The only thing I fault this movie for is one that the pacing between Charley's discovery of his neighbor's vampiric nature and his finally going to TV host Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowall) feels off.  It's the only part of the movie I find draggy, even if there are a few amusing bits during it.  Perhaps a tightening of the scene with the police, or a shorter interlude between Charley's mother Judy (Dorothy Fielding) Peter and the latter's late-night visit might have helped.  It's doesn't derail the movie, but the tempo takes a moment to correct itself.

However, once Peter is introduced into the film, it is smooth sailing from then on.  The shared scene between him, Ed, and Charley's girlfriend Amy (Amanda Bearse) is a great mix of personality types and understated comedic interplay, and once all of our main characters are together, the movie is basically firing on all cylinders and it is just enjoying the ride until the film ends.

A great deal of credit goes to director Tom Holland, who mixes the comedy, suspense, and horror like a master.  There is a genuine love not just for the genre, but for this particular type of movie that bleeds into every reel and elevates what would normally be standard schlock and turns it into something special.

So yeah, I recommend this to anyone that enjoys horror and even some of those that don't.  And a double feature with this and The Lost Boys is always a good idea.

8.5 out of 10

Published Oct 31, 2026