Fright Night (1985)

(On DVD, June 2003) Surprisingly engaging teen horror film with a deep affection for classic B-grade horror that makes its comedic take even more effective. Sure, there’s been other vampire comedies before. Yes, there are other “hero discovers that neighbours are evil” films out there. (The Burbs, The Burbs!) But Fright Night is directed with flair and paced with skill. It holds up quite well fifteen years later through savvy use of sympathetic characters (with a particular nod to Roddy MacDowall’s “Peter Vincent” -Hello Mr. Lorre and Mr. Price) and amusing sight gags. In this current post-Scream slasher revival, it’s easy to forget that once upon a time, supernatural creatures of the night were the rightful owners of trash horror. Fortunately, Fright Night is a fitting tribute to the time, not out of place with films such as Matinee and the afore-mentioned Scream. Worth a look!