Movie Review: Fright Night (1985)

★★★★★

Witty, scary, and packed with personality a must-see for anyone who loves vampire movies

Suzanne J.

Louisiana

The mid-80s were full of teen horror flicks, but most followed the slasher formula: masked killer, final girl, and plenty of jump scares. Fright Night (1985) took a different route. Written and directed by Tom Holland, it’s equal parts supernatural thriller, coming-of-age comedy, and love letter to old-school vampire films.

As a reviewer for BoxReview.com, I’ve seen my share of horror-comedies that either lean too hard on the jokes or take themselves too seriously to be fun. Fright Night gets the balance just right, it’s funny without undermining the horror, and scary without losing its sense of play.

The Premise: The Boy Who Cried Vampire

Charley Brewster (William Ragsdale) is your average suburban teen until he notices some strange happenings next door. His new neighbor, Jerry Dandrige (Chris Sarandon), seems charming enough… until Charley spots him with fangs and claws. The problem? Nobody believes him, not his girlfriend Amy (Amanda Bearse), his best friend Evil Ed (Stephen Geoffreys), or even the police.

Desperate, Charley turns to his idol, Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowall), a washed-up TV horror host. Together, they set out to prove Jerry’s true nature before it’s too late.

Chris Sarandon’s Vampire: Suave but Menacing

Most movie vampires either go for pure horror or pure romance. Sarandon’s Jerry Dandrige somehow does both. He’s refined and charismatic, but there’s always a sense of danger under the surface.

One detail often overlooked is how physical Sarandon’s performance is. The way he moves, deliberate, confident, slightly predatory, sells Jerry as something other than human, even before the fangs come out. It’s a role that could’ve been overacted into camp, but Sarandon keeps it classy until it’s time to go full monster.

Roddy McDowall as Peter Vincent: The Heart of the Film

Peter Vincent is a brilliant creation, part Vincent Price homage, part self-deprecating satire. McDowall plays him as a man who’s spent his career faking bravery in B-movies, only to be forced into the real thing.

What’s fascinating is how his arc mirrors Charley’s. Both start the film defined by fear: Charley of losing those he loves, Vincent of confronting real danger. By the end, both have faced that fear head-on. It’s rare for a horror film to give its comic relief such a meaningful transformation.

Amanda Bearse’s Amy: More Than the Girlfriend

In most 80s horror films, the girlfriend is either a damsel in distress or a skeptical obstacle. Amy starts out skeptical, but once she’s drawn into Jerry’s world, she becomes an active player. Her transformation sequence from the sweet girl next door to something far more dangerous is one of the most striking in the film.

Stephen Geoffreys as Evil Ed: Scene-Stealing Energy

Geoffrey gives Evil Ed such a distinct personality that you can’t take your eyes off him. He’s quirky, loud, and unpredictable, and his eventual fate gives the movie one of its most unsettling emotional beats.

It’s worth noting that Evil Ed’s scenes also explore outsider identity in a way that wasn’t common in 80s horror. There’s a subtext of loneliness and rejection under the wisecracks.

The Practical Effects: A Love Letter to Monster Movies

One of the biggest joys of Fright Night is its commitment to practical effects. The vampire transformations are grotesque and creative, mixing prosthetics, animatronics, and old-school makeup tricks.

The wolf-to-human change, the jaw-dropping facial distortions, the bats, it’s a showcase of what 80s horror effects teams could pull off without CGI. And it holds up, because it has texture and weight that digital effects often lack.

The Tone: A Tightrope Walk Between Horror and Comedy

Balancing scares and laughs is tricky, but Holland manages it by respecting both. The comedy comes from the characters and their situations, not from mocking the horror itself. When Jerry attacks, it’s played straight, the danger feels real, which makes the jokes land even harder when the tension breaks.

Underappreciated Elements

The Soundtrack: Brad Fiedel’s synth-heavy score gives the film a dreamy, off-kilter atmosphere, especially in the seduction scenes. It’s distinctly 80s but never feels dated.

The Suburban Setting: By placing the horror in a sunny, ordinary neighborhood, Holland taps into a primal fear that danger can lurk just beyond your white-picket fence.

The Meta Angle: Long before Scream, Fright Night played with horror fandom through Peter Vincent’s character, exploring what happens when the genre’s biggest fans are faced with the real thing.

Why Fright Night Still Works Today

Unlike many 80s horror films that feel trapped in their era, Fright Night benefits from its mix of timeless vampire lore and affectionate nods to classic cinema. It’s aware of horror clichés, but it doesn’t mock them; it celebrates them.

The performances are strong across the board, the effects still look great, and the story’s core, a teenager trying to convince the world of a hidden danger, is universal. It’s the kind of movie that works for horror fans and casual viewers alike.

Final Thoughts

Fright Night is a rare gem: a horror-comedy that respects both genres equally, a vampire story that’s sexy and scary, and a teen movie that doesn’t talk down to its audience.

If you’ve never seen it, don’t let the '80s hair and synth soundtrack fool you; it’s still one of the smartest, most entertaining vampire films out there. And if you have seen it, you already know: you’re so cool, Brewster.