Fright Night

Tom Holland’s meandering career goes on an entertaining vampire romp in “Fright Night”, a minor cult classic from the 1980s that playfully turns horror clichés on their head while also serving up a healthy dose of thrills and chills.

As for the cast, Roddy McDowell stands out for his over-the-top performance as Peter Vincent (a name that pays homage to two horror icons – Peter Cushing and Vincent Price), a make-believe vampire “expert” who hides his insecurity behind an inflated ego (“What could be more important than my autograph?“).

Written and adapted by the director himself, the film also shines for its sharp, ironic dialogue. One line that stands out is a scintillating soliloquy on the depressing slasher movie craze of the period (“Nobody wants to see vampire killers any more […] apparently all they want are demented madmen running around in ski masks hacking up young virgins!“).

Chris Sarandon is basically a classic vampire: he’s afraid of religion, garlic, and daylight; he loves elegance and the art of seduction; he needs an invitation to enter someone’s home (but his distinctive quirk is a passion for fruit).

Makeup and “animatronic” special effects are top-notch, but the real gem is the outstanding soundtrack.