Fright Night
Watching the way that vampire movies have been going you’d think that remaking a 80’s vampire slaughterfest would somehow be reimagined into a movie where the pretty girlfriend falls for Colin Farrell and he broods about it because he doesn’t want to harm the fragile human. OK that is the cynical viewpoint but the pussification (or is it Twilightification) of vampires in the cinema is making a true horror fan a little jaded. So what a pleasant surprise Fright Night turns out to be.
Set in Las Vegas, where a man who works at night and sleeps during the day would not seem peculiar, in a small housing community, Charley Brewster is looking to break out of his former loserdom and ignores the disappearance of his former friend because it does not help him keep the pretty girl next door that he feels he doesn’t deserve, Amy. Soon, Charley begins to suspect that his next door neighbor, Jerry (Farrell) is a vampire and to my surprise Jerry doesn’t deny it. Jerry begins to stalk and hunt Charley until finally (in a great play on the rules to a vampire entering a home) Charley is pushed so far that he has to find a way to fight back. In essence, he has to grow up and face responsibility.
Enter vampire slayer (and no it isn’t Buffy despite Buffy scribe Marti Noxon penning the script) and magician with a dark past Peter Vincent played superbly by Doctor Who’s former Doctor, David Tennant. Together they will fight the vampires and save Amy from the clutches of the evil vampire Jerry Dandridge. I can honestly say that the remake is different from the original (which starred Amanda Bearse as the sexy girlfriend, eek) but keeps the humor and wit from the original. This movie has some genuine scares and yet the mood is light and funny. In the end, while the usual ending occurs, the adventure in between is worth the time. Sometimes vampires can brood but most of the time, I prefer my vampires sucking the necks of the hot girl next door.
Mr. Unhappy Sez: Jerry is a good neighbor and were it not for all the mass murdering he’d be the perfect neighbor.
The prestigious and seldom used GOLDEN UNHAPPIES!!!!
Imogen Poots - Cutest and most flatulent name in film
Dave Franco - Lil Brother to James but twice the douche
David Tennant - Most Screentime in a Speedo whilst scratching balls
Coming Soon...
Apollo 18
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Paranormal Activity 3
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I am glad they are bringing back Vampires to be what they were meant to be in Fright Night. Too much Vampire sympathy with the Twilight movies, True Blood TV show, Being Human, etc.
ReplyDeleteI miss movies where vampires were portrayed not necessarily unadulterated evil but also not as trying to be human. The best example of this was in Anne Rice's Interview With the Vampire. Fright Night is definitely going the right direction but a bit too much on the other extreme. Bring back the real vampires and stop with the "vegetarian" ones and their kin.