Charley Brewster is a normal teen living in the town of Rancho Corvalis. Virtually everything is normal about Charley except for one thing: he’s pretty sure a vampire has moved in next door. A film by Tom Holland, starring Chris Sarandon, William Ragsdale, Roddy McDowall, Amanda Bearse, Jonathan Stark, Dorothy Fielding, Stephen Geoffreys, and Art Evans.

One evening, Charley Brewster (William Ragsdale), a devoted fan of Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowall), a former movie vampire hunter who hosts the horror television show Fright Night, is distracted by two men carrying a coffin into the basement of his neighbor’s house during an intimate moment with his girlfriend Amy (Amanda Bearse). Amy, infuriated by Charley’s neglect, storms out of his house while he remains preoccupied with spying on his new neighbor.

The next night, Charley overhears a scream from his new neighbor’s house. Recalling the beautiful woman he saw visiting the house earlier that evening, he is uneasy. At school, the news reports that a second mutilated corpse was found under the north creek bridge, and Charley’s friend Ed (Stephen Geoffreys) informs him that both victims had been decapitated.

Charley, suspicious of his new neighbor Jerry, stays up all night, determined to catch him in the act of something nefarious. He soon discovers that Jerry (Chris Sarandon) is a vampire, and tries to inform his mother Judy (Dorothy Fielding) and girlfriend Amy, but they both dismiss his claims.

Charley then decides to report his findings to the police, bringing a lieutenant named Lennox (Art Evans) to search Jerry’s house. However, upon hearing about the vampire, Lennox warns Charlie that he will be arrested if he returns to the station with such ridiculous accusations.

Desperate, Charlie seeks help from Ed, who gives him a golden cross and cautions that it requires faith to work. Ed also tells Charlie to get some garlic and holy water, and reminds him of the one specific rule: a vampire cannot enter a house without being invited by the rightful owner.

Charley rushes home and prepares according to Ed’s instructions. To his utter shock, he finds Jerry inside his house, having been invited by his mother. That night, while Judy sleeps, Jerry stealthily approaches Charley, threatening to kill him if he does not forget about him. Interrupted by Judy’s voice, Jerry flees through a window. Jerry later menacingly calls Charley on the phone, telling him that he just destroyed his car and will kill him tomorrow night.

In his directorial debut, Tom Holland has written and directed a supernatural horror film with an engaging plot filled with unexpected twists and comedic turns in the first half, followed by a series of spectacular special and practical effects that are realistically grotesque and gruesome. Chris Sarandon delivers a mesmerizing performance as an enigmatic vampire, while Roddy McDowall brings comedic relief as a terrified former actor who ultimately turns the tide and helps save the day.

FRIGHT NIGHT was theatrically released in the United States on 2 August 1985. The film grossed $24.9 million domestically, against its $9 million production budget.

Sony Pictures released FRIGHT NIGHT on Ultra HD 4K Blu-ray in Steelbook format for the first time on 4 October 2022. The disc includes 4K presentation of the film with Dolby Atmos audio, 5.1 audio, the original stereo mix, Dolby Vision HDR, and over 13 hours of new and previously included special features.

Teenager Charley Brewster believes that his new neighbor Jerry Dandrige is a vampire responsible for a string of recent deaths. When no one he knows believes him, he enlists Peter Vincent, the opportunistic host of his favorite TV show, to help him take down Jerry and his guardian. A film by Craig Gillespie, starring Anton Yelchin, Colin Farrell, Toni Collette, Imogen Poots, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, and David Tennant.

A supernatural horror comedy remake of Tom Holland’s 1985 film of the same title, in which a teenage boy discovers that his neighbor is actually a vampire.

In a suburban Las Vegas house, Adam Johnson (Will Denton) witnesses the brutal murders of his family members by an unknown, mysterious figure. He flees upstairs to his parents’ bedroom and discovers their bodies. Terrified, he hides under the bed and grabs a gun hidden between the mattress, intent on using it against the monster. But before he can act, the monster finds him and drags him away.

The next day, Charley Brewster (Anton Yelchin) rides to school in his girlfriend (Imogen Poots) Amy’s car, his bike having refused to start. His mother Jane (Toni Collette), is spying on their new neighbor, who has recently moved in next door. She tells Charley that his childhood friend Ed, has called again, and that she is tired of making excuses for his avoidance.

At school, Ed (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) approaches Charley and his friends Mark (Dave Franco) and Ben (Reid Ewing), and asks for a private conversation with Charley. Ed tells Charley that he believes Adam is missing, as he has been unable to contact him, and that Adam is not the only one who has recently disappeared mysteriously. Ed asks Charley to meet him at Adam’s house that evening to check on Adam. Hesitant to associate with Ed, Charley reluctantly agrees.

After school, Amy drives Charley home, where they meet Jane, who introduces them to their new neighbor, Jerry (Colin Farrell). They have a brief conversation, and Jerry expresses his desire to invite them into his house, but it is a mess right now. Charley receives a message from Ed, excuses himself, and takes off for Adam’s house.

Ed knocks on Adam’s door and rings the bell, but receives no answer. He lets himself in through a pet flap and unlocks the door. Once inside, Ed tells Charley that he believes their new neighbor is a vampire, and that he and Adam had been gathering information about all the mysterious attacks and disappearances in the neighborhood until Adam went missing. Skeptical and fed up with Ed’s vampire conspiracy theories, Charley angrily tells him that he no longer wants to be friends.

As Ed makes his way home, Dave ambushes and chases him. Ed encounters Jerry, who has been watching and following him for some time. Jerry persuades Ed that his life would be better as a vampire. Ed succumbs, willingly allowing Jerry to sink his fangs into him.

I initially assumed that the Fright Night remake was filmed in native 3D as a gimmicky ploy to attract moviegoers. However, to my surprise, the plot is surprisingly engrossing, with a perfect blend of horror and comedic elements. While I was unfamiliar with most of the cast, except for Colin Farrell and Christopher Mintz-Plasse, they all deliver impressively convincing performances, especially Colin Farrell in the role of the vampire. The remake has become an instant classic, perfectly suited for repeated viewings during Halloween.

FRIGHT NIGHT premiered at The O2 in London on 14 August 2011. The film was theatrically released in the United States on 19 August 2011, by Touchstone Pictures. The film grossed $41 million against its $30 million production budget.