On my blog a couple of months ago I wrote about why I was more excited for Fright Night than any other film this summer. After having seen it – I am not at all disappointed. It looked to be a fun late summer popcorn flick – and that is exactly what it is. It looked to be a smart and fun remake of an 80’s classic – and that too is exactly what it is. If you have seen the original there is no great twist. No “I thought it should have ended THIS way” corrective story telling on part of the director. It is just a remake. But what you would hope MORE remakes would be. Entertaining, smart, fun, funny, well done, with great casting, and a story that is perched perfectly between staying close to what made the original great but not too close as to be boring or nonsensical.
[ Spoilers from here on out]
In the original 1985 classic Charlie Brewster is a late night tv watching horror movie buff and hormones raging teenager. In a Rear Window like twist he spies on his new neighbor and becomes convinced that the man’s odd behavior can mean nothing less than that he is a vampire. The struggle for that Charlie is to convince his friend, his girl friend, and a late night TV movie show host that he isn’t nuts, his life is in peril, and he needs all their help to kill the vampire before it kills him.
The new Fright Night had obvious challenges to overcome in modernizing if it were to stay anywhere near close to the original story. But they succeeded seemlessly. They break the basic formula down further from “Rear Window with a Vampire” to “Your neighbor is a murderous vampire – and once he knows you know, he will kill you; react”. So the new Charlie Brewster is popular and clueless of his neighbors actions. His ( now ex) friend “Evil” Ed (who in the previous movie was side kick and victim) is now the one that suspects Jerry the neighbor to really be a creature of the night. This is a very smart twist if you ask me. I was wondering how they would get around the obvious parallel to “Rear Window” and more importantly to “Disturbia” – a rear Window remake and film that is a bit more well known by the teen demographic. Who are the prime targets studios putting films like this out hope to draw in most. By Ed being the one who sees and connects the dots it’s a smart lil’ side step around that. Other changes make great sense in modern context. In the original Charlie’s Mom is a specter in his life – the token 1980’s absentee kind of parent that was common in film and the real world at the time. But in today’s world of helicopter mom’s Charlie’s Mom is now the very present, aware, (sometimes a bit too) honest modern Mom that has a relationship with her son. Peter Vincent – who in the previous film was a washed up horror film actor and later late night TV host is now an eccentric and less than affable Las Vegas stage magician and occult expert.
They create a very simple reasoning to explain why you even NEED the character of Vincent at all in the age of Google in that Charlie is follows Ed’s tracks – and that leads to Vincent. It is a very simple plot device to keep the character (which the average film buff will most likely sneer at). But it is thankful – because a large amount of the laughs later in the film come from David Tenants take on the character. I love Dr. Who – and David Tenant is certainly a favorite. Watching him as Vincent was a tremendous treat as he has not done many movies in his post Dr. Who career opting for theater work instead. (Note: With the majority of friends of mine that have also been excited for this film – it is because of Tenant as they are Dr. Who fans too). Colin Farrell as the vampire neighbor Jerry Dandrige is a wonderful pitch perfect mix of skanky douche bag and creepy intimidating. Less Über hottie and more Über creeper. A lot of skoffing I have heard from guys (other then the general apprehension about remakes) had to do with the casting of Farrell as Jerry. Given the popularity of Twilight, True Blood, and Vampire Diaries I think the cynisims is warrented. It could easily be mistaken as yet another token sexy vampire on the big screen. But to quote Evil Ed “he isn’t romantically misunderstood. he’s the shark from jaws.”. So if you were holding back on seeing Fright Night because of cultural fatigue for the vampire trends of late I would say think again. Fright Night brings vampires back over the line from lover to monster.
I could all to easily see this getting a sequel. It will depend on how big the box office on it is. But if you are looking for a bit of summer movie/ popcorn film fun – I highly recommend it.