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As the horror genre shifted full-bore into gore and kill counts in the '80s, Tom Holland (Child's Play) wrote and directed this Valentine to a simpler, more classic way of spooky storytelling. Fright Night is about a high school boy (William Ragsdale) who teams up with a TV horror host on the outs (Roddy McDowell) to rescue his friends and family from a vampire (Chris Sarandon) who has taken up residence next door. 

Fright Night is so lovingly evoked, it steals my heart. You see it in the script and direction, and especially in the performances. Chris Sarandon is sex incarnate as ‘the vampire next door’, and the ever-endearing Roddy McDowall puts in a terrific turn as Peter Vincent, the vain TV horror host who manages to muster more courage than he ever thought possible. Stephen Geoffreys (a Tony award nominee prior to this film) is unforgettable as the quirky Evil Ed, the tragicomic ‘best friend’ character who delivers some of the film’s finest moments, both hysterical and heartbreaking. While charming characters seal the deal for Fright Night, the film is also bolstered by fun special effects courtesy of Richard Edlund and a memorable electronic score by Brad Fiedel (The Terminator films).

Fright Night is solid popcorn entertainment, but I wouldn’t return to it as frequently as I do unless there were some artistry and subtext to sink my teeth into (pun intended).