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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mel O&#039;Drama" data-source="post: 411824" data-attributes="member: 23">Fright Night (1985) <img src="https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fimages2.alphacoders.com%2F586%2Fthumb-1920-586715.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=e2c441e8008fab62f8c0938e4e743fe4d9eb082474deb261675d727fa76f6500&ipo=images" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="width: 884px" /> While I knew nothing about this film's plot before last night and have had no previous desire to watch, the poster does evoke some nostalgia in me as I remember seeing it advertised on the back covers of comics (of all places). I think it was the arcade game, but the poster was the same. I was never into horror films as a kid (I scared far too easily) and it also looked quite supernatural which never really appealed. All the same, the poster piqued my curiosity. And here I am, watching it for the very first time almost four decades on. It feels like a little time capsule. It's very 1985. It's all here, right down to the synth soundtrack that drives a lot of the action (a vampire possession sequence even takes place in a nightclub). It's an odd little film. I found it perfectly watchable, but could never take it seriously. There's no nuance and most of the performances are very hammy. At times I couldn't even tell if it wanted to be taken seriously or was just satire through and through. My biggest struggle with this film was that I found most of the characters very unlikeable (apart from the pretty young lead guy who was most endearing). Of course, the "new neighbours" weren't meant to be likeable, but poor Charley Brewster was just surrounded by awful, annoying people even before meeting the true antagonist. The strident girlfriend is whiny, sulky and possessive. The mother is equally possessive, and has this sing-song scatty sitcom mother thing going on whilst there's something hard as nails just under the surface (none of which is utilised for the good of the film). And the "best friend" has an annoying Shaggy-from-Scooby-Doo "comedy" voice and acts like a five year old (honestly, as terrible friends go, he's in Annie Brackett territory. He's less nasty than Annie, but even more annoying overall).  You know you're in trouble when eccentric Roddy McDowall is the protagonist's most sympathetic supporter (I actually really like Roddy in this avuncular professor type role. And I suppose the relationship overall is akin to that of Marty and Doc from another 1985 film). It also must be said that the SFX haven't aged particularly well, looking quite janky at times as a result of lingering on them. Less would definitely have been more when it comes to showing the audience this stuff.  Still, it's plain a lot of work has gone into them and there are a couple of moments that really impress. Combining the lore of vampires and American suburbia is different enough to keep this interesting. The odds also feel insurmountable at times which is a good thing (even though there's one big cheat at the end that's difficult to forgive). I'm glad I've finally satisfied my low-level childhood curiosity by watching this and giving context to that advertisement. That does look like a good companion to the film. Sadly, Prime wants me to pay to watch it so I'll have to keep an eye out to see if it becomes available elsewhere. Thanks for the tip.</blockquote>

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