Fright Night (1985)

All Critics (29) | Top Critics (3) | Fresh (29) | Rotten (2) | DVD (9)

Chris Sarandon is terrific as the vampire, quite affable and debonair until his fingernails start to grow and his eyes get that glow.

September 26, 2007 Full Review | Comment (1)

Variety Staff

Variety

Top Critic

Its tone is never exactly comedic and its horrific touches are more disgusting than scary.

May 20, 2003 Full Review | Comments (5)

Janet Maslin

New York Times

Top Critic

Fright Night is not a distinguished movie, but it has a lot of fun being undistinguished.

January 1, 2000 Full Review | Comment

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Top Critic

Fright Night is a tidy little contemporary variation on the vampire horror movie.

August 21, 2011 Full Review | Comment

Richard T. Jameson

Parallax View

Makes up for a dearth of scares with cheeky self-referentiality.

April 21, 2011 Full Review | Comment

Nick Schager

Lessons of Darkness

Underrated horror film is modern classic.

February 17, 2008 Comments (2)

Steve Crum

Video-Reviewmaster.com

It is McDowall who makes this film better than it should be with his performance as the ham actor.

September 26, 2007 Full Review | Comment

Film4

The teen horror that was way before its time in the comedy parody stakes.

September 26, 2007 Full Review | Comment

Ian Nathan

Empire Magazine

A minor classic of the genre, this is a memorable addition to the vampire tradition in the horror film.

September 26, 2007 Full Review | Comment

TV Guide's Movie Guide

This horror classic brings together great talent for an entertaining, and spooky vampire tale; helped inspire "Disturbia."

July 13, 2007 Comments (2)

Felix Vasquez Jr.

Film Threat

Tom Holland's directorial debut is a wildly entertaining concoction that perfectly blends horror and comedy. Roddy McDowall steals the show as TV horror host Peter Vincent.

January 26, 2006 Comment

Chuck O'Leary

Fantastica Daily

It shouldn't even begin to work, and yet, strangely, it does, sort of, thanks to the assured handling of writer/director Holland.

January 26, 2006 Full Review | Comment

Time Out

You'll scream, You'll laugh.....You'll want to press rewind

May 12, 2005 Comment

Clint Morris

Moviehole

Decent little horror film with an unusual twist or two.

November 1, 2004 Comment

Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Four words: You're so COOL, Brewster...!

March 7, 2004 Comment

Kevin A. Ranson

MovieCrypt.com

Scar-eeee!

January 8, 2004 Full Review | Comment

Blake French

Filmcritic.com

• 1. Amy Peterson: (after seeing Charley get startled by his window) Is something wrong?
  2. Charley Brewster: Nothing.
  3. Evil Ed: (after his eyes shine red outside Charley's window) Oh, you're so cool, Brewster!
  – Submitted by Creep F (8 months ago)
• 1. Peter Vincent: (on his TV show) This is Peter Vincent back once more with you...as host of Fright Night. I thought I'd let the vampires rest for a little while. Right, Charley?
  – Submitted by Creep F (8 months ago)
• 1. Amy Peterson: (trying to trick Charley) What's wrong? Don't you want me anymore? (Charley pulls out a crucifix and she hides her face; crying) It's not my fault, Charley. You promised you wouldn't let him get me! You promised!
  – Submitted by Creep F (8 months ago)
• 1. Jerry Dandridge: (after he hears a scream from upstairs, where vampire Amy is sleeping) I think she just opened her eyes.
  – Submitted by Creep F (8 months ago)
• 1. Peter Vincent: (runs into Charley's house for help, and thinks he found Charley's mother in bed) Thank God. The phone wires have been cut.
  2. Evil Ed: (jumps out from under the bed covers, all vamped out) I know I did it!
  3. Peter Vincent: (scared) Where is Charley's mother?
  4. Evil Ed: Well, apparently she's working nights. But she left a note (pulls out a note and reads it) Hmmmm hmm. His dinner's in the oven!
  – Submitted by Creep F (8 months ago)