Comments on: Fright Night Redux? http://blog.newsarama.com/2009/05/14/fright-night-redux/ The Blog@ Team and prominent comics personalities share what’s on their minds. Sat, 18 May 2013 18:37:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Ed http://blog.newsarama.com/2009/05/14/fright-night-redux/comment-page-1/#comment-464090 Ed Sat, 16 May 2009 01:36:39 +0000 http://blog.newsarama.com/?p=11698#comment-464090 I'm going to have to go against all the praise for the original. I don't have very favourable memories of the thing at all. I particularly remember the vampire makeup as looking ridiculous rather than either scary (for any of the scary scenes) or tragically horrifying (like in the scene where the girlfriend is shown to have turned; her reveal made me laugh, at a point where you definitely weren't supposed to). The split-faced huge-mouth version of a vampire face was clearly meant to blow the audience away with how much more over-the-top it was than what had been done in other vampire films, but it just came across as clownish in execution. I’m going to have to go against all the praise for the original.
I don’t have very favourable memories of the thing at all.
I particularly remember the vampire makeup as looking ridiculous rather than either scary (for any of the scary scenes) or tragically horrifying (like in the scene where the girlfriend is shown to have turned; her reveal made me laugh, at a point where you definitely weren’t supposed to). The split-faced huge-mouth version of a vampire face was clearly meant to blow the audience away with how much more over-the-top it was than what had been done in other vampire films, but it just came across as clownish in execution.

]]> By: ArcLight http://blog.newsarama.com/2009/05/14/fright-night-redux/comment-page-1/#comment-464074 ArcLight Fri, 15 May 2009 16:52:42 +0000 http://blog.newsarama.com/?p=11698#comment-464074 Well, my view is basically "FRIGHT NIGHT was great. Don't remake great movies. Remake crap that can be improved." As for how to work in Peter Vincent - I'd make him a former actor that had the bad fortune to live near horror-freak Charlie. Give them a pre-established relationship of Charlie bugging him about real monsters for years, maybe, so this is just one more time that the kid won't leave the tired old man alone...until he realizes it's true. That said, I'd still rather they just left it the heck alone and did something new. Besides, FRIGHT NIGHT has already been remade once. Anyone see NEVER CRY WEREWOLF? Well, my view is basically “FRIGHT NIGHT was great. Don’t remake great movies. Remake crap that can be improved.”

As for how to work in Peter Vincent – I’d make him a former actor that had the bad fortune to live near horror-freak Charlie. Give them a pre-established relationship of Charlie bugging him about real monsters for years, maybe, so this is just one more time that the kid won’t leave the tired old man alone…until he realizes it’s true.

That said, I’d still rather they just left it the heck alone
and did something new.

Besides, FRIGHT NIGHT has already been remade once. Anyone see NEVER CRY WEREWOLF?

]]> By: Vinnie Bartilucci http://blog.newsarama.com/2009/05/14/fright-night-redux/comment-page-1/#comment-464073 Vinnie Bartilucci Fri, 15 May 2009 16:03:29 +0000 http://blog.newsarama.com/?p=11698#comment-464073 We had Zacherley in New York, of course, and there were a couple of good hosts on cable for a while. Commander USA's Groovie Movies was fun, and Lenny Clarke had a show on WSBK in Boston called the Lenny Clarke Late Show. And of course, after SNL, WWOR had Fright Night. I'd say the closest thing to this the latest generation had was MST3K and Elvira. Damn shame. Rob Zombie hosts TCM Underground where he runs all sorts of genre and exploitation films, so that's something. A lot of things from early TV have gone away. In addition to the late-night host, I'm a big fan of the local kiddie show host. New York had Wonderama, Captain Jack McCarthy and a lot more. We had Zacherley in New York, of course, and there were a couple of good hosts on cable for a while. Commander USA’s Groovie Movies was fun, and Lenny Clarke had a show on WSBK in Boston called the Lenny Clarke Late Show. And of course, after SNL, WWOR had Fright Night.

I’d say the closest thing to this the latest generation had was MST3K and Elvira. Damn shame. Rob Zombie hosts TCM Underground where he runs all sorts of genre and exploitation films, so that’s something.

A lot of things from early TV have gone away. In addition to the late-night host, I’m a big fan of the local kiddie show host. New York had Wonderama, Captain Jack McCarthy and a lot more.

]]> By: Kevin http://blog.newsarama.com/2009/05/14/fright-night-redux/comment-page-1/#comment-464070 Kevin Fri, 15 May 2009 14:05:58 +0000 http://blog.newsarama.com/?p=11698#comment-464070 "And they remade Friday the 13th. ( which took away from the whole first movies premise" They did? I'm pretty sure they included that in the brief opening sequence. They had to fast forward through it, though, as people show up to a Friday the 13th movie looking for Jason. FRIGHT NIGHT has a special place in my heart, too. I especially remember the protagonist's geeky friend who seemed to be turning up in a bunch of product around that time and then POOF...disappeared. Guess once his look couldn't really get him adult roles. I wouldn't put this on par with MONSTER SQUAD, though, as I think this actually made an effort at being scary. Part of me thinks that they're mainly just interested in the title, more than the premise. It's such a basic, on-the-nose title for a horror movie. Been too many horror movies with more than 3 words or syllables in their title. Need to keep it simple and to the point with today's audiences. ;) “And they remade Friday the 13th. ( which took away from the whole first movies premise”

They did? I’m pretty sure they included that in the brief opening sequence. They had to fast forward through it, though, as people show up to a Friday the 13th movie looking for Jason.

FRIGHT NIGHT has a special place in my heart, too. I especially remember the protagonist’s geeky friend who seemed to be turning up in a bunch of product around that time and then POOF…disappeared. Guess once his look couldn’t really get him adult roles.

I wouldn’t put this on par with MONSTER SQUAD, though, as I think this actually made an effort at being scary.

Part of me thinks that they’re mainly just interested in the title, more than the premise. It’s such a basic, on-the-nose title for a horror movie. Been too many horror movies with more than 3 words or syllables in their title. Need to keep it simple and to the point with today’s audiences. ;)

]]> By: Paul K. Bisson http://blog.newsarama.com/2009/05/14/fright-night-redux/comment-page-1/#comment-464066 Paul K. Bisson Fri, 15 May 2009 09:20:08 +0000 http://blog.newsarama.com/?p=11698#comment-464066 I say, bring it on! Placing the burden of success on a plot device, while important to the setup, held little significance to the payoff. The basic ingredients of FRIGHT NIGHT can be reproduced wonderfully for today's market. Vampire moves into quite neighborhood. Boy cries wolf. Hi jinx ensue. Boy convinces reluctant horror-star-has-been to help save the day. This foundation is so rich and yet extremely accessible for updating. More, make the boy a fanatical horror geek, ramp up the movie's self consciousness, and you've got a movie that can do for vampires what SCREAM did for slashers. I say, bring it on! Placing the burden of success on a plot device, while important to the setup, held little significance to the payoff. The basic ingredients of FRIGHT NIGHT can be reproduced wonderfully for today’s market.

Vampire moves into quite neighborhood. Boy cries wolf. Hi jinx ensue. Boy convinces reluctant horror-star-has-been to help save the day. This foundation is so rich and yet extremely accessible for updating.

More, make the boy a fanatical horror geek, ramp up the movie’s self consciousness, and you’ve got a movie that can do for vampires what SCREAM did for slashers.

]]> By: Eric http://blog.newsarama.com/2009/05/14/fright-night-redux/comment-page-1/#comment-464057 Eric Thu, 14 May 2009 23:46:13 +0000 http://blog.newsarama.com/?p=11698#comment-464057 "It was a good movie, but not so good that I need to see another version of." That pretty much sums up my thoughts on Fright Night as well, but I just wanted to comment on the horror-host aspect. I grew up in the tail-end of Dr. Creep's run on local broadcast tv. Watching "Shock Theatre" with my mom is a great memory, and I truly wish something like this would be on television now. As it is, Dr. Creep and other horror-hosts can be found on Public Access channels, and have their charms, but it's sad that this great bit of Americana is pretty much gone from the TV landscape. Anyhoo, I wish I could provide more information, but Dr. Creep (real name Barry Hobart) has fallen pretty ill, and there's been a small charity set up to help him out. The only thing I could find is a myspace page for a Dr. Creep Benefit concert. http://www.myspace.com/drcreepbenefit. Also there's a documentary on the late-night horror host called "American Scary". “It was a good movie, but not so good that I need to see another version of.”

That pretty much sums up my thoughts on Fright Night as well, but I just wanted to comment on the horror-host aspect. I grew up in the tail-end of Dr. Creep’s run on local broadcast tv. Watching “Shock Theatre” with my mom is a great memory, and I truly wish something like this would be on television now. As it is, Dr. Creep and other horror-hosts can be found on Public Access channels, and have their charms, but it’s sad that this great bit of Americana is pretty much gone from the TV landscape.

Anyhoo, I wish I could provide more information, but Dr. Creep (real name Barry Hobart) has fallen pretty ill, and there’s been a small charity set up to help him out. The only thing I could find is a myspace page for a Dr. Creep Benefit concert. http://www.myspace.com/drcreepbenefit.

Also there’s a documentary on the late-night horror host called “American Scary”.

]]> By: Lee Pierce http://blog.newsarama.com/2009/05/14/fright-night-redux/comment-page-1/#comment-464053 Lee Pierce Thu, 14 May 2009 21:59:38 +0000 http://blog.newsarama.com/?p=11698#comment-464053 I agree with everything said. And, man, do I miss Sammy Terry! And Friday Night Kung-Fu Theater! I agree with everything said.
And, man, do I miss Sammy Terry! And Friday Night Kung-Fu Theater!

]]> By: Vinnie Bartilucci http://blog.newsarama.com/2009/05/14/fright-night-redux/comment-page-1/#comment-464049 Vinnie Bartilucci Thu, 14 May 2009 20:48:38 +0000 http://blog.newsarama.com/?p=11698#comment-464049 My great fear is that they'll take Peter Vincent out of the film altogether, or they won't be smart enough to figure out the right way to re-insert him - the horror convention. Hell, my great fear is that it actually happens. It was a good movie, but not so good that I need to see another version of. I promise you, given the inclination, anyone could come up with at least one new idea for a vampire movie. My great fear is that they’ll take Peter Vincent out of the film altogether, or they won’t be smart enough to figure out the right way to re-insert him – the horror convention.

Hell, my great fear is that it actually happens. It was a good movie, but not so good that I need to see another version of.

I promise you, given the inclination, anyone could come up with at least one new idea for a vampire movie.

]]> By: Jack http://blog.newsarama.com/2009/05/14/fright-night-redux/comment-page-1/#comment-464044 Jack Thu, 14 May 2009 19:58:58 +0000 http://blog.newsarama.com/?p=11698#comment-464044 Could not agree more with this. And apparently you aren't the only one scratching their head today. Other sites, including AICN, are having the same reaction. Obviously, if this reaction is the instant consensus it says one of two things: This is a sample of some 'suits' combing old properties for quick buck based on name recognition.. or trying to update or change the premise.. which as you've pointed out very well, isn't very doable. Could not agree more with this. And apparently you aren’t the only one scratching their head today. Other sites, including AICN, are having the same reaction. Obviously, if this reaction is the instant consensus it says one of two things: This is a sample of some ‘suits’ combing old properties for quick buck based on name recognition.. or trying to update or change the premise.. which as you’ve pointed out very well, isn’t very doable.

]]> By: Spike http://blog.newsarama.com/2009/05/14/fright-night-redux/comment-page-1/#comment-464042 Spike Thu, 14 May 2009 19:43:40 +0000 http://blog.newsarama.com/?p=11698#comment-464042 Considering they remade HALLOWEEN which ( the remake) was horrible. And they remade Friday the 13th. ( which took away from the whole first movies premise) Fright Night seems to make more sense as a remake then those. Considering they remade HALLOWEEN which ( the remake) was horrible. And they remade Friday the 13th. ( which took away from the whole first movies premise) Fright Night seems to make more sense as a remake then those.

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