Watch Fright Night

In 1985's Fright Night, teenager Charley Brewster (William Ragsdale) discovers that his new neighbor, Jerry Dandrige (Chris Sarandon), is a vampire. He tries to get help from his friends, girlfriend Amy (Amanda Bearse) and horror TV host Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowall), but no one believes him. As Jerry starts to target Charley and anyone close to him, they have to come up with a plan to defeat him before it's too late.

The film starts off with Charley being an avid horror fan, watching vampire movies and reading horror comics. When he starts suspecting that his neighbor might actually be a vampire, he tries to warn his mother (Dorothy Fielding) and his girlfriend Amy, but neither of them take him seriously. He also approaches Peter Vincent, who plays a vampire hunter on his TV show, but he thinks Charley is just a crazy fan and refuses to help.

As the story progresses, Charley becomes increasingly paranoid and starts to take matters into his own hands. He even enlists the help of his best friend Ed (Stephen Geoffreys), who is just as obsessed with horror as he is. But when Ed ends up being turned into a vampire himself, Charley realizes the severity of the situation and knows he has to do something drastic.

William Ragsdale portrays Charley as an average teenager who just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. He's not particularly brave or skilled, but he's determined to protect the people he loves. Chris Sarandon is mesmerizing as Jerry Dandrige, the suave and sophisticated vampire who has no qualms about killing innocent people. His performance is both menacing and charming, making him a memorable horror villain.

Amanda Bearse plays Amy, Charley's girlfriend who is initially skeptical of his claims but eventually comes to believe him. She's not given much to do in the film besides being the damsel in distress, but she does have some standout moments towards the end. Roddy McDowall steals the show as Peter Vincent, the washed-up actor who plays a fake vampire hunter on TV. He brings delightful humor to the film, balancing out the scares with his ridiculous antics.

One of the film's strengths is how it blends humor and horror seamlessly. There are plenty of funny moments throughout, mostly thanks to Peter Vincent, but the film never loses its sense of dread. The make-up and practical effects are impressive, particularly during the film's intense climax.

Overall, Fright Night is a classic vampire movie that has aged surprisingly well. It has a great cast, a fun storyline, and plenty of scares to keep horror fans entertained. It's a perfect example of 80s horror, full of campy humor, practical effects, and a killer synth score.

Fright Night is a 1985 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 46 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.1 and a MetaScore of 62.