Fright Night (1985)

Director:

Tom Holland

Writer:

Tom Holland (written by)

Release Date:

2 August 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

There are some very good reasons to be afraid...of the dark.

Plot:

When a teenager learns that his next door neighbour is a vampire, no one will believe him.

Plot Keywords:

Vampire | Undead | Death | Actor | Teenager

Awards:

5 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Chris Sarandon	...	Jerry Dandrige
William Ragsdale	...	Charley Brewster
Amanda Bearse	...	Amy Peterson
Roddy McDowall	...	Peter Vincent
Stephen Geoffreys	...	'Evil' Ed Thompson
Jonathan Stark	...	Billy Cole
Dorothy Fielding	...	Judy Brewster
Art Evans	...	Detective Lennox (as Art J. Evans)
Stewart Stern	...	Cook
Nick Savage	...	Bouncer #1
Ernie Holmes	...	Bouncer #2
Heidi Sorenson	...	Hooker
Irina Irvine	...	Teenage Girl
Bob Corff	...	Jonathan (as Robert Corff)
Pamela Brown	...	Miss Nina
Chris Hendrie	...	Newscaster
Prince Hughes	...	Bouncer #3 (as Prince A. Hughes)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lene Hefner
Joy Michelle Moore	...	High School Student (uncredited)

Directed by
Tom Holland

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Tom Holland		written by

Produced by
Jerry A. Baerwitz	....	associate producer
Herb Jaffe	....	producer

Original Music by
Brad Fiedel

Cinematography by
Jan Kiesser		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Kent Beyda

Casting by
Jackie Burch

Production Design by
John DeCuir Jr.		(as John De Cuir Jr.)

Set Decoration by
Jerry Adams

Costume Design by
Robert Fletcher

Makeup Department
Ken Diaz	....	makeup artist
Marina Pedraza	....	hair stylist
Rick Stratton	....	additional makeup artist
Dale Brady	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)
Bill Sturgeon	....	creature effects crew (uncredited)

Production Management
Jerry A. Baerwitz	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Carole Keligian	....	second assistant director
Rory Romero	....	dga trainee
Jerry Sobul	....	first assistant director (as Gerald Sobul)

Art Department
Mark Fabus	....	set designer
Ross Gallichotte	....	set designer
Arthur Shippee	....	property master (as Art Shippee)
Robert Van Dyke	....	propmaker gangboss
Hendrik Wynands	....	set construction (as Henry Wynands)

Sound Department
Neil Burrow	....	sound editor
David E. Campbell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Gordon Davidson	....	sound editor
Jay Engel	....	adr editor
David J. Kimball	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tom McCarthy Jr.	....	supervising sound editor
Michael P. Redbourn	....	sound editor (as Mike Redbourn)
Brossy Reina	....	assistant sound editor
John T. Reitz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Don Rush	....	production sound mixer
David Spence	....	sound editor
Vanessa Theme Ament	....	foley artist (uncredited)
Joseph Holsen	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Morton Greenspoon	....	contact lens consultant (as Dr. Morton K. Greenspoon)
Albert Lannutti	....	special effects
Michael Lantieri	....	special effects
Dean W. Miller	....	special effects
Thaine Morris	....	mechanical effects supervisor: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles
Clay Pinney	....	special effects (as Clayton Pinney)
Darrell Pritchett	....	special effects
Larry Odien	....	animatronics (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Fredrick Albrecht	....	grip: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles (as Fred Albrecht)
Brent Boates	....	production illustrator: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles
Dale Brady	....	crew/creature effects shop: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles
John Bruno	....	visual effects art director: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles
Laura Buff	....	production supervisor: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles
Rob Cantrell	....	crew/creature effects shop: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles
Craig Caton	....	crew/creature effects shop: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles
Robert Cole	....	head effects technician: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles (as Bob M. Cole)
Randall William Cook	....	creature designer and creator: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles
Charles Cowles	....	optical printer operator: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles (as Chuck Cowles)
Richard Edlund	....	visual effects producer
Robert Eyslee	....	gaffer: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles
Alan Harding	....	assistant matte cameraman: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles
Steve Johnson	....	creature designer and creator: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles
Makio Kida	....	crew/creature effects shop: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles
Neil Krepela	....	matte department supervisor: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles
John Lambert	....	assistant cameraman: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles
Mary Mason	....	production coordinator: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles (as Mary C. Mason)
Dave Matherly	....	crew/creature effects shop: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles (as David Matherly)
Michele Moen	....	matte artist: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles (as Michelle Moen)
Ronald B. Moore	....	optical line-up: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles
Bill Neil	....	visual effects cameraman: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles
Steve Neill	....	crew/creature effects shop: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles
James Nelson	....	production advisor: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles
Sean Newton	....	key animator: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles
Martin November	....	visual effects editor: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles
Pat Repola	....	lab technician: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles (as Patrick Repola)
Pete Romano	....	assistant cameraman: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles
Richard Ruiz	....	crew/creature effects shop: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles
Annick Thierrien	....	rotoscope supervisor: Entertianment Effects Group, Los Angeles (as Annick Therrien)
Patrick Van Auken	....	grip: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles
Mark Vargo	....	optical supervisor: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles
Gary Waller	....	animation supervisor: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles (as Garry Waller)
Mary E. Walter	....	optical line-up: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles
Gene Whiteman	....	chief engineer: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles
Claire Wilson	....	production accountant: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles
Mark Bryan Wilson	....	first technician/creature effects shop: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles (as Mark B. Wilson)
Terry Windell	....	animation supervisor: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles
Matthew Yuricich	....	chief matte artist: Entertainment Effects Group, Los Angeles (as Matt Yuricich)

Stunts
Bradley Alan	....	stunts (as Brad Alan)
Christine Anne Baur	....	stunts (as Christine Baur)
Alonzo Brown	....	stunts
Jerry Brutsche	....	stunts
Cheré Bryson	....	stunts (as Chere Bryson)
Gerald Clarke	....	stunts
Bill Couch Jr.	....	stunt coordinator
Paula Crist	....	stunts
Nick Dimitri	....	stunts
Gardner Doolittle	....	stunts
Cheryl E. Duncan	....	stunts (as C.E. Duncan)
Donna Hall	....	stunts
Mark Harden	....	stunts
Larry Holt	....	stunts
Terry James	....	stunts
Loren Janes	....	stunts
Lane Leavitt	....	stunts (as Lane Levitt)
Frank Perrino	....	stunts
Thomas Rosales Jr.	....	stunts (as Tom Rosales)
Clifford Strong	....	stunts
Kym Washington	....	stunts (as Kim Washington)
Mike Washlake	....	stunts
Jerry Wills	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Ron Batzdorff	....	still photographer
Craig Denault	....	camera operator
Clyde Hart	....	key grip (as Clyde W. Hart)
To Lee	....	second assistant camera
Calvin Maehl	....	chief lighting technician (as Cal H. Maehl)
Charles E. Nippell	....	best boy
Aaron Pazanti	....	first assistant camera
Jeff Stanman	....	lighting technician
Bruce Zachary Herman	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Scott C. Williman	....	rigging (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Bettylee Balsam	....	costumer
Mort Schwartz	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Larry Bock	....	additional editor
Carrie Ellison	....	assistant editor
Patricia Lee	....	assistant editor
Adam Weiss	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Kevin Benson	....	music supervisor: Cinemusic
David Chackler	....	music supervisor: Cinemusic
Ross Levinson	....	musician: electric violin
Irwin Mazur	....	music supervisor: Cinemusic
Steve Plunkett	....	composer: additional music
Jim Weidman	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Buster Kohloff	....	transportation coordinator (as Buster Kohlhoff)

Other crew
Sheila Barnes	....	production coordinator
Oga Danylo	....	assistant: Herb Jaffe
Sue Donoghue	....	unit publicist
Marcia 'Mavis' Girard	....	script supervisor (as Mavis Girard)
Dorain Grusman	....	choreographer
Steven E. Housewright	....	production assistant (as Steve Housewright)
Pamela Madeiros	....	assistant: Mr. Holland (as Pamels Madieros)
Gail Mutrux	....	video consultant
Glenn Nicol	....	production accountant
Hal Reinstra	....	personal assistant: Mr. Holland
Miguel Tejada-Flores	....	assistant to producer
Bundy Chanock	....	set medic (uncredited)
Mark Harden	....	animal trainer: wild animals (uncredited)
Brian McMillan	....	head animal trainer (uncredited)
Mike Revell	....	assistant production accountant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• Delphi IV Productions
• Vistar Films

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1985) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1998) (Mexico) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (2000) (Brazil) (DVD)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• Boss Film Corporation  optical effects
• CBS/Private 1  soundtrack album published by
• Modern Film Effects  titles and opticals
• Orion Pictures Corporation  archive clips
• Universal Pictures  stills courtesy of

Also Known As:

A Hora do Espanto (Brazil) [pt]
A Noite do Espanto (Portugal) [pt]
Ammazzavampiri (Italy) [it]
Die rabenschwarze Nacht (West Germany) [de]
Fright Night - Die rabenschwarze Nacht (West Germany) [de]
Kauhun yö (Finland) [fi]
La noche del espanto (Venezuela) [es]
Noche de miedo (Spain) [es]
Nyhta tromou (Greece) [el]
Skräcknatten (Sweden) [sv]
Vampire, vous avez dit vampire? (France) [fr]

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Finland:K-16 (cut) | Finland:K-18 (uncut) | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Iceland:16 | Norway:15 (DVD rating) | Netherlands:16 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Australia:M | France:-12 | Italy:VM14 | Norway:16 | Singapore:NC-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Laid Studios, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

William Ragsdale injured his foot running down a staircase during the last shot filmed on 24 December 1984, just three weeks into principal photography. Ragsdale's action scenes were postponed until he was healed sufficiently to perform them and the director filmed other scenes to stay on schedule.

Goofs:

Continuity: Amy undressing and pulling up the sheet behind Charlie as he watches the coffin being carried into the house.

Quotes:

Jerry Dandrige: Now we wouldn't want to wake your mother, would we Charlie? Cause' then I'd have to kill her too, RIGHT?
[Dandrige throws Charlie across his room and picks him up by the throat]
Jerry Dandrige: Do you realize how much trouble you've caused me Charlie? Spying on me. Almost disturbing my sleep this afternoon. Telling policemen about me! You deserve to die boy. Of course, I can give you something I don't have. It's a choice. Forget about me, Charlie. Forget about me, and I'll forget about you. Well, what do you say Charlie?
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Navy NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service: Murder 2.0 (#6.6)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

GIVE IT UP

An amusing teen vampire flick

Charlie Brewster (William Ragsdale), a high school boy who was a huge fan of the vampire TV show "Fright Night", noticed that something was wrong with his new neighbors...and later he even saw one of the guys was trying to suck a woman's blood... Charlie felt that he must have stopped the vampire from killing more people, he contacted the police, and he told his mother and friends about it, but nobody believed him. So he went to Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowall), who hosted "Fright Night", "the great vampire killer"...

This is a special vampire movie because the story happened in the modern time instead of centuries ago. It looked rather old-fashioned to me the first time I saw it on television, but the more times I watched the film, the more I loved it.

Two memorable scenes: when the vampire "Jerry Dandrige" (Chris Sarandon) was dancing with Amy (Charlie's girlfriend, played by Amanda Bearse) and later when Jerry was about to vampirize Amy. Both of the scenes were highly seductive.

One big difference between this movie and other vampire films- crosses don't necessarily work on vampires, unless you have total faith- said Jerry and Evil Ed.