Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Gory vampire violence, sexy scenes in fun comic horror.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Fright Night
What's the Story?
In FRIGHT NIGHT, Charley Brewster (William Ragsdale) loves his girlfriend, Amy (Amanda Bearse), and loves watching Fright Night, a TV show hosted by former horror movie star/self-proclaimed vampire-killer Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowall). One night Charley discovers that his next-door-neighbor, Jerry Dandrige (Chris Sarandon), is a vampire. Charley tries to get Amy and his friend "Evil" Ed (Stephen Geoffreys), as well as police detective Lennox (Art J. Evans), to believe him, but to no avail. Things get worse when Charley's mother (Dorothy Fielding) unknowingly invites Jerry into their home, meaning that Jerry can return at any time to kill Charley. With nothing left to lose, Charley goes to see Peter Vincent in person to ask for his help; Peter isn't exactly thrilled about the prospect. But when Dandridge kidnaps Amy, Charley realizes that time is running out.
Is It Any Good?
This 1985 horror movie isn't exactly brilliant, but it has an appealing mixture of humor and horror that still works surprisingly well, thanks to the strong cast and visual effects. Screenwriter Tom Holland (The Beast Within, Psycho II) made his directorial debut with Fright Night, and it's a spirited effort, moving with constant energy. (Charley spends most of the movie shouting at people, trying to get them to believe him.)
"Evil Ed" is a bit of a weasel who constantly ribs Charley in a mean-spirited way; it's not clear exactly why they're friends. But at least Ed's character arc goes in a believable direction, and we can see that he's dealing with his own inadequacies. Of course Sarandon is suave and sinister as the vampire, Fielding is very funny as Charley's clueless mom, and McDowall brings his best to the role of Peter Vincent (named after Peter Cushing and Vincent Price), blending a little bit of elegance and a little bit of cowardice. Sadly, only Bearse is stuck in a not-much-to-do role as girlfriend/kidnap victim Amy. The practical vampire effects are surprisingly good, and Holland does a marvelous job balancing the tone so that there's a genuine threat and genuine scares. It's too bad he doesn't make more of the "meta" idea of Peter being a veteran of vampire movies, but maybe the movies weren't quite ready for that yet. All in all, Fright Night is a perfectly fun pick for spooky-season viewing.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Fright Night's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
Is the movie scary? What's the appeal of horror movies? Why do people sometimes enjoy being scared?
How do characters demonstrate courage and teamwork? Why are those important character strengths?
How is the movie different from or similar to other vampire movies you've seen? What is the enduring appeal of vampires in movies and stories?
The "Evil Ed" character displays some bullying tendencies. What do we learn about Ed's background and why he might act that way? What might have been a better way to handle Ed?
Movie Details
- In theaters : August 2, 1985
- On DVD or streaming : April 16, 2012
- Cast : William Ragsdale , Roddy McDowall , Chris Sarandon , Amanda Bearse
- Director : Tom Holland
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Lesbian Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Columbia Pictures
- Genre : Horror
- Topics : Fantasy
- Run time : 106 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate