Retro Review: Fright Night

I first saw this movie back in 1985. It's the first horror film I watched in a theatre and it scared the crap out of me. Now it's just a great funhouse ride of laughs, scares and gruesome, but fun, visual effects. Chris Sarandon is just awesome as the vampire and Roddy McDowall is a joy to watch as Peter Vincent: Vampire Killer. This was made back when horror movies, and movies in general, were a lot of fun and it shows. I find it hard to believe the remake will have anywhere near the energy and wit writer/director Tom Holland put into every frame of his movie. A Good for me.

Trailer Alert: Fright Night (2011)

I remember my cousin Tony taking me to see the original Fright Night on its opening weekend back in 1985. I was 13, we were in Vancouver and it was the first R-rated film I ever saw in a theatre. It was a crazy experience. I was both awestruck and terrified. It was awesome!

The film is held in a special place in my heart. It's a great mix of campy, scary, funny and gruesome. And you can't beat a cast that includes Roddy McDowall as a TV horror movie host who does battle with a real vampire.

I don't know what to make of this remake. The film's been moved to Las Vegas and the Peter Vincent character is now some Sin City magician. And we've got Colin Farrell as the vampire. Whatever. The preview looks OK, but watch and judge for yourselves.

Info on David Tennant's Role in the Fright Night Movie Remake

Recently, David Tennant was added to the cast of the Fright Night movie remake, which stars Anton Yelchin as Charlie Brewster, Toni Colette as his mother Jane and Colin Farrell as his new handsome vampire neighboor Jerry.

Tennant plays Peter Vincent, role that was originally played by Roddy McDowall in the original movie. //Film has some information on the role:

We know that David Tennant from Dr. Who is playing Peter Vincent, the showman and pseudo-expert on vampires that Charlie recruits to help fight Jerry. The character has a smaller role here than in the original, but there’s an interesting possibility in the script that could lead to Tennant fans getting a pretty neat performance out of him. I’m not sure if that angle is going to be treated as the script suggests it should.

[//Film]

I'm rather sad to hear that the role will be less substantial in the remake than it was in the original. However, I'm sure David Tennant will be splendid in it.

The movie will be in 3D and is set to be released on October 7, 2011 

Tenth Doctor Who David Tennant Cast in Fright Night!!

This is one piece of casting news that I was so happy to read about I may have been fapping a bit around the office.

The story broke over The Hollywood Reporter that former Doctor Who star David Tennant has been cast as Peter Vincent, the role originally played by Roddy McDowall in the original Fright Night movie and it's sequel. He will be joined by Christopher Mintz-Plasse who will play the role of Charlie:

David Tennant, best known for starring in the BBC series “Doctor Who,” and Christopher Mintz-Plasse are joining the cast of “Fright Night,” DreamWorks’ remake of the cult 1985 film.
Tennant and Mintz-Plasse join Anton Yelchin as Charlie, a teen convinced that his new neighbor (Colin Farrell) is a vampire. Toni Collette is the teen’s disbelieving mom, who falls under the vampire’s spell.

Tennant will play Peter Vincent, a character who in the original movie was played by Roddy McDowall as the host of a late-night horror show. In the remake, he’s a Las Vegas magician whose show revolves around horror-movie imagery. Vincent claims to be a vampire expert, but when the teen turns to him for assistance, he’s less than helpful.

Mintz-Plasse is playing Evil Ed, Yelchin’s friend who feels slighted that Charlie has left his nerdy past behind and thus joins the vampire’s coven.

The movie marks the first real foray into America for Tennant. He starred in the NBC pilot “Rex Is Not Your Lawyer,” but it did not get picked up. He is repped by UTA and Independent Talent Group.

[The Hollywood Reporter]

I'm really happy for Tennant in nabbing what will be a substantial role for him in order to finally break the North American movie market. I wish him all the best!