As a kid, teenager and young adult I never really liked vampire movies. The image of the vampire never captured my imagination. It never seemed exciting. Vampires, as a fictional creation never seemed to fit conviningly into contemporary horror. They always seemed to me to be mired in cliche, either as corny Hammer creations hiding in coffins or romatically cloaked fiends with upper class or royal bloodlines.
1987's Near Dark was the first to portray a contemporary vampire lifestyle convincingly...but the genre still seemed glued to the past (Near Dark is a western) than something that aknowledged modern culture. It wasn't until Channel Four's six part series Ultraviolet that a modern vision of vampires living amoung us was unveiled. I was convinced. THIS is how vampires would live and interact with modern society. More good re-imagingings soon followed with Blade and Buffy. I was converted. I am now a fan of all things vampire.
So when I go back and look at the comedy horror of 1987's Fright Night, I chuckle at the posh coffin dweller, the crappy make up and the use of crosses to ward off the undead (like Eddie Izzard observed, if you make your fingers into a cross shape...will it ward off a vampire?!).
Still not funny. Not very scary. Not much fun. Mid 80's vampire bollocks. Oh and the hero is a twat.
