1985 horror comedy Fright Night was surprise hit at the box office. It success, just like with many such films in those times, led to inevitable sequel Fright Night Part 2, 1988 film directed by Tommy Lee Wallace, which was, just as inevitably, inferior to the original.
William Ragsdale returns in the role of the protagonist Charley Brewster. The plot begins three years after the events depicted in previous film, during which Brewster killed dangerous vampire Jerry Dandridge. He is now at the college, dates new girlfriend Alex Young (played by Traci Lind) and tries to put past behind him, even trying, with the help of psychotherapist Dr. Harrison (played by Ernie Sabella), to convince himself that vampires don’t exist and that his experiences were result of psychological trauma mixed with rampant imagination. While visiting his old friend, actor and horror television show host Peter Vincent (played by Roddy McDowall) who helped him defeating Dandridge, he notices three large crates in being unloaded in the neighbourhood. This is followed by disappearances and brutal murders in the neighbourhood, while he becomes attracted to exotic-looking beauty named Regine (played by Julie Carmen). After meeting her he becomes sensitive to sunlight and garlic and gradually begins to turn into vampire. Alex and Vincent must try to save him before the transformation is complete and, in order to do so, must defeat Regine, who happens to be Dandridge’s sister motivated by revenge.
Unlike Fright Night, which represented refreshing mix of homage to classic vampire films, 1980s slasher films, dark humour and mild social satire, Part 2 looks like nothing more than uninspired carbon copy. Only two members of the original cast return – William Ragsdale, whose character looks bland and strangely passive; and veteran Roddy McDowall who obviously enjoys another opportunity to go over the top playing “fearless” vampire killer. Some new members of the cast are improvement like Traci Lin as protagonist active and at times ingenious girlfriend. Some aren’t, like Julie Carmen who has truly exotic looks but lacks suave malevolence of Chris Sarandon in the first film. Tommy Lee Wallace, who was better known as screenwriter, directs film relatively well, aided by budget high enough for some interesting special and make up effects. The script, however, suffers from few plot holes and general lack of humour, although at times film can be quite funny, like in the scene that takes place in psychiatric hospital. Production and distribution of Fright Night Part 2 were beset by tragedies; Merrit Butrick, actor appearing in the role of Charley’s unfortunate friend Richie, was dying of AIDS during the shoot and Joe Menendez, head of IVE distribution company, was infamously murdered by his sons few months after the US premiere. This event led to Fright Night Part 2 never getting proper theatrical distribution and wrecked plans for third film. Instead, Fright Night was in 2010s rebotted with a film starring Anton Yelchin. Fright Night Part 2
RATING: 5/10 (++)
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