Looking back on everything the list has covered so far, I'm sad I missed out on myself.
Not to worry, vampire. Tonight's features should contain something of interest to you.
No. 21 TIE
Fright Night (1985)
Points: 117 | Lists: Dracula (#2); Neo Skimbleshanks (#7); Octopus Prime (#9); Dr. Nerd (#13)
“You’re so cool, Brewster!”
Fright Night is a 1985 American horror film written and directed by Tom Holland (in his directorial debut) and produced by Herb Jaffe. It stars Chris Sarandon, William Ragsdale, Roddy McDowall, Amanda Bearse, Jonathan Stark, Dorothy Fielding, Stephen Geoffreys, and Art Evans. The film follows young Charley Brewster, who discovers that his next-door neighbor Jerry Dandrige is a vampire. When no one believes him, Charley decides to get Peter Vincent, a TV show host who acted in films as a vampire hunter, to stop Jerry's killing spree.
Drac’s Notes: Back-to-back, we get both of my two favorite horror movies, representing both ends of the horror movie spectrum.
Silence is a decorated academy award winner which transcends genre;
Fright Night is a late-nite B-movie that revels in the history and trappings of genre. I never, ever get tired of watching this film. Dandridge is my absolute favorite movie vampire, and my favorite Chris Sarandon performance. Roddy McDowall does a beautiful homage to the Van Helsings of Hammers past, and the cast of kids, particularly Stephen Geoffreys’ Evil Ed, are memorable. It has a chilly
Brad "Terminator" Fiedel score braced with
80s pop. It’s an overstuffed horror comedy bulging with beautiful practical effects and bright colors. It’s just an absolute joy from start to end.
Oh, and it’s very gay, both on-screen and off. Dandridge puts on the airs of being in a relationship with his roommate, Billy Cole (who is some sort of homunculus or zombie or something...who knows) as a cover for his vampirism. McDowall was, in his time, one of Hollywood’s most famous closeted gay men; Amanda Bearse became a gay icon later in life; and Geoffreys went on to have a career mostly in gay porn.
The 2011 remake starring Anton Yelchin and David Tennant, on the other hand, is not especially gay, nor does it contain any joy, and should not be accepted as a substitute for the real thing.
Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
Points: 117 | Lists: Teg (#10); Torzelbaum (#11); Kirin (#16); Bulgakov (#7); Adrenaline (#24)
“Feed me, Seymour!”
Little Shop of Horrors is a 1986 American horror black comedy musical film directed by Frank Oz. It is a film adaptation of the 1982 off-Broadway musical comedy of the same name by composer Alan Menken and writer Howard Ashman, which in turn was based on the 1960 film The Little Shop of Horrors, directed by Roger Corman, about a geeky florist shop worker who finds out his Venus flytrap has an appetite for human blood.
Drac’s Notes: Here’s where I admit I haven’t seen one of the great horror classics. Sorta. I haven’t seen the 1986 film version of this, but I did see a stage version of it put on by my college’s theater department. Which was great! I loved it! I need to see the movie! Here are some words from the nominators, since I don’t have much to add:
Torzelbaum: “This little shop is stocked with lots of quality items - music, mirth, mayhem and a mean green mother (from outer space).”
Bulgakov: “Loved this movie as a kid and adult. Plant puppets are awesome. They had to film all the plant sequences at half speed to make the puppeteering motion look smooth in the final movie, so I love all the slow-mo acting.”
And here’s where I mention that we are now past all of this list’s ties! Wow! This list had a lot of ties!