Sometimes you'll find a movie that's overall fine, whatever, but then has a particularly good scene that, as a result, really improves the experience as a whole. I like the idea of highlighting such scenes, and wrote another post somewhat like this last year if you're interested. This concept may become a thing.
October is about the only time of year I'm interested in horror. I wrote about this two years ago and listed 31 horror(ish) films I've enjoyed in the past. Each year I try to watch a few I haven't seen before. Last year the only one of note was the original Fright Night (1985), and it fits as a very mediocre movie that has one great scene.
It's a cheap 80's horror movie and looks it. The plot involves a teen named Charlie, and his pseudo-girlfriend Amy (they're an item but he's totally oblivious), who notice strange goings-on with a new neighbor who's never seen during the day. Charlie is obsessed with a late-night horror show ('Fright Night') starring a local celebrity and, consciously or not, desires to see freaky stuff around him. So after several people nearby disappear, and are likely murdered, no one believes his theory that his neighbor (Chris Sarandon - aka 'Prince Humperdinck') is a vampire. Charlie is right of course. His only plan of action is to enlist the help of the washed-up star of Fright Night, who generally plays a vampire hunter on the show but who's never faced a real one, to aid him. Along the way Amy is seduced by the vampire, massively complicating their situation.
In most vampire stories, male vampires seem to have a supernatural (and sexual) power over women. In Dracula, the grandfather of such tales, the Count seduces Lucy remotely, from outside her house, and makes her sleepwalk to him. His power, his draw, is irresistible and it confounds almost everyone around her. In Fright Night the vampire ('Jerry') isn't an unseen threat, but his power is similar. He stalks them and then separates Amy from a distracted Charlie at a nightclub. Charlie, eventually, sees Jerry's hypnotic effect on Amy once she's alone. It's easily the best scene in the movie, turning it from borderline unwatchable to something memorable and kept me interested through the end.
Maybe simply inserting the scene alone here won't do it justice, but I don't care. It really surprised me and I loved how they did this aspect of vampires, especially Amy's progressively changing appearance. Here it is:
As I think about it, the rest of the movie isn't great (even it's biggest star, Sarandon, looked bored throughout), but I'll likely continue to remember it fondly.
Now, time to find something new to watch.
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