30 THEATRICAL TERRORS: Fright Night (Day 18)

FRIGHT NIGHT

(1985)

Writer/Director Tom Holland made the greatest horrror comedy of the 80’s. It follows young Charley Brewster as he discovers hi8s new next-door neighbor is a vampire. When nobody believes him, he takes it upon himself—and his favorite horror host, Peter Vincent, to stop the bloodsucker’s killing spree.

And that is all you need to know.

But here’s some really neat stuff about Roddy McDowall and his character PETER VINCENT:

PETER VINCENT

And here’s the trailer for this masterpiece:

30 THEATRICAL TERRORS: The Legend of Hell House (Day 7)

Of all of the lets-go-stay-in-a-haunted-house films,

I believe THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE is the most effective.

Based on the novel HELL HOUSE by the great Richard Matheson, John Hough’s film stars Pamela Franklin, Roddy McDowall, Clive Revill, and Gayle Hunnicutt as a group of researchers set out to test the theory of life after death by staying in “the most haunted house in the world”—The Belasco House—for a week.

As the only survivor of a prior investigation into the evil within the house 20 years earlier, Roddy McDowall’s Ben Fischer is a haunted man with a guilty conscience. While spiritualist Florence Tanner (Pamela Franklin) is eager to prove there are surviving spirits in the home. And, finally the physicist, Dr. Lionel Barrett (Clive Revill), plans to use technology to disprove the possibility of ghostly presences.

Well, not only does the house prove haunted, but completely malevolently out to destroy them all and that’s where the fun really begins. And the performances prove not only convincing, but completely compelling.

The trailer for your approval…

COUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEN (Day 11): PETER VINCENT

Easily my favorite fictional Horror Host,

I’d raid a house full of vampires with this baddass!

“I am Peter Vincent, vampire killer!”

Host of the late-night creature feature “Fright Night” on Channel 13, WYIC, Peter Vincent is also an actor whose career has taken a downward turn.  He used to star in the films he now features on his local television show.

Vincent holds the rise of the 80’s slasher genre responsible for the decline in vampires and the supernatural—and, thus, his career.  And so, perhaps it is the fact that a real fan contacts him about a vampire living next door that allows him to consider helping the boy out.  That bit of need that he has of being needed.

Roddy McDowall compared his character, Peter Vincent, to the Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz.  A friend who overcomes his great and real fear of something as inconcievable as a vampire to help a friend.

Tom Holland named McDowall’s character Peter Vincent by crossing the names of two of Hammer’s greatest actors… Peter Cushing and Vincent Price.  Holland was originally thinking of Vincent Price in the role of the host of “Fright Night”, but his failing health made it impossible.

There was a sequel made of FRIGHT NIGHT to cash in on the popularity of the first.  Unfortunately, it was made to cash in and did not feature the writing/directing talents of Tom Holland or the acting of Chris Sarandon as the villain.  Regardless, Roddy was there as Peter Vincent--this time rescuing Charlie from being turned into a creature of the night by a seductive vampiress!

Apparently Roddy McDowall was eager to make a third FRIGHT NIGHT picture and enjoyed playing the role.

There are two “commentary tracks” available for download for free on iTunes c/o the Icons of Fright website (link below) featuring the writer/director Tom Holland, star Chris Sarandon and much of the cast and FX artists—they thought the original DVD release deserved it and so they got together and made it.  Unfortunately Roddy isn’t around to add his part.

http://iconsoffright.com/2008/11/12/iofs-fright-nightchilds-play-pirate-commentary-tracks-now-on-itunes/