Fright Night

The 1985 cult horror movie with plenty of gay subtext to sink your teeth into.


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  • Director-Screenwriter Tom Holland
  • Producer Herb Jaffe
  • With Chris Sarandon, William Ragsdale, Amanda Bearse, Stephen Geoffreys, Roddy McDowall
  • USA 1985
  • 108 min
  • 18
  • UK distribution Park Circus

When certified horror buff Charlie Brewster becomes convinced the two guys next door are vampires, everyone around him thinks he’s just watched too many spooky movies. But as the signs add up, Charlie enlists the help of horror host Peter Vincent to destroy the suburban bloodsuckers. Essentially posing as a bourgeois homosexual couple, these snooty vamps have as much an appetite for fashion and antiques as they do virginal flesh. Meanwhile Charlie becomes so obsessed with the sexy stranger next door, his poor girlfriend doesn’t even get a look in. Fright Night is as gay off-screen as it is on: star Amanda Bearse came out in the 90s, while some might recognise Evil Ed (Stephen Geoffreys) from his later career in such, erm, classics as Uncut Glory and Guys Who Crave Big Cocks. Oh, and then there’s also Roddy McDowall...

Michael Blyth