my take on the Vampire Bat from Fright Night 1985
Fright Night sees a teenager believing that the newcomer in his neighborhood is a vampire. He turns to an actor in a television hosted horror movie show for help to deal with the undead.
Fright Night is a 1985 American supernatural horror film written and directed by Tom Holland, in his directorial debut. The film follows teenager Charley Brewster (played by William Ragsdale), who discovers that his next-door neighbor Jerry Dandrige (Chris Sarandon) is a vampire. When no one believes him, Charley decides to get Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowall), a TV show host who acted in films as a vampire hunter, to stop Jerry's killing spree.
The film was released on August 2, 1985, and grossed $24.9 million at the box office. Since its release, it has received positive reviews from critics and become a cult classic, and spawned the media franchise of the same name. Fright Night was followed by a sequel, Fright Night Part 2, in 1988, and a remake of the same name in 2011.
Plot17-year-old Charley Brewster is a fan of a late night horror television program called Fright Night, hosted by the fictional vampire hunter Peter Vincent. One evening, Charley discovers that his new next-door neighbor Jerry Dandrige is a vampire responsible for the disappearances of several victims. After telling his unconvinced mother, Charley asks his girlfriend, Amy Peterson, and his friend, Evil Ed Thompson, for help before contacting the authorities. Detective Lennox goes with Charley to Jerry's house to question him, but his housemate Billy Cole informs them that Jerry is on a business trip. Charley discloses his suspicions about Jerry's vampirism, and Lennox furiously leaves. That night, Charley is shocked to see Jerry inside his house, having been invited in by Charley's mother. Later, Jerry breaks into Charley’s room to offer him an ultimatum: ignore his vampiric activities, or else he’ll murder him. Charley refuses, brandishing a crucifix at Jerry. When Jerry tries to push him out the window to his death, Charley stabs Jerry's hand with a pencil. Jerry destroys Charley's car in retaliation and threatens him over the telephone.
The next day, Charley turns to Peter Vincent for help, but Peter dismisses him as a crazed fan. Amy, fearing for Charley's sanity and safety, hires the destitute Peter to stage an elaborate scheme, in conjunction with Jerry, to prove he is not a vampire by having him drink what they claim is holy water, but is merely tap water. The following night, however, Peter finds out about Jerry's true nature when glancing at his pocket mirror and noticing Jerry's lack of a reflection, causing him to accidentally drop the mirror. Peter then flees, but Jerry learns of his discovery after noticing a shard of mirrored glass on the floor.
Jerry hunts down Ed and turns him into a vampire. Ed then proceeds to visit Peter and attempts to attack him, only to be warded off when burned by a crucifix to the forehead. Meanwhile, Jerry chases Charley and Amy into a nightclub. While Charley unsuccessfully tries to call the police, Jerry hypnotizes and abducts Amy, who resembles Jerry's lost love, and bites her. With nowhere left to turn, Charley attempts to gain Peter's help once more. A frightened Peter initially refuses, but then reluctantly joins him. Entering Jerry's house, the pair attempt to repel Jerry using a crucifix, although only Charlie succeeds, since he has faith in its spiritual power. Billy appears and knocks Charley over the banister, while Peter flees to Charley's house. There, he is surprised by Ed, who attacks him in wolf form, only to be pierced through the heart with a broken table leg held by Peter. After removing the stake from Ed's body, Peter goes to Charley's rescue.
Charley is locked in with Amy, who is slowly transforming into a vampire. Peter frees him before she awakens, and Billy, revealed to be undead, confronts Charley and Peter. They destroy Billy, who melts into goo and sand. Peter is able to lure the overconfident Jerry in front of a window using a crucifix, which now works due to his renewed faith in its abilities. As the sun rises, Jerry transforms into a bat and attacks Peter and Charley before fleeing to his coffin in the basement. Charley and Peter pursue Jerry; the latter breaks open Jerry's coffin and tries to stake him through the heart while Charley fights off Amy, who has almost completed her transformation. By breaking the blacked-out windows in the basement, Peter and Charley expose Jerry to sunlight, destroying him and returning Amy to her human form.
A few nights later, Peter returns to his Fright Night TV series and announces a hiatus from vampires, presenting a film about alien invaders instead. Charley and Amy watch the program as they embrace in bed. Charley gets up to turn off the TV and glimpses glowing red eyes in Jerry's now-vacant house, but dismisses them. As Charley and Amy resume kissing in bed, the glowing eyes return before Ed laughs and utters, Oh, you're so cool, Brewster!.