Hi all!
Welcome back to a new segment on my blog, where I pit an original horror film against its remake and discuss which one, I personally believe is better. You can check out the dedicated category here. There will be a few factors to take into consideration: a.) Does the remake improve the original story, b.) Is the original already so superior, the remake is quite irrelevant and c.) Do both films exist side-by-side, complementing one another in horror cinematic history? For our fourth subject, we are going to be tackling Tom Holland’s, Fright Night from 1985 and Craig Gillespie’s reboot from 2011. If you didn’t know, these movies follow a young boy named Charley Brewster, who discovers his next-door neighbour is a vampire. Remember, it’s okay if we don’t agree. This is just my opinion. Without further ado, let’s get into it!
Round #1 – Improvement
Did the remake improve upon the original? In my opinion, no. The film from the 80s was frightening, fun and sexy. The reboot definitely gave the story more of an edge but whether that was necessary or not, remains to be seen. Having said that, I preferred the character of Evil (played by Christopher Mintz-Plasse) and Jane Brewster (played by Toni Collette) from the remake. I found the nightclub scene from the first film far more captivating, and I liked that Jerry was drawn to Amy because she reminded him of his past lover. This wasn’t explored in the remake. Colin Farrell had less of a motive than his former counterpart – giving him the persona of a mindless killer, rather than a calculating vampire with a point to prove. Did I mention that Chris Sarandon (the original Jerry) was the voice of Jack Skellington from The Nightmare Before Christmas? It’s not relevant but it gets bonus points from me!
Winner – Fright Night 1985
Round #2 – Relevance
Was the original already so superior, it didn’t require a remake? It didn’t need one, but I was all for it. It was really fun watching the talented David Tennant take on the role of Peter Vincent and make it his own. Both films have been well received by the public. In general, I’m a sucker for an 80’s horror movie. It makes sense I would be drawn to what came first, as opposed to what came later.
Winner – Fright Night 1985
Round #3 – Cohesion
Can these two movies exist cohesively, side by side? Yes, absolutely! There is no continuing storyline. Instead, the remake strives at revamping (pardon the pun) the original movie with a darker, gorier edge. A younger audience may prefer the reboot but the 80’s film is timeless and, in my opinion, enjoyable for every generation.
Winner – Fright Night 1985 & Fright Night 2011
THE WINNER IS: Fright Night 1985
The original had my heart from the very beginning. It was perfection! I enjoyed the remake, but it didn’t possess quite the same charm.
Thank you so much for reading! What are your thoughts? I have a whole list of films I’m going to be covering but if you have any suggestions, please let me know. I’ll be back next time to tackle Children of the Corn.
Peace & Love xoxo