Night Visitor

“Fright Night” with satanists rather than vampires

A high school student in Los Angeles (Derek Rydall) is convinced that his grumpy teacher (Allen Garfield) is the serial killer preying on prostitutes in the area. Michael J. Pollard plays the latter’s brother while Elliott Gould is on hand as a retired cop that might help the teen and Richard Roundtree plays the lead detective.

Shot in August, 1988, "Night Visitor" is very similar to “Fright Night” just more subdued due to the nature of the antagonist(s). It’s an entertaining horror flick, although it's not actually scary due to the semi-goofiness of the villains, but it's amusing and thrilling enough, particularly the brouhaha at the end. And you can’t beat the 80’s ambiance.

Shannon Tweed has a fairly beefy role in the first act. She never did much for me, but Gene Simmons obviously disagrees. I would offer that winsome Teresa Van der Woude is the real highlight on the feminine front as Kelly, the protagonist’s partner.

The plot was reused for “Never Cry Werewolf” nineteen years later and, of course, the remake of “Fright Night” (2011).

It runs 1 hour, 33 minutes, and was shot in Los Angeles/Culver City.

GRADE: B-