This is a tough call....

I have every faith in the writer, but hate that it's being remade in the first place. Maybe just once, Hollywood could leave well enough alone and create something new....

-Michael

mbeauparland | November 12, 06:40 CET

My feeling on remakes is if it's done well,then I'm all for it.Just don't be a shot for shot remake like Psycho or The Omen.Nor be a remake in name only like House of Wax.

I loved the original Fright Night.

Buffyfantic | November 12, 06:52 CET

I think I have to agree with Michael...the original was so good, I just fear that a remake would pale by comparison.

A big part of what made the original work was that, in lieu of anything approaching a decent budget, the film made up for its relative lack of money by virtue of a whole lot of heart and soul invested by the writer, director and the stars. Now, when I hear "remake", I think of a studio shoveling tons of money at a project, in the belief that money (and CGI) can more than make up for a lack of creativity and spirit.

And yes, while having Marti script it is promising, that doesn't insure anything. After all, recall what happened in the span of time from Joss turning in his script and the actual making of the Buffy film....

Shiai | November 12, 07:05 CET

BOOOO! Enough Hollywood, you incompetent, lazy, unoriginal losers! Do something ORIGINAL, for once! How can remaking all these movies that even a 25 year old is old enough to remember the original be a good idea?! Sick of it!

Out of Objects | November 12, 07:58 CET

Since Dollhouse is canceled, Marti should bring in Joss to co-write it with her, 'cause Awesome! :)

kungfubear | November 12, 08:43 CET

ENOUGH ALREADY. GET NEW MATERIAL, HOLLYWOOD.

Sorry for the CAPS LOCK, and yay for Marti, but... really.

beergood | November 12, 10:59 CET

If anyone was going to handle this, I am glad they at least grabbed a Buffyverse writer. My Mom showed this movie to me when I was a kid and I have loved it ever since.

Wolf Ram and Hart | November 12, 12:04 CET

I love Marti to death, but good gravy, does this have to go on the "needs a remake" block too? I can feel my childhood being stomped on right now.

On the other hand though, at least it's being written by someone that we know has the skill to handle it. I just hope all turns out well.

deepgirl187 | November 12, 12:10 CET

I loved the original ( I saw it in a movie theater after work one night). Roddy McDowell, Chris Sarandon were great. A sequel has already been made(which I never saw). I doubt they can create a film that is as good as ( or better than) the original. Good for Marti though.

Passion | November 12, 17:08 CET

I am also on both sides of this. On one hand, Fright Night is a fantastic movie. I loved it growing up. On the other hand, it is pretty dated. On the third, ski-boxing hand, does it NEED to look modern?

Some movies are so wonderful in their original form, I can't imagine wanting to re-produce them. For some, a fresh coat of paint isn't a bad idea (the original Hellraiser was amazing for being filmed on whatever change Clive Barker found in his couch at the time. The sequels drove it deep into the realm of schlock. Starting over with a budget could be fun). For others, a remake would completely eliminate the charm of the original (Ray Harryhausen's animation in "Clash of the Titans" is certainly why I've always loved the film). "Fright Night" certainly isn't a timeless great, and some films (the "Blind Dead" series comes to mind) are enjoyable in spite of the era, rather than because of it. The story in "Fright Night" is good enough that re-telling it can't be a bad thing in the right hands, of which I think they are in.

But I'd rather they took what they like about the story, and use that as the starting point for a new movie, rather than just slapping the franchise name on it to cash in on remake/nostalgia value. Great artists steal, and I'd rather see a rip-off that tries to be different than a remake that's trying to be the same.

narse | November 12, 17:15 CET

While I am a fervent fan of the original Fright Night, its humor was more arch camp (sort of like the Buffy movie), which was fine for its time, but I can definitely see it being updated to a more modern telling. I don't know what Marti will do with it, but for instance, Peter Vincent doesn't have to be a burned-out scaredy cat of a horror show host. He could be an aging lothario, a lapsed Catholic who regains his faith, etc. And there's this British dude who'd be perfect for the role.

Tonya J | November 13, 01:53 CET

Why remake the good stuff all the time? Why not do soemthing that had potential but was done badly?

The Head That Wouldn't Die Jan in the pan herself. There was a darn good movie locked up in that thing screaming to get out, but it was so far behind bars nobody could hear it, and we got 87 mintues of seepage. Maybe now some director should listen.

DaddyCatALSO | November 13, 02:18 CET

Since we're suggesting Whedon hat tricks for some of these parts, how about Nathan Fillion as Jerry Dandrige, or would that be too cheesy? :)

kungfubear | November 13, 02:51 CET

Thing is, this could be good, regardless of my generlaized feelings about the principle itself. And I feel much better about this specific movie. Becauauauause....

The gossip column in the Phila. Inquirer announced John Travolta and Tom Cruise are planning to team up to re-do Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. I was going to make a comment here about an engram Western, but that would be irrelevant to how bad an idea this is.

DaddyCatALSO | November 13, 23:28 CET

Remaking Butch and Sundance is every known kind of wrong plus a few that just occurred to me (and it brings my nightmare scenario - a remake of 'The Searchers' - one step closer to reality).

As to 'Fright Night', I really enjoyed it the first time around and as with almost all remakes, I just don't see the point. So it's dated, guess what, some things date, that's the nature of reality - if we don't allow time to affect anything then we lose the potential for timelessness.

Saje | November 14, 00:24 CET

I don't see the harm, it's a 25-year-old film and in a sea of remakes, with a former Whedon writer at the helm, it might be fun to see how it turns out. Besmirching The Searchers is quite another bag of cats entirely (as in, mad as a).

Tonya J | November 14, 03:14 CET

oooh sexy noxy at the helm sounds enticing!!!

withyoursockout | November 14, 03:47 CET

The original "Fright Night" is one of my favourite movies, and I was not pleased to hear that it was being remade. The news that Marti is writing the screenplay is welcome news, hopefully the remake won't totally suck.

sh0e_gal | November 14, 18:40 CET

Maybe Dreamworks hired Marti because she worked on "Buffy" and thought she could be perfect for updating the story for modern times?

I like the movie, but it's dated pretty bad. And they're have to do some thorough casting to find someone who can do Jerry Dandridge as well as Chris Sarandon did.

Mcjw_serenity | November 17, 04:59 CET