Movie Review: Night Fright

Something that is becoming more and more apparent is that some of the reviews in this Sci Fi Invasion challenge are going to be pretty short. Some of these things just don't offer all that much to talk about, much less anything to want to talk about. This latest film, for instance, is a dull monster movie that just plods along and is stuck in time never to be shaken loose.



The movie is none other than the 1967 creature feature Night Fright, retitled Fright Night on television and in the UK as E.T.N.: Extra-Terrestrial Nastie. Its one claim to fame would be one time matinee idol and ex-husband of Shirley Temple, John Agar, stars as a small town sheriff with said monster problem. Not to mention a gaggle of goofy 30-something college students.

Anyway, the movie opens with a college couple out in the middle of nowhere to, you know, do what college couples in the 1960's do. Before long a creature creeps through the darkness, the girl screams and we cut to the next morning. We meet a few more college kids and they walk into the woods and find the remnants of the earlier kids. Flash the title card and begin project boredom.

 

Kids go around trying to have a party at the lake, the sheriff tries to keep the kids away from the lack, and along the way are infrequent monster attacks. It all leads up to a never ending dance party where all you see are silhouettes of bad dancing to bad music, followed by one final monster attack where they stop the reign of terror.

Where does this monster come from? It is a result of a NASA experiment on the effects of space radiation on animals. It made this big bald gorilla thing that is killing people in the woods. The whole thing is dull and silly in a bad way.

Memorable moments include the radio broadcast early on that seems to pause to let the listeners discuss what they heard and the sheriff who sees the monster and instead of shooting it or running away gets on the radio for a few minutes crying for help as the monster limes towards his car. The best was the waitress with her "What about your order?" paired with an insane pout.

This is another one to take a pass on, unless you are a John Agar completist.

Not Recommended.