Kiki is in a rush to start the meeting: tonight, at the Majestic Theatre, is Fright Night, for which she and David have free passes. Tonight, Frank's story concerns the power a film may claim over one's grip on reality. Submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society, he calls it "The Tale of the Midnight Madness."
As a Friday night screening at the Rialto draws to a close, usher Pete Matt bids good evening to the sole patron, a surly elderly woman. Disillusioned fellow usher Katie Halloran submits the night's takings: six bucks. Manager Mr Kristoph grumpily anticipates a shutdown.
On the streets, in a campaign to save his beloved Rialto, Pete distributes leaflets. An hour before the start of another unpromising night, there comes a knock at the box office door. The persistent visitor somehow manages to unlock it. In steps a man in an overcoat and fedora, who raises his hat to reveal the bearded face of... Dr Vink. He produces one of Pete's leaflets, and strides into the empty auditorium, enraptured.
A none-too-pleased Mr Kristoph asks what’s going on. Dr Vink has come to save the Rialto. Having been a filmmaker in the age of silent film, the old-fashioned theatre enamours him. He climbs onto the stage, and from beneath his coat, theatrically conjures a film reel case, containing one of Dr Vink's hits: a vampire film. If shown in the Rialto, he promises, people will flock to see it, and the theatre will be saved. Instead of money, all he asks is one night a week on which to show his other films. As he and Mr Kristoph shake on it, the reel case falls into Pete's hands. When they next look at the stage, Dr Vink has gone.
Pete, narrates Frank, puts the reel case in the projection booth, forgets about it, and resumes his mission to save the Rialto. One Saturday night, during the screening of a western, Pete and Katie are called to Mr Kristoph’s office: in two weeks, the Rialto will be closed.
Meanwhile, in the projection booth, the lid of Dr Vink’s reel case starts to lift, revealing, from within, a strange red glow. Suddenly, the projector emits a spark, smokes, and the on-screen western fades. While Katie prepares to handle the refunds, Pete has an idea...
In the auditorium, Katie explains to the handful patrons that while tonight's original film is no longer available, in place will be shown a classic from the golden age of silent film. If unsatisfied, patrons will receive a full refund.
So begins Dr Vink’s film, Nosferatu the Demon Vampire. The adventures of its rat-like fiend of a vampire have the audience entranced. On departure of the buzzing audience, the Friday night patron bids Pete a word of encouragement. Overjoyed, Pete and Katie hug. Meanwhile, from inside the reel case resurfaces the red glow...
The film, narrates Frank, is a smash, so the Rialto starts a Saturday night Midnight Madness show. The owners decided not to sell the building after all. After another uproariously successful night, Pete begins an attempt to ask out Katie, and is interrupted by the return of Dr Vink.
Mr Kristoph eagerly proposes a deal for the silent masterpiece. Dr Vink recounts the original proposition: one night a week on which to show his other films. With a-list films coming in, Mr Kristoph is reluctant to show old films during the week. He offers a rental fee, but refuses Dr Vink run of the theatre. Dr Vink scowls, then chuckles. With a twirl of his coat, he makes to leave, and announces further surprises to be in store.
While success continues, Pete obsesses over the power of Dr Vink's film. Alone in the auditorium, as another screening of the film ends, Pete starts to doze off. Onscreen, having fatally bitten protagonist Harker, Nosferatu turns to face the camera, and stalks toward it. On reaching it, his flat, monochrome image, independent of the rest of the film, floods with colour, and bulges forward, away from the screen, in a solid, three-dimensional projection. The Demon Vampire steps away from his filmed environs, and into the auditorium. Pete jerks awake, and looks at the blank screen.
As Katie stocks snacks, Pete mentions his weird dream. Meanwhile, down the empty corridor, a silent figure approaches Mr Kristoph’s office. Pete and Katie fumblingly confess their feelings for one another. As they prepare to kiss, they hear a distant scream: Mr Kristoph. They find the manager slumped on his desk, unconscious, and with two slightly bloody puncture marks on his neck. The phone is dead.
The two run for help to find the doors locked. They rattle and swing open, to reveal the icily staring vampire. The two scream, run to the storeroom and bolt the door. However, its bolt starts to lift. They run through the auditorium and into the projection booth. Staggered, they can only suppose there to be something weird about the film. Pete asks Katie to project the last reel: he has a desperate idea.
He runs down through the auditorium. Up the aisle, Nosferatu glides towards him. Katie calls from the booth: the reel is ready.
In the booth, Katie prepares to project. The door opens. Nosferatu coolly eyes his prospective prey, and glides towards her. She flicks the projector switch. Instantly distracted, the vampire hastens out.
In the auditorium, Pete stares up at the screen, which shows the film’s now-deserted climactic scene. He reaches for the screen. His hands pass seamlessly through the material, and he steps in, to merge with the projected images. He prepares to finish the job of hapless protagonist Harker: to drag the vampire’s coffin towards the curtained window. Nosferatu returns to the film, and furiously advances.
Nosferatu backs Pete further toward the window. Pete reaches behind him, and seizes the heavy curtain. Caught in a shaft of light, Nosferatu cries out in horror, throws his cape over himself, and cowers on the floor, where he smokes and fades to ash.
Through the blank screen, a relieved Pete steps seamlessly back to solidity. He and Katie hug. A disorientated Mr Kristoph arrives, rubs his neck, and wonders what happened. From a seat, Dr Vink heartily applauds. Mr Kristoph gingerly offers Dr Vink the one night a week as arranged. Dr Vink, however, has just purchased this theatre. Now he can show his films every night!
On second thoughts, Eric and Kiki are a bit too tired for Fright Night. Kiki gives Frank her ticket. Delighted, he and Gary set off to enjoy the gorefest.
This episode provides examples of:
- Alas, Poor Villain: Terrifying as Nosferatu is, his death agonies are quite piteous.
- Bad Ass Long Coat: Dr Vink sports a stylish overcoat.
- The Bad Guy Wins: In the movie, Nosferatu fatally bites adversary Harker. Otherwise Down Played; while Dr Vink terrorises the staff, he does no lasting bodily harm, and he saves the Rialto.
- Big "WHAT?!": Pete's reaction to learning that Vink bought the Rialto.
- Bloodless Carnage: In the film, Nosferatu bites Harker with no visible bloodshed. Slightly averted, however, with a trace of blood on Mr Kristoph’s bitten neck.
- Chekhov's Gun: Pete's efforts to save the Rialto included handing out fliers to gin up interest. It's how Vink learned of the situation and saw an opening to show his movie.
- Dramatic Irony: The staff can't account for why the projector shorted out while playing the western and take it as just bad luck, but viewers saw the red glow coming from Vink's reel case.
- Evil Laugh: Vink after revealing he's bought the Rialto and has other movies to show that he considers even better than this one.
- The Fourth Wall Will Not Protect You: Multiple shots go for this. The vampire is pursuing his prey, but it's framed so that it looks like he's walking towards the camera. This is even how he's depicted leaving the movie.
- Ghostly Glide: Nosferatu’s floating gait chillingly evokes his nature as a silent filmic phantasm.
- Indy Ploy: Upon hearing that Eric and Kiki have Fright Night tickets, Frank talks about how he is too scared to go back there and how real a horror movie can seem. After the story is over, Eric and Kiki give up their tickets, which Frank happily accepts. Gary reminds him of what he said at the start of the episode, but Frank says it's just a movie and invites Gary along.
- Looks Like Orlock: Nosferatu the Demon Vampire is a deliberate pastiche of Nosferatu.
- Moment Killer: Pete and Katie are about to kiss when they hear Kristoph scream.
- Mugging the Monster: After the surge in business saves the Rialto, Vink returns and reminds Kristoph of their deal. Kristoph, however, refuses to honor his end of it, so Vink lets his movie creation go to work.
- Never Split the Party: With Kristoph out cold and the phone dead, Pete wants to go find some help. Katie offers to stay with Kristoph, while Pete goes on ahead. Pete is savvy enough to recognize that's a bad idea, so he drags her along after him instead.
- Nightmare Fetishist: Dr Vink gleefully notes the shock ending of his vampire film.
- Nothing Is Scarier: Now the owner, Vink intends to showcase his other movies, which he says are better than Nosferatu the Demon Vampire ever was.
- Offscreen Teleportation: Within seconds of shaking on the deal, Dr Vink vanishes from the stage.
- Pass the Popcorn: Dr Vink enjoys some whilst secretly watching Pete’s improvised climax.
- Really 700 Years Old: Dr Vink, having been active in the age of silent film, is implied to be older than he looks.
- Refugee from TV Land: From the projected images, Nosferatu steps off the screen into solid reality.
- Renaissance Man: On his last appearance, Dr Vink was a reclusive naturalist. Here, he reveals his career as a filmmaker in the age of silent film.
- That Was Not a Dream: Pete was watching the movie for the umpteenth time when he started to nod off, which is the very moment that Nosferatu emerges from the screen. Pete thinks he was just dreaming and quickly learns the hard way that he's not.
- This Is Reality: While hiding from the vampire, Katie just can't believe it stepped out of the movie.Katie: Movies aren't real!
Pete: That guy looked pretty real to me. - Trapped in TV Land: To fight Nosferatu, Pete merges with the film’s final scene.
- Villain Has a Point: As disproportionate as he's being, Vink is right that they had a deal and that fulfilling his end of it means that Kristoph should have to do the same.
- Villain Respect: Vink commends Pete for prevailing in the end.
- Wham Shot: Pete and Katie hear on a knock on the door, which persists despite the place still being closed. When the door opens, in walks none other than Dr. Vink.
- Who Are You?: Pete asks this when face-to-face with Nosferatu. The vampire, of course, is in no mood to just talk.
