Interview: Farrell makes his horror hero a shade darker this time around

Vampires have had more than their fair share of screen time in recent years, with the popularity of the Twilight Saga and TV shows like True Blood and The Vampire Diaries doing little to abate the trend.

So it’s understandable that Colin Farrell – the newest and sexiest bloodsucker on the block – had his doubts before donning a set of fangs.

The Irish star, who exudes sex appeal despite being dressed down in a grey cardigan, low-cut khaki top and jeans, got the opportunity to give his take on menacing neighbour Jerry Dandridge in Craig Gillespie’s 3D remake of the 1985 movie Fright Night.

“I really was dubious about the idea of loads of things – remakes, vampire films, 3D,” he says, ticking off each reason on his fingers.

“It’s not exactly the most original choice. So the ego kind of takes a hit and you think, ‘Is that what I should be doing?’”

Farrell, 35, was especially sceptical because he held the original horror comedy, which was followed by a sequel in 1988, in high regard.

“I was 11 or 12 the first time I saw Fright Night. I loved it and I kind of had a little boy crush on Chris Sarandon (who played Jerry) as well. I don’t want to say it’s sacrosanct, but in a way it is and it’s kind of perfect in its own form,” he says.

“So I was frustrated when I read Marti Noxon’s script, because it was so good I really wanted to do it. Just like the original, it seemed to straddle the line between horror and a kind of sweet tongue-in-cheek comedy.”

Ruthless and predatory, Farrell’s character Jerry terrorises the neighbourhood, using his charm to lure his victims to their doom.

“Sarandon’s Jerry in the original did seem to keep residual characteristics from when he was human. His Jerry was so debonair and elegant and charismatic,” says Farrell.

“He seemed to have some kind of compassion, he had a desire to love and be loved, he was searching the world for his romantic counterpart, very much like the Dracula character before he finds Madame Mina. And his relationship with Amy is much more about that obsessive kind of vampiric love we’ve read about in vampire lore.”

But that’s where the similarities between his version and Sarandon’s ends as Farrell gives his vampire a more intimidating spin.

“I think he’s a lot more brutal. This guy is just a survivalist, more predatory,” he continues.

“He really has no characteristics that were dragged over from the days he was human. If anything, just a propensity towards cruelty, but he’s just a really brutal character with no kind of emotional or psychological weight that could be seen as human. He’s a hunter, a scavenger.”

Farrell admits to feeling some pressure to live up to the original, but tries to brush off the concerns.

“I felt that Marti designed a different enough kind of tone when she wrote Jerry in this version that I didn’t feel I was so much in the shadow of Chris Sarandon,” he reveals.

“You hope the fans of the original like the film – and there’s nothing you can do if they don’t. But we’ll see how that goes.”

David Tennant, best known as the 10th Doctor Who, joins the cast as the magician who conjures up help for Charley, while Kick-Ass’s Christopher Mintz-Plasse is Charley’s friend Evil Ed.

But although former wild man Farrell, now a proud father of two, enjoyed the experience he has other projects lined up and says it will be a while before he dips his toes back into the horror genre.

“That’s it for now. I’m enjoying it, doing different stuff, you know.”

THE VAMPIRES WE KNOW AND LOVE

The vampire genre has attracted a raft of leading young actors.

* Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson): The Twilight Saga propelled the British actor as the vampire with morals into global heart-throb status.

* Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgard): Eric and fellow vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) ensure pulses stay racing in True Blood.

* Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder): With his piercing blue eyes and ruffled hair, it’s no surprise that The Vampire Diaries remains a ratings hit.

* Angel (David Boreanaz): Before he starred in Bones, Boreanaz played the vampire with a demonic side in Joss Whedon’s spin-off to Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

* Fright Night is released in cinemas on Friday, September 2.