Summary

The Night Flier has a unique serial killer setup that puts a new spin on a classic monster.
The vampire's design leaves a lasting impression, boasting a nightmarish look.
The Night Flier stands out among King's creature-themed adaptations, proving to be memorable in more ways than one.

Stephen King is renowned as the master of horror, having penned numerous stories about monsters of all sorts, whether as simple as Cujo or as uniquely menacing as Pennywise. While many of his creatures are unique creations, like the Langoliers, King has put his spin on classic monsters with works like Salem's Lot, which provides the author's take on vampire lore.

However, one of King's most unique vampire tales is his short story "The Night Flier," which was first published in a 1988 anthology called Prime Evil: New Stories by the Masters of Modern Horror. It was then republished in King's Nightmares & Dreamscapes in 1993. While it tells a compelling and dark vampire tale, the 1997 film adaptation of "The Night Flier" brought King's nightmare-inducing creature to life, leaving a lasting impression on audiences.

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By Aya Tsintziras

The Night Flier Offers A Unique Take On A Classic Monster

night-flier-vampire-plane — The Night Flier, vampire at airport

The Night Flier stars Miguel Ferrer as Richard Dees, a cynical tabloid reporter. His personal philosophy directs his questionable moral compass: "Never believe what you publish and never publish what you believe." Dees' editor-in-chief wants to put him on a story for their tabloid Inside View, involving murders at rural airfields. The murderer is said to have flown in and out of each airport, piloting a small plane, with their name registered as Dwight Renfield. Each murderseems to imply a killer who believes they are a vampire, leaving the victims drained of blood. However, it's not enough to entice Dees, who refuses to take it on.

The story then goes to Katherine Blair, a young novice reporter played by Julie Entwisle. However, when more murders occur, Dees finds himself drawn to the story and uses his seniority to take it from Blair, who is rightfully angry. Luckily, Dees has his own small plane, which he pilots to each airfield crime scene, gathering witness statements and even bribing officials to help him get what he needs by any means necessary. In doing so, he finds out that Renfield may possess classic vampire abilities, like hypnosis. He becomes obsessed with the case as he discovers that Blair is also still investigating the murders.

Dees convinces Blair to help him, agreeing to share his byline. But true to his character, he betrays her, setting out after Renfield alone after trapping Blair in a closet. When Dees arrives at the airport where Renfield is believed to be, he finds corpses throughout the terminal, marking the biggest crime scene yet. He eventually confronts Renfield in the film's climax, demanding to see his face, which is a horrific take on vampires, unlike any creature design in prior films. However, Dees doesn't ultimately get the ending that he had hoped for.

Why The Vampire In The Night Flier Leaves A Lasting Impression

night-flier-vampire — The Night Flier, vampire

The vampire in The Night Flier, Dwight Renfield, stands out among other iterations of the creature for several reasons. Setting the monster up as a serial killer makes a distinct choice, highlighting the real-world ramifications that can follow a vampire's feedings. Having Renfield fly a plane in and out of airports also marks a unique concept that essentially sees a killer fly in, commit the crime, and fly out, leaving no trace beyond the plane's information. Therefore, even before witnessing the creature's design, The Night Flier is terrifying as a serial killer, making the addition of supernatural elements even more horrifying.

Renfield's design is also hidden throughout most of the film. He is often seen from a distance and shown wearing long capes that shroud his appearance from most angles. The details Dees collects along the way, like the victims being drained of blood and Renfield's hypnotic powers, leave the viewer intrigued, propelling their curiosity.

Once the actual design of the vampire is finally revealed, it leaves viewers in awe, offering something far more sinister and nightmarish than they could have thought. Rather than embracing the common notion that vampires are sleek and sexy characters, the film goes against the grain, producing a truly hideous and frightful creature. Even beyond King's short story, The Night Flier brings the vampire to life in ways few readers likely imagine, presenting one of the author's scariest creations.

How The Night Flier Measures Up To King's Other Creature-Themed Adaptations

Pennywise In IT — IT's Pennywise the Dancing Clown

King's memorable creatures embody many forms. Cujo is a story about a killer dog, embracing a simple idea that leads to life-threatening terror. Pennywise is presented as a malevolent clown in It, but he's actually a cosmic, shapeshifting alien. Christine features a killer car possessed by an evil spirit, and the Langoliers are creatures that eat the past. However, the vampire in "The Night Flier" stands out as unique in presentation and puts a twist on a known idea. Pennywise is remembered as a menacing clown, but many moviegoers wouldn't know of his multiversal origins, where the vampire in "The Night Flier" thrives on known ideas, with intrigue layered throughout the story.

Even compared to King's other vampires in Salem's Lot, Renfield stands out with a unique design. Although the vampires in Salem's Lot have their own distinct design, they are also reminiscent of Nosferatu, a commonly known vampire design among genre fans. Renfield's design in The Night Flier film is truly unique, and not something anyone wants to run into at a dark airport. Many King fans may prefer the Salem's Lot adaptations, but many have missed out on one of Stephen King's scariest creatures in The Night Flier adaptation.

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