Are You Afraid of the Dark?: Season 2 Episode 2 The Tale of the Midnight Madness
Frank tells a tale about Dr. Vink and his deal with a failing movie theater.
Series Index
Are You Afraid of the Dark? (1990-2000)
Characters/Groups
Katie Halloran - Melanie Wiesenthal
Mr. Kristoph - Harry Standjofski
The Midnight Society
Character thumbnails with links to profiles
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Detailed Synopsis
Kiki rushes past Kristen and tells everyone to hurry up with the tale. Kristen asks what the rush is and David tells her that the Majestic Theater is having a Fright Night. Kiki then says that she and David got free passes. Gary asks what movies are playing and Frank says he went to Fright Night one time but is never going back. Betty Ann asks Frank why and Kiki reminds them all that Frank is afraid of the dark and David and Kiki laugh at Frank. Frank says that sometimes when you sit in a theater for too long, you sometime forget reality exists and what is real. Frank then starts to describe the tale he is going to tell and how in some scary movies, it is hard to tell what is real and what is make believe. Frank then starts his tale.
A theater goer slowly claps as the film, The Bosticks of Beacon Hill ends. Pete Matt asks the theater goer if she enjoyed the film, but she just shakes her head. Katie Halloran walks up to Pete and suggests they leave, but he tells her he has to finish cleaning. Mr. Kristoph is upset when he sees that they only made six dollars. He tells Katie that Fridays are supposed to be good customer nights. Kristoph tells Pete the Rialto might shut down and the owners don't like losing money. Pete asks Katie if she thinks the owners might shut down the Rialto and she tells him she is applying for a job at the Quad multiplex. Pete asks Katie if she wants to get something to eat, but she tells him that she has to do homework.
Frank says that Pete started a campaign to save the Rialto and started handing out flyers, but it was no use and unless a miracle happened, the Rialto was doomed.
Katie asks Pete how his campaign to save the Rialto is going and he tells her that he contacted the Zoning Commission to have the Rialto listed as a historic landmark. Someone starts trying to open the front doors and Pete yells that they don't open for another hour. The person continues to jiggle the door handle and when Pete goes to open the door, the door lock unlatches itself. The door opens and Dr. Vink steps inside the movie theater. He introduces himself and Pete asks him what he wants. Vink pulls out a copy of Pete's flyer and walks into the screening room and is excited how everything looks. Kristoph walks into the screening room and asks what Vink wants. Vink says he has come to save the theater. He says that he used to make silent films and makes a film canister appear from out of nowhere. He tells them it is a vampire film he made which is unique in that the vampire wins. Kristoph asks Vink what he wants and Vink tells him that if they show his film, then people will flock to the Rialto. In return, once the Rialto's success is assured, then one night a week the Rialto will show his other films. Kristoph agrees to the deal and Vink disappears.
Franks says that Pete put the film canister in the projection booth and forgot about it, but didn't forget about his mission to save the Rialto. He continues that the Rialto's bills started piling up, but ticket sales were going down. However, one Saturday night, thinks took an interesting turn.
Kristoph tells Pete and Katie that he got the word that the Rialto is closing in two weeks. While a western is playing, Vink's film canister opens, and a red glow pulsates from inside. The western film catches on fire and melts and Pete tells Katie he has an idea. Katie runs into the screening room and tells the patrons that they are having technical difficulties with the film and won't be able to continue showing it, she then tells them that instead they are going to show a classic silent film. Pete plays Vink's film, Nosferatu The Demon Vampire and is pleasantly surprised when the theater goers are excitedly talking about the film when it ends. Katie tells Pete that the patrons loved the film, and no one wanted a refund.
Frank says that Vink's movie was a smash, so they started a Saturday Night Midnight Madness show. The Rialto became so busy that the owners decided not to sell, and Kristen brings up how it was just like Vink predicted.
One night, Vink returns to the theater and asks how things are going. Pete tells him that his film is a hit and when Kristoph sees Vink, he goes to shake his hand and tells him he saved the theater. Kristoph tells Vink they should make a deal, but Vink reminds Kristoph that they already had a deal. Kristoph then tells Vink that he can't just show his movies during the week and offers to give Vink money. Vink gets upset and tells Kristop he shouldn't make deals he has no intention on keeping and Kristoph tells Vink he is not going through with their previous deal. Vink threatens Kristoph that the story is far from over and is just beginning and then laughs as he leaves the theater.
Frank says that the Rialto continued to do well due to Vink's movie. He continues that Pete wanted to study the film to see why it was so magical.
One night Pete stays up to watch the film and as he starts to fall asleep, Nosferatu from the film walks out of the theater screen. Pete wakes up and tells Katie he had the weirdest dream where Nosferatu stepped out of the movie. Pete admits to Katie that he likes her, and she tells him that she likes him too. As they are about to kiss, they hear Kristoph scream. They run to his office and find him slumped on his desk with two teeth marks on his throat. Pete tries to call 911, but the phone line is dead. Pete and Katie try to leave the theater, but the doors are locked. The doors open and Nosferatu is standing outside the doors. Pete and Katie run to the storage room and bar the door behind them. Nosferatu tries to open the door and the wood they were using to keep the door shut, magically comes off. Pete and Katie continue to run away and hide in the projection booth. Pete comes up with an idea and tells Katie to put the last reel of Vink's film into the projector and then runs out into the screening room. Nosferatu at first chases Pete, but then starts to go after Katie. As Nosferatu is about to bite Katie, she turns on the projector and the film starts. Nosferatu leaves the projection room and when Pete walks into the film, Nosferatu follows him. Pete starts to drag Nosferatu's coffin toward the light and then pulls away a drape from a window. Nosferatu screams and then is destroyed by the light. Pete walks out of the film and he and Katie hug. Kristoph walks into the room rubbing his neck and asks what happened. Vink, who is suddenly sitting in one of the theater seats and eating popcorn yells bravo and Kristoph changes his mind and agrees to let Vink show his movies one night a week. Vink tells him it won't be necessary and shows them the deed for the the Rialto, which he just purchased.
Frank ends his tale and Kiki and David decide they no longer want to go to Fright Night and give Frank their tickets. Frank then invites Gary to come with him.