Why does Dandridge hold holy water by fireplace?

Ive always wondered this myself. Has Tom Holland ever spoke on this matter?

I know there was a downloadable commentary for Fright Night. I think Holland was on it, but I don't know if he or anyone commented on this.

I always thought that Jerry did that to make the water warm or heat it up slightly. Since he likes blood, and that's typically warm, maybe he likes his water warm too? Or, maybe he was trying to inspect it to make sure that it was only tap water.


Welcome to Fright Night....for real.

To make it unholy with the fire

The scene where Peter Vincent hands the "regular tap water" as holy water to Jerry Dandridge to drink in order to prove to Charley that Dandridge is not a vampire.
Dandridge seems to have a moment of hesitation and doubt just before he drinks it: "And are you sure that this is, um,(gulp) holy water?"
After Peter Vincent says ambiguously that he saw "Father Scanlon bless it down by St. Mary's", Dandridge blatantly (via Director Tom Holland) holds the holy water down in front of the flames of the fireplace. Why does he do this?
In folklore or witchcraft is it supposed to neutralize any blessings? I mean it's not cognac!
I'm pretty sure director, Tom Holland, was trying to show the movie audience something by the close up of the holy water being place by the fire for a few seconds. But what?

I'm not sure why this is being queried, it's very obvious in the scene. Dandridge isn't 100% sure it's not all a double bluff and that it's not real holy water. He's merely holding it to the light of the fire for a better look - because as a vampire he can see a hint of whether it is or not? Because he's doing it to see if he can unnerve them into betraying their true intention? - we don't know either way ultimately, but he's sceptical as to whether Vincent is a dumb stooge or intent on harming him after all. The fire though is just for better light to see it by.





Give me a hedgehog and I'll show you.

I've always wondered this myself.

There's no visual difference between holy water and tap water, so it wasn't to get a better look.

He wasn't holding it close enough to the fire to warm it (someone suggested he was trying to get it to the same temp as blood).

Fire doesn't neutralize a priest's blessing that makes the water holy.

There's really no good reason for it, except to give the audience a good look at the phial.

Destroy all that which is evil, so that which is good may flourish.

In vampire lore, holy water was known to glow when a vampire was nearby OR just in general holy water was supposed to send off a glow. My assumption is that Jerry was holding it up to the fire to see if it was glowing.

Tom Holland mentions this in at least one of the "pirate commentaries." He sort of says that Jerry has some "vampire power" that allows him to see if the water is blessed. Maybe? Holland was not very clear on exactly what that bit meant.

Mr. Vincent used regular tap water. Dandridge was holding it up to the light to make sure. With his vampire power he was able to see whether or not it was blessed by holding it up to the light.

-Di