After moving to a new town, two brothers learn that
the town is a nest for a deadly gang of vampires. HORROR
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The Lost Boys (1987)Directed by Joel Schumacher
Written by Jan Fischer, James Jeremias, Jeffrey Boam Starring Corey Feldman, Corey Haim, Kiefer Sutherland, Jason Patric, Jamie Gertz, Alex Winter, Dianne West, Edward Hermann, Barnard Hughes |
There are certain films that don't age well. Time is cruel to the writing, clothes, subject matter, and music that renders it ineffective from the decade in which it was released. The Lost Boys is not one of those movies. Say what you will about the hairdos, clothes, music, and the slang but all of those elements make this movie a satisfying watch year after year. It's one of my favorite horror flicks (don't ask me about top five or ten or whatever, the numbers aren't relevant unless we're talking Dawn of the Dead) of all time. The Emersons, mom, Lucy, and sons Michael and Sam, are making their way in to the lovely beach town of Santa Carla, California to live with their grandfather. I've lived near beach towns and know how much these places depend on summer money to keep them alive and this town is no different. It's got problems like any other town: badass kids, no thriving job market, and one thing that separates this place from all the rest: a whole bunch of missing kids. There are missing children signs everywhere!
There are scenes of mysterious things swooping in from above that might be the culprits but what are they? Aside from that, this could be mistaken for any "new kid in town trying to fit in" movie that seemed to dominate the cinemas of the time. What's great is that expectation is subverted and we're plunged into a full on horror story by the end. I must mention one specific scene that made this movie really stand out and that's a concert on the beach featuring Tim Cappello. This guy is dripping 80's cheese as the Sax Man serenading the crowd with his rockin' ballad "I Still Believe". One thing is for certain as you watch guys banging their heads to the song: everyone was on drugs. Seriously, that's what Cappello was known as for the longest time. Google that fucker and you'll see what I mean. He's still around and has made horror convention appearances with his trusty saxophone. Two teenage heartthrobs of the time made one of their many on screen appearances together in this film: Corey Feldman and Corey Haim. The two play so well off of each other and Feldman especially is my highlight as Edgar Frog one half of the legendary Frog Brothers. Feldman and Haim are excellent in this and other movies of the 80's that is must watch stuff for any fan of the decade. The sometimes laughable dialogue is handled with such sincerity by the cast that it's hard not to love this movie. I would give you some quotes but you have to experience them for yourself to understand what I mean. Lest you think this was just a chance to capitalize on some teenage star power, there are real themes being discussed. Namely that of family both organic and non-organic. Schumacher's film even goes at the tropes of the vampire genre and plays against the conventions a little. How they are presented and executed is what makes this film unique in my opinion. Speaking of tropes and cliches, the "preparing the house for an attack" montage is on full display. There's a great use of the song "Cry Little Sister" as it is present throughout the entire film as either the song or just an instrumental. Almost forgot to mention the fantastic special effects with some really creative vampire deaths that also mix with the established rules of the film. If you haven't noticed already, I could go on all night about this film and maybe I will dig a little deeper one day and explore the stuff I've mentioned here. This is a film that's near and dear to my horror loving heart and one I watch at any point not solely reserved for Halloween. Make sure to check your rice and noodles before you eat them and never drink the wine. |