The Lost Boys

Haha, that line makes me laugh every time, just for how old school 80s it is. Not to mention the vampire that the kids just "trashed" didn't really look like Twisted Sister as he did more of a generic 80s pop metal dude. Middle school life in the late 80s (junior high back then) had some movies that were almost universally thought of as "cool". Some of these were Predator, Coming to America, Top Gun (yeah I said Top Gun), Big, and of course The Lost Boys. TLB was so popular with kids, I remember knowing the details of the plot before I had ever seen the movie.

Two kids named Sam (Corey Haim) and Michael (Jason Patric) move to Santa Carla, CA with their mother in hopes of a new life. Sam is looking to just have some fun and find a cable hook up for MTV, while his older brother Michael gets involved with some teenage vampire punk kids. Michael is slowly being recruited into the vampire clique that hangs around the boardwalk, while Sam desperately tries to turn him back to a normal human with the help of the overzealous Frog Brothers (Corey Feldman and some other guy).

Slick, stylish and shot like an 80s music video, this movie was a lot of fun. A few of the 1987 fashions here are enough to make this movie illegal in a some countries, but the hip feel of the film keeps it from being too dated. Well, in my opinion anyway, some kid today might think different. Afterall this movie is nearly 20 years old. Typing that just made me feel very, very old. Anyway the cinematography is absolutely gorgeous, director Joel Schumacher especially knows how to shoot night scenes. This film was both a horror and a comedy at the same time, though I'm not sure which I preferred. Any movie that features both Corey Haim and Corey Feldman is going to be one that you can't take very seriously. If you don't know who these two guys are, better you never find out. Just watch the movie. Keep an ear out for INXS, Run DMC and The Doors.

There are many films about vampires, but one that is almost always remembered with a shy smile on the face is definitely "The Lost Boys". As one of the best remembered films of the 80s, this movie has become part of pop culture and a defining film for that period as it showcases most of what was cool or hip in that decade. While its status as "horror classic" has a lot to do with the nostalgic factor, it's an entertaining film on its own right and its modernization of the vampire myth along with its tongue in cheek humor still make for a charming and funny session of pure mindless entertainment.

The movie begins with Lucy Emerson (Dianne Wiest) as she moves to Santa Clara, California, with her two teenager sons, Michael (Jason Patric) and Sam (Corey Haim) after a bitter divorce. In Santa Clara, Michael becomes involved with a local gang of bikers who have a dark and mysterious secret while Sam becomes friends with two weird boys who claim that the town is being invaded by vampires and its their mission to get rid of them. As Michael begins to act strange, Sam suspects that his brother has become one of the undead and begins to take his friends seriously.

Directed by Joel Schumacher, "The Lost Boys" is a movie that effectively combines a cool and attractive look with a simple but entertaining plot resulting in a successful and charming film. The story modernizes classic elements of the vampire myth and adapts it to its time with intelligence and definitely tongue in cheek humor. In fact, this self-aware comedy approach is what makes the film enjoyable, and it relies more on fun and laughs than in actual scares. The plot is rather simple, and lacks some character development, but it makes an interesting (although also quite simplistic) analogy between the troubles of youth and becoming a vampire.

Visually the movie looks great, although by now it has that dated nostalgic look of a past decade. Still, the flamboyant visual composition fits perfectly in the film's time and context and it is one of the films biggest assets. Schumacher's fluid and energetic camera-work makes the movie flow at with a nice rhythm and the movie never becomes dull or boring.

The cast is very effective and everyone makes a great job. Corey Haim is remarkably good and while he may not be a good actor, in this film he is perfect for the role of Sam. Jason Patric is less lucky and he is overshadowed by the very talented Kiefer Sutherland, who steals every scene with his charm and presence. Jami Gertz gives a somewhat forgettable performance but veterans Dianne Wiest and Edward Herrmann are both excellent in their roles and have some funny lines.

"The Lost Boys" suffers a lot from its own self-referential nature, it looks old and severely dated by now even when it's 20 years ago when it was released for the first time. The cleverly written plot is very entertaining, but somehow the lack of character development and the comedy take on the story make it to never reach its full potential. The premise is quite interesting but the "Lost Boys" theme is never fully explored leaving at a nice but a bit shallow experience.

Definitely most of the charm of "The Lost Boys" is due to nostalgia, as the movie is now basically a time capsule of the 80s. However, it is hard to deny that despite being what one would call a "popcorn movie", in its time it was an intelligent, original and fresh take on vampires. While it may not be a landmark of horror of a life-changing experience, "The Lost Boys" is one of those films that will definitely deliver what they promise: a healthy dose of mindless entertainment.

This movie came out when I was like six years old. Here is a brief little plot-summary:

Michael and Sam are two teenage brothers who are moving with their recently divorced mother to Sante Carlo, California to stay with their eccentric grandfather. It is clear from the get go that Sante Carlo is an anything but normal town. This is explained by shots of the people while a cover of the Doors' "People are Strange" plays over the opening credits. Within a few days, Michael has already found the wrong girl and hooked up with the wrong crowd. Pretty soon, he's hanging out (litteraly) all night and sleeping all day. Sam, being the comic freak that he is, knows that's something is up and finds assistance by a coupla dorks who claim to be vampire killers.

How would I describe this film? Entertaining. Pure and simple. It is the definitive "style over substance" flick and that is just fine by me. This movie is all about entertaining the viewer and nothing else. Over the last thirteen years, I have seen this movie probably about thirty times and it has yet to get old. It is also a great time capsule of the 80s. There is a highly polished look to the whole thing, the music is awesome, and the good looking cast doesn't hurt.

When you watch this today, you might find some things to be hilarious. For example, that singer on stage with the oiled biceps, playing the sax. Watch that scene with a few friends, and you might find that the laughter is highly contagious.

I would have to say that my favorite character would be the grandfather. He had the best one-liners in the movie and his prescence alone, kept me laughing. I also think that this is one of Corey Feldman's best movies. He didn't have a whole lot of screen time, but he did give a fun, convincing performance and it would be cool to reunite the two Coreys for a sequel.

If you are one of the few people who have yet to see this, you're missing out. This is what great horror flicks should be. Pure fun.

The Lost Boys was fun!! I had no idea what to expect from this movie going in all I knew was it was a vampire movie.

Schumacher created a fun and vibrant little town and I enjoyed it, the movie was cast really well and this is what a vampire movie should feel like in my opinion.

The score and visuals hold up ! I really like the costumes too. I think the kids were definitely the show grabbers for me. They were funny and acted business as usual which I found entertaining too.

I found it odd that people were basically aware of the vampires and nothing was done about it

The movie isn't perfect but it is fun and I do recommend seeing it to judge for yourself.

The premise of this movie is great. I love Santa Carla and how it portrays the "beach culture" and the "punk culture." If you want to see nostalgia for the 80s this is the movie to watch. The chemistry between the two main characters, Sam and Michael is great. The film blends comedy and horror perfectly. Kiefer Sunderland was great as the antagonist. It portrays teenage vampires as cool and not cheesy. There was also a little twist at the end which I thought worked.