Right at the heart of the Venn diagram of the ’80s and vampires sits The Lost Boys, Joel Schumacher’s now-iconic horror comedy. The 1987 movie earned critical and commercial success upon release, and has since gone on to become a cult classic. It’s also the latest inductee into Corner of Film’s Hall of Fame.
The film follows two adolescent brothers who move with their mother to the fictional town of Santa Carla, California. Upon arriving, they soon learn that the crumbling resort town is crawling with vampires. When the older of the two siblings, Michael, is unwittingly inducted into their ranks, it’s up to younger brother Sam to stop the gang of bloodsuckers before it’s too late.
Jason Patric and Corey Haim star as Michael and Sam respectively, with Keifer Sutherland, Corey Feldman, Dianne Wiest, and Edward Herrmann all featuring in major roles. Barnard Hughes, Jami Gertz, and Alex Winter also feature in supporting roles. However, The Lost Boys‘ excellent ’80s cast and vampiric premise only go a short way toward explaining the depth of its charm.
The Lost Boys Is A Horrifying ’80s Fairytale
The Lost Boys is a film that takes a classic horror movie monster and delivers a faithful yet innovative spin on its lore. Rather than reinventing the wheel when it comes to vampires, it simply presents its monsters in a well-known form and builds its story outward. The use of parallels to Peter Pan accentuates the fantastical nature of its story, making the movie magically mesmerising in its execution.
When it really comes down to it, however, The Lost Boys isn’t afraid to get graphic. The film’s climactic showdown sees a number of vampires killed in gleefully gory and over-the-top ways, using whimsical traps and methods to bring about particularly bloody ends to the monsters. Combining its fantasy and horror in such a visceral manner only helps to make the film all the more striking, as it’s simply unique in its approach to its premise.
The Lost Boys is Joel Schumacher at his finest. It’s a perfect representation of some of the director’s most excellent qualities, as it deftly blends genres into something truly groundbreaking. The sinister sense of adventure and the comedic presentation of the film’s climactic bloodbath makes The Lost Boys feel like a feverish ’80s fairytale.
Rating: 80%
Summary: The Lost Boys‘ use of its vampire-based premise and Peter Pan parallels make it outstandingly dark and comedic in turns, with a healthy dose of ’80s atmosphere mixed in.
Highlight: Killing a vampire by electrocuting him using an arrow through a speaker until he explores into a gory mess is peak vampire cinema.
nice!! The Lost Boys (1987) – Hall Of Fame