The Lost Boys

GREEN'S "DEATH... BY STEREO" REVIEW:

Recently divorced Lucy (Dianne Wiest) and her boys Michael (Jason Patric) and Sam (Corey Haim) have just moved from Phoenix to the quaint little town of Santa Clara, California - which just happens to be the murder capital of the world, to live with Lucy's eccentric old father (Barnard Hughes). While getting to know their new hometown, Lucy meets Max (Edward Hermann), owner of the local video store and gets a job there. Michael sees a very attractive woman called Star (Jami Gertz), who introduces him to David (Kiefer Sutherland) and his gang of hoodlums. Sam, a comic book lover, runs into the Frog brothers (Corey Feldman and Jamison Newlander) in a comic book store, where they recommend a few vampire comics as required reading necessary for survival.

Wow, it has been a long time since I last watched this movie, probably at least ten years or more I'd say. I wanted to review it due to the recent death of Corey Haim. I was going to do it on my regular blog but first thought I'd see if the Scribester wanted to review it here knowing his general disdain for vampire films.

I think that this fun movie was one of the two best vampire films made in the 1980's, Fright Night being the other. It's always interesting to see actors back in their younger days, when they were still relatively unknown and trying to make their mark in the biz. Balancing out the youngsters are the grizzled veterans of the cast, such as Edward Hermann and Diane Wiest. Both young and old, excellent performances all around, especially by the far out taxidermist Grandpa (Barnard Hughes) who steals most of his scenes.

The Lost Boys was director Joel Schumacher's fourth feature film, in what has become a rather solid career. I think he does a decent, workmanlike job of keeping the story moving. The screenplay is good overall but I would have liked to see more scenes with the Frog brothers, the film's comic relief duo. Notable that Richard Donner served as Executive Producer for this project.

The Lost Boys has an upbeat, rock and roll music soundtrack which adds to the enjoyment of the movie. To this day, every time I hear People Are Strange by The Doors on the radio, I think of this movie - even though the song was covered by Echo and the Bunnymen for the movie.

I watched the single disc version containing both full and wide screen formats where the only extras were text screens that give some of the behind the scenes info about the development of the story. Now that I've watched the film again I'm interested in possibly buying the two disc edition and seeing what extra goodies have been included.

I wouldn't classify this as a strict blood and guts horror movie, more horror/suspense with a twinge of comedy, if there is such a genre. Anyway, I like this movie. Always have. I think you will too, especially if you haven't seen it in a while.

**** out of *****

SCRIBE'S "YOU BETTER BUY YOURSELF A GARLIC T-SHIRT" REVIEW:

Remember when there were still interesting stories to be told about vampires? How about when teenage angst in a vampire film was something startlingly original?

The Lost Boys could be seen as the first and last of the truly great vampire films that dealt with the themes of hormones and the need to belong. Before Twilight embraced female insecurity in the form of stalker/rape fantasies, this film gave us teens who had formed their own clique in a world that didn't necessarily embrace them.

This is also the film that introduced us to the acting duo of the Two Coreys, a pairing that works really well here but never really did again. The adults in the film, like most Eighties films, are seen through the eyes of the children as odd, quirky characters that come in and out of their lives at inconvenient times. But unlike those other films, it is the adults, both alive and undead, who ultimately determine the fate of what happens in the final moments.

As part of what I consider the unofficial trilogy of groundbreaking Eighties vampire films including Fright Night and Near Dark, this one isn't anywhere near as dark and disturbing but it is a whole lot of fun wrapped around a really scary concept, namely what an undead creature would do to recreate the feeling of family.

A great film that holds up.

**** out of *****

The Lost Boys (1987, R, 96 minutes), staring Jason Patric, Kiefer Sutherland, Jami Gertz, Dianne Wiest, Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, Edward Hermann, Barnard Hughes and Jamison Newlander. Story by Janice Fischer and James Jeremias. Screenplay by Janice Fischer, James Jeremias and Jeffrey Boam. Directed by Joel Schumacher.