The Lost Boys is not only a criminally underrated vampire comedy horror, but one of the best the genre has to offer. To today's viewer its undeniably cheesy and shamefully 80's, yet its great direction, performances and soundtrack make it a relevant staple camp horror.
Written by Becca Johnson
To those who haven't visited this 1987 classic, The Lost Boys tells the story of a family who move to Santa Carla, the murder capital of the world, to find it overrun by vampires. When Michael (Jason Patric) starts to turn into a vampire himself, his younger brother Sam (Corey Haim) must do everything he can to kill the head of the clan and save his big brother. He enlists the help of Edgar (Corey Feldman) and Alan Frog to try and find out who the head of the clan really is and most importantly, to defeat them.
Equal parts terrifying and sexy, Kiefer Sutherland is the vampire that we all wanted. Brothers Sam and Michael are also extremely likeable, guided by excellent performances from both Patric and Haim. The Frog Brothers are hilariously cringe-worthy in their line delivery yet its impossible not to find them charming. Jami Gertz gives a nuanced and captivating performance as Star, a vampire who falls in love with Michael yet must remain in David's (Kiefer Sutherland) good books. All those playing vampires definitely catch the glamorous side to their lifestyle, making you terrified of them and envy them all at once. It's hard not to root for every character... even the bad guys.
The movie is gifted with a flawless soundtrack full of talent. Its theme song, 'Cry Little Sister' performed by Gerard McMann, captures the tone of the movie effortlessly and is bound to find itself on your 'On Repeat' playlist. The soundtrack also features the likes of INXS, Tim Cappello, The Doors and Aerosmith, transporting its audience back to the 80's with ease. The Lost Boys is a perfect example of a movie that uses music to elevate each and every scene.
Though it only clocks in with a 97 minute run-time, The Lost Boys manages to take the audience on a journey with action aplenty. It develops its characters enough for us to root for them, yet is also extremely plot driven with every scene that a vampire fan could wish for. Blood drinking, murder, sleeping upside down in a cave, stakes through the heart and transformation scenes fill the run-time with so much excitement. It may be full of tropes but they're without a doubt worthwhile ones. The final act is true peak cinema, with many fantastic kills and a hilarious closing line.
If the performances or the soundtrack aren't the movies best assets, then the aesthetics definitely are. Many scenes look as if they're plucked straight from an 80's music video, with a LOT of hair and plenty of cool alternative outfits. The special effects make-up used on the vampires during transformation scenes is great, instantly changing them from hot to terrifying. Everything about this movie is gorgeous, from the cinematography to the actors themselves.
Though many may disagree, The Lost Boys is a triumph personally. Its witty, sharp and outright hilarious, with fantastic performances and a glossy and cool take on vampire mythology. Its cheese is what makes it stand out, and though it may fail to truly scare you frequently, its bound to make you smile and swoon.