The Lost Boys (1987)
Directed by: Joel Schumacher
Starring: Jason Patric, Keifer Sutherland, Jamie Gertz, Dianne Wiest, Corey Haim, and Corey Feldman
What I am about to say is not going to sit well with a lot of you, for some of you, you know exactly what I am talking about. It starts with, “You haven’t seen (Insert 70s/80s horror movie here)?
You HAVE to watch it. It’s the scariest movie EVER.” Is it though? I first saw the Exorcist when I was 18. Here is where I may lose you. I thought it was just ok. (My wife Charlene disagrees) Keep in mind it was 2001 and Ringu existed. After that it was Carrie. “You HAVE to see Carrie.” Sorry, but it was kind of boring. I am all up for a slow burn, but this was an hour and thirty-four-minute slow burn. Then “The Changeling”!!! The scariest movie ever made!!” Maybe if it was the only horror movie ever made.
So, that brings me to The Lost Boys. Oh boy, have I been berated about The Lost Boys! “Kiefer!!!” I am not a huge vampire fan, but supposedly that does not matter. So, apparently, the time has now come. By the end of this post, I will have watched The Lost Boys and we will see once and for all if it holds up to the hype!
Cut to: So, I watched The Lost Boys and it turns out, it is great! I thoroughly enjoyed it. Yes, the outfits are a bit dated, it looks like a Poison video but it still works. In fact, the super 80s feel creates its own world. Much like how the Warriors feels like an alternate 70s universe. It’s always a delight to see Alex Winters although he didn’t have many lines. The story and acting in The Lost Boys is great. To quote my wife, “It is basically a Goonies vampire movie.”
The film depicted an incredible world that you felt part of and wished to be in. You could almost smell the cotton candy and the popcorn at the boardwalk. Were the “The Lost Boys” just a gang of street thugs or were they really vampires? Oh, they were both! Ultimately, they were young men in need of guidance and a sense of belonging. The titular characters were not the only standouts in the film. Grandpa was a real badass! Edgar (Corey Feldman’s weird adult voice?) and Alan Frog (Jamison Newlander) are such an example of how a brute exterior will reveal a soft center, and of course the lead singer/sax player that looks like a professional wrestler with the mullet to end ALL mullets.
The soundtrack alone is worth the viewing. “Good Times” by INXS and Jimmy Barnes (RIP Michael Hutchence!), “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” by Roger Daltry, an incredible cover of “People Are Strange” by Echo and The Bunnymen, and of course “Cry Little Sister” – by G Tom Mac (Gerard Mcmann), which is still one of the best rock horror anthems of our time! “Cry Little Sister” has been covered by the likes of Marilyn Manson, Silversun Pickups, Zugizland, and L.A. Guns to name a few.
Check out the remastered version of “Cry Little Sister” by G Tom Mac!
This is also the first union of the Two Coreys! (Haim & Feldman). They went on to do 8 more films together during their career before the death of Corey Haim in 2010. Rest in peace Corey! Overall a great time! Well done Lost Boys, you held up to the hype!
You can also take a look at more Married to Horror recommendations and also take a peek at our Master Watch List where you can find an array of horror films where you can sort by title, platform, rating, and more!
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