The Lost Boys (DVD)

...a vampire_

The Lost Boys' is a film that was recommended to me a couple of years back by a fellow internet vamp-fan. I knew very little about it other than the fact that my net friend was very enthusiastic about it and when I asked for it at the DVD rental shop even the case was blank - I therefore began to watch it with few expectations or preconceptions. When I first started up the film my immediate reaction was to feel slightly nervous ...
...old school synthesiser music opens the film and there is the rather interesting use of a children's choir. Then, my god, you are introduced to Kiefer Sutherland with a very eighties mullet - a style that most would probably hope would no longer venture beyond that of trailer trash rednecks and dodgy-looking footie players (although admittedly his mullet could have been worse). Sometimes I wonder what my parent's generation were thinking. However, ... more

Sleep all day
Party all night
It's fun to be a vampire

The Lost Boys' is a film that was recommended to me a couple of years back by a fellow internet vamp-fan. I knew very little about it other than the fact that my net friend was very enthusiastic about it and when I asked for it at the DVD rental shop even the case was blank - I therefore began to watch it with few expectations or preconceptions. When I first started up the film my immediate reaction was to feel slightly nervous about what I'd just spent my precious rental money on. It was SO obviously eighties. Some old school synthesiser music opens the film and there is the rather interesting use of a children's choir. Then, my god, you are introduced to Kiefer Sutherland with a very eighties mullet - a style that most would probably hope would no longer venture beyond that of trailer trash rednecks and dodgy-looking footie players (although admittedly his mullet could have been worse). Sometimes I wonder what my parent's generation were thinking. However, was this to be yet another 80s horror film dated by bad prosthetics and copious amounts of 80s cheese?

*~STORY AND DIALOGUE~*

'The Lost Boys' is essentially a comedy-horror about a family that has just moved to seaside town Santa Carla in California. Lucy (played by Dianne Wiest) is newly divorced and somewhat broke, so she has brought her two sons, Michael (Jason Patric) and Sam (Corey Haim), to stay with their grandfather. Upon arrival in the town, it is not long that the two brothers begin to discover the dark side beneath Santa Carla's sunny exterior. Michael falls for a pretty girl on the beach named Star (Jami Gertz). Star seems to have association with a group of wild smirking bikers, particularly David (Kiefer Sutherland), the alpha of the group. Seeking Star's affection, Michael begins to become involved with this group's antics. Initially unaware of what the gang really do for fun, Michael is unwittingly sucked into their dark world. The worry that your sibling could fall into the wrong crowd is brought to a whole new level in this film. Sam realises that Michael's extra long lie-ins aren't just because he is lazy - his brother may just be going a bit further off the rails than he could ever imagine.

So is this film dated?. It probably is but this in no way detracted from my enjoyment of the film. I love everything in this film that harks back to the eighties - the dodgy haircuts, guys wearing one earring (and one earring only), the 80s rock star vamp look-alikes, Sam's mad shirts and even the gyrating oiled-up muscular sax man (watch and you will understand). The eighties vibe really sets the tone of what turns out to be a fantastic film.
The story is in many ways, very predictable but this seems to largely be on purpose. Some of you may even guess or have guessed the twist at the end but being the unperceptive person I am, I didn't quite catch on to that. The film also plays upon vampire clichés like garlic, holy water, not being able to withstand exposure to sunlight and supernatural ability (which comes in the form of flight and mind games such as the noodles and rice scene). These clichés are part of what makes this film so great comically. It is a funny film - not really laugh-out-loud side-splittingly funny but humorous nevertheless. Moreover, a lot of the lines are utterly memorable ("Death by Stereo" and "What, you don't like rice? Tell me Michael, how could a billion Chinese people be wrong?). In addition to this, all the action occurs within a fantastic setting of a vibrant beach and carnival and the sunken hotel which serves as a vamp hideaway.

*~CHARACTERS AND CAST~*

I love the casting of the film. Most of the cast seem to have sunk into obscurity although some of those a generation older than me may be able to nostalgically reminisce about the Corey brothers (Corey Haim and Corey Feldman who were to feature together in a series of films after this one). However, I think most of us will recognise Dianne Wiest and Kiefer Sutherland the most. Wiest has appeared in several films including the wonderful 'Edward Scissorhands' whilst Sutherland currently stars in '24'. This does not mean the rest of the cast are poor but Sutherland probably gives the most remarkable performance in the film as the vampire leader David. He oozes with 'cool' throughout the film that just about makes me warm to his funny haircut and is so deliciously evil. It is strange to think he was a mere eighteen years old when he filmed this, particularly as his screen presence is great even with relatively little dialogue.
The rest of the characters also seem very well cast. Patric plays the transformation into half-vampire very well and tops off his performance by being, in my opinion, rather attractive. Corey Haim is also good as his goofy brother Sam but it is the Frog brothers, as the young vampire hunters, who really drive the humour of this film, especially Corey Feldman. I love their tough guy talk which seems to parody the likes of Rocky and other action hero hard men so well. They stand for 'Truth, Justice and the American Way' and it seems that vampires stand in the way of such values and so they must hunt them down. I also love their grandpa (played by the late Bernard Hughes) who is great as an eccentric old gentlemen, leaving taxidermist animals by Sam's bed and generally being a bit of a kook.
There is then Michael's love interest Star, played by Jami Gertz, who is beautiful but that seems to be really all she is as a character - beautiful. This is probably down to the script. I guess they decided that she should play nothing more than fragile and feminine.
There is nothing particularly special about the rest of the cast. The acting is mostly very good but not necessarily the best but I don't think it is a film that requires great acting as this isn't really a serious film. It is more about colourful characters than great acting although the acting is convincing enough throughout.

*~SOUNDTRACK~*

The other great thing about this film is its fantastic soundtrack. The track with the children's choir is actually one of my favourites called 'Cry Little Sister' by the little known Gerard McMann. My absolute favourite, however, is the use of the cover of The Doors track 'People are Strange' by Echo and the Bunnymen. Other music to look out for is the track 'Lost in the Shadows' as well as 'Good Times' by INXS and Jimmy Barnes. The music of this film is just fabulous and very well-suited to the film and includes what are now some of my favourite eighties tracks.

*~The film as part of the horror genre~*

I have spoken about the tongue-in-cheek comedy aspects of the film but what about the horror? This film is rated 15, probably due to the gory vampire slaying and especially one somewhat nasty scene of murders, as the one sex scene is really very mild and the profanity isn't that bad. I wouldn't, however, take any great issue with my thirteen year old sister watching this film. Whilst I'm usually quite protective over what she watches in my presence, I don't actually think the violence is too bad, although you may be inclined to disagree. This film isn't really that scary or shocking and I don't think it was ever meant to be.

*~SPECIAL EFFECTS~*

I actually think that the special effects are effective for being shot in the late eighties. They use yellow and red-rimmed eye contacts, fangs and prosthetic ridges above the eyebrows for the vampires. I think the makeup is excellent in making them look monstrous and more evil (when Kiefer already looks somewhat devilish). This 'look' is something not far off from what we were to witness in Buffy ten years later.
As for other special effects, I think they deal well with the flying scenes, using sweeping camera shots and what I assumed to be wires and harnesses for other scenes. I think this works well for the film. I wouldn't want to see the special effects looking much better. I feel that the glossiness and over-done special effects of the atrocious sequel 'The Tribe' was one of the many downfalls of this film. 'The Lost Boys' is a film that works well with the 'old school' technology available.

*~DVD EXTRAS~*

After my first viewing I bought the more expensive two disc special edition (one disc version can be purchased for very low prices on ebay and amazon). I thought the extras were pretty good for a film produced in the eighties. Joel Schumaker, the director, has produced an insightful commentary for the film. On the second disc there are also additional scenes, various featurettes including interviews and the music video for 'Lost in the Shadows.'

*~It IS fun to be a Vampire~*

All in all, I absolutely adore this cult film. It is full of fun and colourful film with fantastic characters, good special effects (for the period) and an amazing soundtrack. It reminds me just why I yearn to get a time machine back to the 80s (other than to witness Queen's last gig with Freddie Mercury). Whilst a lot of shamefully cringey things emerged out of the eighties, this is not one of them and is not only one of my favourite vampire films but one of my favourite films of all time.

*~Thanks for Reading~* x :)

*~Also published on dooyoo under 'Renza_e' - March 09~* 

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