Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.





In the post-brat pack world of film there were more than a few acting phenomena, some of which still can't be explained. Drawing on the popularity of vampires, Lost Boys romanticizes the lifestyle of the undead. Greed, gluttony, lust, all the great sins are explored at some level in the 1987 film. With what can only be called an almost-all-star cast, it was a film that I watched over and over and over, from start to finish, something that is a rarity for me. There are only a handful of titles that I can say that about – Dazed And Confused, After Dark [Type O Negative] and Monsters, Inc are the only ones that come to mind at this moment.

Everyone has a different criteria for what they consider a 'movie classic'; point blank, you don’t want to know why mine are. Lost Boys is filled with angst. Teen angst. Teen angst and sexy overdressed vampires. With a cast like the "Corey Brothers" [Corey Feldman and Corey Haim], Jason Patric, Kiefer Sutherland, Alex Winter [of Bill & Ted fame] and Jami Gertz [to name a few] you'd expect a lot of overacting. Well, there's some good acting and some bad acting but in 1987 you could put out just about anything and it would sell. People actually went to movie theaters, bought popcorn and slipped away from reality for ninety minutes.

Technically, it's called The Lost Boys. That is something that always starts heated debates. I shouldn't have to add the word "the" to it, if it has to do with vampires then the general assumption that it refers to this movie is a given. In any event, The Lost Boys wasn't anything special – unless you were in to vampires. As a whole the movie, judged by today's standards, is rather laughable. Sure, jumping off a bridge into some clouds might sound like fun and I'd even go so far as to say that dressing up in vintage clothing and strolling around a boardwalk might be cool – if you're a vampire. Yes, I watched it over and over and there were parts of it that still stick in my head like I watched it yesterday but I've grown up a little [I did say a little] and there's not much meat on the bone for me now. It is a treat to see the cast in such pristine shape – before the drugs, drinking and wealth caught up to them.

In a nutshell, The Lost Boys is a typical "let's recruit the new guy" kind of film. After moving to Santa Carla, a fictitious town in Southern California, brothers Michael and Sam have a bit of a rough time readjusting. Slightly oblivious mom Lucy comes off as ditzy and you wonder how she ever managed to keep a husband let alone run a household. There are some true gems in the cast, the absolute best is the ornery and cantankerous grandfather, played by the amazing Barnard Hughes who passed away in 2006. David, the leader of the vampires, oozes undead angst. He's restless, he doesn't like change. He wants Michael close but he wants Star closer. Sutherland played David well but it was his actions and mannerisms that made the part convincing. The supporting cast of vampires looked the part but rarely got the chance to do anything with it.

The good vs. evil of the film is evident in the first fifteen minutes of the film. You know they are vampires and you know that by time the movie ends, half of them are going to be dead. Even though there are a lot of deaths and murders, Santa Carla is the murder capital of the world you know, the actual amount that you see is minimal so it plays out like the scene from Reservoir Dogs where Mr. Blonde is going all brody on Nash's ear – it's implied but not shown. I remember being a teen. I remember sexual temptations. No matter how badly the hormones are raging, at some point Michael had to think, "no piece of *** is worth this much aggravation". As far as action, ehh, its average but nothing Matrix-like. The altercations are believable and the scenes inside the hotel [most people call it a cave] are well done but a little grandiose.

You have a couple storylines playing out at the same time. Sam and Michael are drifting apart because of the draw Michael feels to Star and subsequently the vampire clan. Lucy, the mom, spreads her wings and takes a chance on dating the dashing but suspect Max. The Frog brothers are trying to rid the town of vampires. Things come to a head when all of the storylines collide but you know what's going to happen long before that comes to a boil. While it is a predictable film it is something that I consider a must see film. If you were a teen or tween in the 80's chances are you saw this at least once. Compared to other vampire flicks this isn't a stand out but the cast of it makes it worth seeing at least once if you missed it in its heyday.


^V^ ©Freak369 - 2011 ^V^


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Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Good for Groups
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age