The Lost Boys (1987)

Overview

The Lost Boys is a stylish, energetic blend of horror and teen comedy that helped redefine the vampire genre for a new generation. Released in 1987 and directed by Joel Schumacher, the film merges punk aesthetics, MTV-era sensibilities, and mythic horror into a uniquely vibrant cinematic cocktail. It took the classic vampire lore and injected it with ‘80s cool, complete with leather jackets, saxophones, motorcycles, and sun-drenched California boardwalks.

Though it didn’t receive unanimous critical acclaim upon release, The Lost Boys has since become a cult classic, revered for its iconic look, memorable performances, and influence on pop culture.

Plot Summary

Teenagers Michael (Jason Patric) and Sam (Corey Haim) move with their recently divorced mother Lucy (Dianne Wiest) to the beach town of Santa Carla, which looks like a seaside paradise but is plagued by mysterious deaths and disappearances.

Michael quickly falls in with a rebellious gang led by the enigmatic and charismatic David (Kiefer Sutherland). After a night of motorcycle racing, blood drinking, and surreal hallucinations, Michael discovers that he is slowly turning into a vampire.

Meanwhile, Sam teams up with a pair of local vampire-hunting comic book nerds—the Frog brothers, Edgar (Corey Feldman) and Alan (Jamison Newlander)—to uncover the truth about Santa Carla’s vampire infestation. As Michael struggles with his transformation and his feelings for Star (Jami Gertz), a half-vampire trying to escape David’s grasp, the brothers uncover a plan to destroy the head vampire and restore Michael’s humanity.

What follows is a high-stakes, blood-soaked showdown that blends teen rebellion, supernatural horror, and high-octane action.

Themes and Interpretation

1. Youth, Rebellion, and Lost Innocence

The title is a reference to Peter Pan—the idea of eternal youth without consequences. But in The Lost Boys, immortality comes at a cost. David and his gang are seductive because they offer freedom from rules, adulthood, and morality, but they’re also damned—frozen in a cycle of bloodlust and nihilism.

The film plays with the anxieties of adolescence: identity, peer pressure, and alienation. Michael’s gradual transformation into a vampire mirrors the typical teenage journey—confusion, changes in behaviour, conflict with family, and attraction to danger.

2. Suburban Decay and American Gothic

Santa Carla is a picturesque town rotting from within. It represents the death of the American dream beneath a façade of palm trees and pier lights. Beneath the funfair rides and beach concerts lies a literal underworld of death and decay.

This juxtaposition—the sunny exterior vs. the dark interior—is a recurring visual and thematic motif in the film. Even the vampires themselves are beautiful on the outside but monstrous beneath the surface.

3. The Evolution of the Vampire Archetype

The Lost Boys marked a shift in the portrayal of vampires. These weren’t dusty Transylvanian nobles or cloaked creepers—they were young, hot, fast, and violent. Their rock-and-roll aesthetic and camaraderie influenced future vampire fiction (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Twilight, True Blood) and redefined the vampire not as an outsider, but as a dangerous cool kid.

Direction and Style

Joel Schumacher (known for St. Elmo’s Fire, later the controversial Batman films) brings a slick, kinetic energy to the film. The visuals are awash in neon lighting, fog, and canted angles, giving it a gothic-meets-MTV music video look. The pacing is sharp, balancing character development, humour, and horror effectively.

The opening montage, with aerial shots of Santa Carla and Echo & the Bunnymen’s cover of “People Are Strange,” instantly establishes mood and mystery. Schumacher’s direction gives the film a sense of atmosphere that feels timeless yet anchored firmly in the 1980s.

Visual and Practical Effects

The film makes excellent use of practical effects—fang transformations, blood bursts, and levitating vampires all hold up impressively. The use of shadows and suggestion (vampires flying but rarely shown doing so) adds a layer of suspense.

The vampire lair, a sunken luxury hotel lost in a 1906 earthquake, is a brilliant piece of set design—opulent, decayed, and dreamlike.

Script and Dialogue

The screenplay, adapted by Jeffrey Boam, blends horror and teen dialogue seamlessly. It’s full of quotable lines that reflect both the campy fun and occasional emotional weight of the story:

“Sleep all day. Party all night. Never grow old. Never die. It’s fun to be a vampire.”

“You’re a vampire, Michael! My own brother, a goddamn, shit-sucking vampire!”

The humour mostly works, especially in scenes involving the Frog brothers and Sam. The film smartly balances horror tropes with teen movie conventions.

Music and Soundtrack

The soundtrack is iconic and one of the film’s enduring cultural legacies. With a mix of goth rock, new wave, and classic covers, it perfectly sets the tone:

“Cry Little Sister” by Gerard McMann – The haunting main theme.

“Lost in the Shadows” by Lou Gramm.

“People Are Strange” by Echo & the Bunnymen.

The music blends seamlessly with the film’s visual style, adding to the sense of dangerous glamour.

Performances

Jason Patric (Michael): Brings a quiet intensity to the reluctant anti-hero. He conveys internal struggle well without melodrama.

Corey Haim (Sam): One of the film’s MVPs. His performance brings humour, innocence, and emotional grounding. His chemistry with Feldman is spot-on.

Kiefer Sutherland (David): A career-defining role. He’s magnetic, menacing, and utterly cool—his smirking presence and piercing gaze make David an unforgettable villain.

Corey Feldman (Edgar Frog): Hilarious and bizarrely intense. His pseudo-Rambo vampire hunter persona is one of the film’s most endearing quirks.

Dianne Wiest (Lucy): Warm, likable, and believably naive—her presence anchors the emotional stakes of the story.

Edward Herrmann (Max): Plays his role with a perfect mix of charm and ambiguity, culminating in a great third-act twist.

Legacy and Influence

The Lost Boys was a box office success, and more importantly, it became a generational touchstone for both horror fans and general audiences. It spawned:

Two sequels (poorly received but with minor cult followings): Lost Boys: The Tribe (2008) and Lost Boys: The Thirst (2010).

A comic book series expanding the lore.

Numerous homages and references in TV and music (Buffy, Supernatural, What We Do in the Shadows).

A planned (but delayed) TV series reboot.

The film helped launch the careers of several young stars and paved the way for future teen horror hybrids.

Criticisms

Style over substance: Some critics argue that the film relies more on aesthetics and attitude than plot depth.

Thin mythology: The rules of vampirism are a bit flexible, and some lore is glossed over in favour of action.

Underwritten romance: Michael and Star’s relationship feels underdeveloped, serving more as a plot device than an emotional anchor.

Still, these are minor issues in a film that’s meant to be more visceral than cerebral.

Conclusion

The Lost Boys is a landmark of ‘80s genre filmmaking—a punk-goth horror fable draped in leather and lit by neon. It’s a vampire movie that’s as much about being cool as it is about being undead. Stylish, funny, thrilling, and endlessly rewatchable, it remains one of the best horror comedies ever made.

Whether you’re in it for the teen angst, the supernatural action, or the iconic one-liners, The Lost Boys delivers. It didn't just give vampires a new image—it redefined them for a new generation.

A stylish, witty, and electrifying vampire tale with lasting bite.