Halloween Bites! Near Dark

“We keep odd hours.”

A whirlwind night of puppy love with a beautiful stranger turns into a complete nightmare for Caleb Colton, as he becomes part of a vampire caravan that can’t decide whether he should join them or die. That’s the core plot of 1987’s Near Dark, a modern vampire western starring Adrian Pasdar, Jenny Wright, Lance Henriksen, Jenette Goldstein, Bill Paxton, and Joshua John Miller. The film is directed by Kathryn Bigelow, best known for The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty. The movie didn’t catch on at the box office, but eventually gained a cult following that continues to this day.

The film features cast members that Alien and Terminator fans know well. Henriksen, Goldstein, and Paxton all appeared in the Alien franchise and Paxton and Goldstein had small roles in the Terminator franchise. The trio, along with Miller and Wright, form a band of nomadic vampires that move from town to town, looking for victims. When Wright’s character, Mae, falls for her human victim, Caleb (Pasdar), she attempts to convince the group to let him become their newest member. Caleb struggles with becoming a vampire, refusing to kill but desperate to stay with Mae. Caleb’s father and sister, with no help from the local police, decide to look for him and end up as pawns in a deadly game between Caleb and the caravan.

Paxton was well on his way to establishing himself as an actor in this film and he basically steal the show. His character, Severen, has a close friendship with Jesse (Henriksen), who was a Confederate soldier in his human life. In turn, Jesse and Diamondback (Goldstein), are in a vampire relationship and represent the father and mother of the group. Homer (Miller) is apparently a very old vampire who is trapped in a child’s body. Mae (Wright) is the group’s newest member, and much like Caleb, she struggles with her new way of life.

Of all of the vampire films that hit the big screen in the 1980’s, Near Dark is one of the best in my opinion. It has a great story, wonderful practical effects, and an amazing cast. Be sure to watch it if you haven’t yet.