“Death by stereo!”
Before he made those Batman films, Joel Schumacher was on a role with films like The Client and St. Elmo’s Fire. Another film that he directed was a little family film known as The Lost Boys. Released in 1987, the film surprised critics by opening in second place in its first weekend and going on to become a cult classic that ignited Kiefer Sutherland’s rise to stardom and was the first of nine films featuring Corey Haim and Corey Feldman, better known as The Two Coreys.
The film tells the story of Lucy Emerson and her two sons, Michael and Sam, have just moved to Santa Carla, CA, to live with her father after an ugly divorce. Once they arrive, the two boys travel into town to check out what their new home has to offer. Sam finds a comic book shop where he befriends the Frog Brothers, Edgar and Alan, an odd duo who are using the comic store as a front for hunting vampires. Michael falls for a beautiful young woman named Star who happens to be friends with a quartet of young men who love to ride motorcycles and get into trouble. Oh, and they also happen to be vampires. Soon enough, Michael becomes an uneasy member of the group and Sam does everything that he can to save his brother and the rest of the good people of Santa Carla. Can Sam and the Frog Brothers save the day? Watch The Lost Boys and find out for yourself!
The film is equal parts dark comedy, action movie, and horror film. Some of the acting, especially that of the Frog Brothers, is intentionally over the top. Corey Haim is brilliant as Sam and Jason Patric does a fine job as Michael. Kiefer Sutherland, Brooke McCarter, Billy Wirth, and Alexander Winter are wonderful as the Lost Boys. Jami Gertz plays Star. The rest of the cast includes Chance Michael Corbitt, Edward Hermann, Dianne Wiest, and Barnard Hughes.
The film spawned two direct-to-DVD sequels that were nowhere near as entertaining as the original film and a remake of the original is currently in development. The film also had an amazing soundtrack that included songs by Echo and the Bunnymen, INXS with Jimmy Barnes, Lou Gramm, and the wildly popular “Cry Little Sister” by Gerard McMahon.
The Lost Boys is easily one of the most popular vampire films of all time. It is a perfect storm of youth, music, horror, and action.
Ken's Alternate Universe! 