Review of The Lost Boys (1987) by Peyton C — 26 May 2017

"Michael, you're eating maggots." This film was a lot of fun back in the day and it still holds up pretty darn well. This film is a perfect example of a funhouse style of horror film that successfully balances humor and scares, a combination that rarely works.

Corey Haim and his hunky older brother Jason Patrick move to Santa Carla, the murder capital of the world, with their mom Dianne Wiest to live with their colorful grandpa, Barnard Hughes. Out on the beach boardwalk, Patrick meets a pretty girl named Star, Jami Gertz, and runs afoul her leather jacketed biker friends, led by a memorable Kiefer Sutherland in his breakout film role, who turn out to be gang of vampires.

Haim then teams up with Corey Feldman, one half of the vampire hunting Frog Brothers, to save his family. While the film certainly has a solid cast, which also includes Alex Winter and Edward Herrmann, I think a lot of the film's success goes to the folks behind the camera.

Director Joel Schumacher brings a lot of fun visual razzle dazzles to the pictures without being distracting, greatly aided by Martin Scorsese's frequent director of photography, Michael Chapman, and production design by frequent Tim Burton collaborator Bo Welch.

They all give the film a very "California" feel that felt unique for a vampire film and a slickness not see in prior vampire pictures. Thomas Newman also provides a fine score for the film, but another major reason for this film's iconic nature is it's memorable is the 80s soundtrack that features INXS, Echo and the Bunnymen, and the memorable theme song "Cry Little Sister.

" Credit is also due to film's clever and witty script. There are several credited writers, but the main writer was Jeffrey Boam, who sadly died young after a string of memorable films including the adaptations "Straight Time" and "The Dead Zone," original films like "Innerspace," "Lethal Weapon 2," and "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," and co-creator of the very funny short lived TV series "The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.

" Overall, this one is an iconic 80s horror film that has stood the test of time. Too bad it's legacy has been marred by crumby direct-to-video sequels years later when this film probably should have gotten a proper remake/reboot during the Twilight vampire craze.