Joel Schumaker's The Lost Boys is an outrageous comedy adventure with a cast composed of some of the mid-80s' hottest male teen idols. The film successfully walks the tightrope between schlock-horror-comedy, young adult romance-adventure, family movie, and talent showcase. And there is no gore! Like most of Schumaker's work, Lost Boys is very Hollywood. Unlike most of the subsequent vampire films, however, Lost Boys very rarely takes itself seriously. Though most of the film's humor is pretty dated, it essentially hybridizes Ferris Bueller's day off and Interview with the Vampire.
Corey Haim and Jason Patric are two brothers who have just moved with their mom (Rachel Weist) to a new boardwalk town. Michael (Patric) wastes no time getting himself mixes up with a mysterious beauty (Jami Gertz) and her hive of vampires who literally hang out in a ruined hotel nestled within the San Andreas Fault. Meanwhile, his brother (Haim) has met a pair of ca. 9-year-old wannabe vampire slayers. Kiefer Sutherland and Jason Patric give particularly strong performances and really drive most of this film.
The cinematography is very good and quite consistent with the film's tongue-in-cheek approach. The script is economical and appropriate, though a bit dated. The editing is fine. Schumaker is Schumaker, and if your familiar with him, you know what you're going to get in his films - well-paced economical entertainment designed for a big budget which blends Hollywood formulae with big name talent and an at least half-thought-out plot. In other words, Schumaker always at least tries to give a lot of bang for your buck. The formula works here, and, in my opinion, more than it usually does.
Unlike most modern gothics, Lost Boys uses special effects and make up very sparingly. It is refreshing to see a horror film without CGI and vats full of cow blood. However, the film is fairly dated, and not all that original (similar in style and story to Return of the Living Dead, among others). Still, it's a better film than it deserves to be,and one of my top-rated from Schumaker.
Corey Haim and Jason Patric are two brothers who have just moved with their mom (Rachel Weist) to a new boardwalk town. Michael (Patric) wastes no time getting himself mixes up with a mysterious beauty (Jami Gertz) and her hive of vampires who literally hang out in a ruined hotel nestled within the San Andreas Fault. Meanwhile, his brother (Haim) has met a pair of ca. 9-year-old wannabe vampire slayers. Kiefer Sutherland and Jason Patric give particularly strong performances and really drive most of this film.
The cinematography is very good and quite consistent with the film's tongue-in-cheek approach. The script is economical and appropriate, though a bit dated. The editing is fine. Schumaker is Schumaker, and if your familiar with him, you know what you're going to get in his films - well-paced economical entertainment designed for a big budget which blends Hollywood formulae with big name talent and an at least half-thought-out plot. In other words, Schumaker always at least tries to give a lot of bang for your buck. The formula works here, and, in my opinion, more than it usually does.
Unlike most modern gothics, Lost Boys uses special effects and make up very sparingly. It is refreshing to see a horror film without CGI and vats full of cow blood. However, the film is fairly dated, and not all that original (similar in style and story to Return of the Living Dead, among others). Still, it's a better film than it deserves to be,and one of my top-rated from Schumaker.