The Lost Boys (1987)

July 31, 1987 (US) • Horror, Comedy, Thriller, Drama, Romance • 97m

Overview

When an unsuspecting town newcomer is drawn to local blood fiends, the Frog brothers and other unlikely heroes gear up to rescue him.

Director

James Jeremias, Janice Fischer, Jeffrey Boam

Top Billed

Jason Patric

Keywords

small town california street gang parent child relationship vampire boardwalk single murder amusement park blood sucking seaside town pets 1980s brother brother relationship playful beach town cliché ridiculous

Where to watch

Free / Included

Rent

Buy

Top Billed Cast

Bill Baker

Blonde Surfer Guy / Blonde Man at Christening (uncredited)

Crew

Collection

Lost Boys Collection

The Lost Boys

Lost Boys: The Tribe

Lost Boys: The Thirst

Reviews

Wuchak

⭐ 7/10

March 14, 2025

**_Several lost boys but, unfortunately, only one lost girl_**

After a mother and two sons move from Phoenix to coastal town in Northern California, the older son (Jason Patric) gets involved with a gang led by a sinister guy (Kiefer Sutherland) while the younger son (Corey Haim) hangs out with two geeky vampire hunters (Corey Feldman & Jamison Newlander). Meanwhile the mother (Dianne Wiest) starts dating a shop owner (Edward Herrmann). Jami Gertz in on hand as the sole young female.

Released in 1987, "The Lost Boys" is a stylish and hip vampire flick that expertly meshes horror and humor. I usually don't like horror-comedies, but this one works well. The horror is pretty horrifying (in a fun way) while the comedy is consistently amusing. The coastal California locations are superb. However, the excellent train trestle sequence was shot in Alabama (see below).

I generally don't like 80's new wave pop rock, but the soundtrack is enjoyable, particularly the creative Lost Boys Theme, "Cry Little Sister" by Gerard Mcmann (with a catchy chorus sung by children). "Lost in the Shadows" by Lou Gramm is good as well. INXS, Roger Daltry and Echo and The Bunnymen also have songs on the soundtrack, the latter group doing a mid-80's version of The Doors' "People Are Strange," which is very close to the original song and actually sounds like its Jim Morrison singing. The sax-playing beefcake sequence features one-hit wonder Tim Cappello playing "I Still Believe."

Speaking of beefcake, this zeroes in on my problem with this flick: There are multiple lost boys, but only one lost girl. Although Gertz is good-looking, she's always wearing a long skirt and so we never get a good look at her beyond her face (not talkin' 'bout nudity), with the exception of a campfire sex scene that doesn't work because it's premature and overall lame. Needless to say, a mid-80s horror flick without adequate females is scandalous. Director Joel Schumacher needed to take notes from the six Friday the 13th movies that had been released by the time "The Lost Boys" was shot. Oh, wait, Schumacher is, um, nevermind.

While the movie was largely shot in Santa Cruz, California, the vampire cave entrance was 350 miles south at Rancho Palos Verdes whereas the train trestle sequence was shot in Bayou Canot, Mobile, Alabama. The boys were able to jump into the underlying fog because the river was only 12-15 feet below, although the movie gives the impression that they were way higher up. Interior shooting was done in the studio at Burbank.

It's short 'n' sweet at 1 hour, 37 minutes.

GRADE: B

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Bri

⭐ 9/10

November 26, 2025

_“First come, first staked.”_

_**The Lost Boys** (1987)_ is still a great camp classic with a stellar soundtrack, corny lines, and intense gothic horror comedy vibes. I LOVE this movie and it’s taken me ages to find it on streaming somewhere. This only reminds me I need to own this masterpiece.

Even though it’s been a while since I’ve seen it, I still remembered all my favorite lines word for word. If you’ve never seen The Lost Boys and lov… read the rest.