An iconic 80s horror film dubbed ‘exhilarating’ is streaming now on Amazon Prime Video.
Released in 1987, The Lost Boys follows teenage brothers Michael (Jason Patric) and Sam (Corey Haim) who move to California alongside their mother (Dianne Wiest).
While there, Sam befriends comic book fans Edward (Corey Feldman) and Alan (Jamison Newlander), while Michael falls head over heels for the mysterious Star (Jami Gertz) and becomes wrapped up with David (Kiefer Sutherland), the leader of a local gang.
However, Sam and his friends soon discover that David is the head of a group of vampires, and they endeavor to save Michael and Star from becoming undead.
Directed by Joel Schumacher, The Lost Boys was a huge commercial success at the time of its release, grossing $32 million (£XXm)against a budget of just $8.5m (£xxm)
It quickly became a cult classic, spawning two sequels, comic book series, and endless pieces of merchandise.
Many fans have hailed it as one of the greatest films of the 80s over the years, while others praise its unique approach to the vampire subgenre.
The Lost Boys holds a 75% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the critics’ consensus reading: ‘Flawed but eminently watchable, Joel Schumacher’s teen vampire thriller blends horror, humor, and plenty of visual style with standout performances from a cast full of young 1980s stars.’
In their review, The Times said: ‘That the film works so well is a testament to Schumacher’s pop sensibilities, his slick production design and an iconic soundtrack — Echo & the Bunnymen’s version of People Are Strange is a majestic way to begin a movie.’
People Magazine added: ‘It’s often sloppy and thinly plotted, but this is, after all, a summer movie, and if it’s nothing to really sink your fangs into, it’s often very funny.’
Empire said it was ‘a supremely watchable example of something the ’80s did right,’ while Austin Chronicle said it was ‘arguably Schumaker’s greatest film.’
Washington Post lauded it as ‘an exhilarating hybrid of horror and suburban comedy,’ adding: ‘It starts slow, but finishes fast with some clever plot twists. In the end, all is not lost with these boys.’
Speaking to Empire in 2022, Schumaker explained how he created the beloved horror film.
‘I wanted to make a movie that I would want to see,” he said.
He added: ‘There was a bit of a shame factor at Warner Bros. People in marketing would say, “Well, it’s not really a vampire movie, Joel, it’s really an alienation movie, it’s about the disenfranchised.”
‘And I said, “No. We absolutely are making a teenage vampire movie. Our job is to make the coolest vampire movie ever made.” And so they did.’
The Lost Boys is streaming now on Amazon Prime Video
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