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Stars: Jason Patric, Kiefer Sutherland, Corey Haim
Director: Joel Schumacher
Distributor: Warner Bros. UK

“Join us, Michael!”

Revealed to be the Mystery Queer Classic to close the second day of GASP! Horror Film Festival, The Lost Boys is the 1987 classic teen vampire horror, directed by Joel Schumacher. Much to the joy of the Cultplex-based audience, this late-night screening was bloody brilliant.

After splitting from her kids’ father, Lucy (Dianne Wiest) takes her boys, Michael and Sam (Jason Patric and Corey Haim respectively), to live with eccentric old grandpa in the California coastal town of Santa Carla. But a house without MTV, how will Michael and Sam survive? They have to explore the town to find purpose in this new era of their lives. Lucy looks for a job and finds a video rental store. Sam finds a comic book store fronted by Edgar and Alan Frog (Corey Feldman and Jamison Newlander respectively). Michael finds a motorbike vampire gang.

Michael’s initial pursuit of Star (Jami Gertz) leads him to David (Kiefer Sutherland), the bleach mulletted leader of the group. With the rev of an engine, Michael has the chance to run with David and the other boys. Does he want Star, or is he after something else? Moving to a new town, Michael has the opportunity to belong somewhere, and even live life on the edge. Exist with a new identity. What will his mother say?

The Lost Boys finds great success in mixing and blending its tone throughout. When the film needs to take a serious moment, it can excel, and then comes a transition to comedy, where it too finds success, but not to the lengths of the more mature stuff. The adventures of Sam and the Frog brothers manage to add a comedic balance to the driving narrative of Michael’s journey. Whilst Lucy finds herself stuck in the middle, doing her parental best to live with the opposing choices of her two boys.

The Lost Boys has the privilege of existing within multiple legacies. Of course, it’s a vampire movie. It’s a definitive 80s classic. But, it is also a queer classic. Horror has always been affiliated with that of queer artwork, and The Lost Boys takes it to the next level. The aggressive homo-eroticsms and sexual tension between Michael and David make for a great viewing.

But ultimately, such legacies – both individual and collective – wouldn’t exist if The Lost Boys was not as excellent as it is. The Schumacher classic not only has a cool vampire story, but it vibes with a great soundtrack, great costume designs, and locations. Tim Cappello – Tina Turner’s sax-man at the time – features what, I believe, is one of the greatest cameo appearances of all-time.

Today, The Lost Boys attains more attributes and recognition of LGBTQ+ filmmaking, and remains at the forefront of vampire movies. DTV sequels have been released in the last 15 or so years to expand upon the mythology and legacy, but they lack almost every element of what makes the original so iconic.

The Lost Boys was the Mystery Queer Classic at GASP! Horror Film Festival.