The Lost Boys (1987)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Joel Schumacher

Writers:

Janice Fischer (story) &
James Jeremias (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

31 July 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Sleep all day. Party all night. Never grow old. Never die. It's fun to be a vampire.

Plot:

After moving to a new town, two brothers are convinced that the area is frequented by vampires.

Plot Keywords:

Vampire | California | Small Town | Divorcee | Amusement Park

Awards:

3 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Jason Patric	...	Michael
Corey Haim	...	Sam
Dianne Wiest	...	Lucy
Barnard Hughes	...	Grandpa
Edward Herrmann	...	Max (as Ed Herrmann)
Kiefer Sutherland	...	David
Jami Gertz	...	Star
Corey Feldman	...	Edgar Frog
Jamison Newlander	...	Alan Frog
Brooke McCarter	...	Paul
Billy Wirth	...	Dwayne
Alex Winter	...	Marko (as Alexander Winter)
Chance Michael Corbitt	...	Laddie
Alexander Bacon Chapman	...	Greg
Nori Morgan	...	Shelly
Todd Feder	...	Surf Nazi #1
Christopher Peters	...	Surf Nazi #2
Keith Butterfield	...	Surf Nazi #3
Gerald Younggren	...	Surf Nazi #4
Eric Graves	...	Surf Nazi #5
J. Dinan Myrtetus	...	Security Guard
Kelly Jo Minter	...	Maria
Timmy Cappello	...	Beach Concert Star
Jim Turner	...	Gas Station Owner
Tony Cain	...	Lost Child
Melanie Bishop	...	Child's Mother
Sandra E. Garcia	...	Runaway #1
Ian Guindon	...	Runaway #2
Jane Bare	...	Frog Mother
B. Lowenberg	...	Frog Father
Captain Colourz	...	Tattoo Man
Inez Pandalfi	...	Security Guard's Wife
Cody	...	Nanook
Folsom	...	Thorn
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
D. Alan Cooksey	...	Man on Boardwalk (uncredited)
Peggy Malone	...	(uncredited)
Douglas Mellor	...	(uncredited)
Mercedes Moseley	...	Girl Getting Ears Pierced (uncredited)
Nicole Vigil	...	Girl on boardwalk (uncredited)

Directed by
Joel Schumacher

Writing credits
Janice Fischer		(story) &
James Jeremias		(story)
Janice Fischer		(screenplay) &
James Jeremias		(screenplay) and
Jeffrey Boam		(screenplay)

Produced by
Harvey Bernhard	....	producer
Mark Damon	....	co-executive producer
Richard Donner	....	executive producer
John W. Hyde	....	co-executive producer (as John Hyde)

Original Music by
Thomas Newman

Cinematography by
Michael Chapman		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Robert Brown

Casting by
Marion Dougherty

Production Design by
Bo Welch

Art Direction by
Tom Duffield

Set Decoration by
R. Chris Westlund		(as Chris Westlund)

Costume Design by
Susan Becker

Makeup Department
Brent Baker	....	effects crew: Cannom
Everett Burrell	....	effects crew: Cannom
Greg Cannom	....	prosthetic effects: vampires
Keith Edmier	....	effects crew: Cannom
Earl Ellis	....	effects crew: Cannom
Bill Forsche	....	effects crew: Cannom (as Bill Foertsch)
Dino Ganziano	....	hair stylist
Chris Goehe	....	effects crew: Cannom
Morton Greenspoon	....	contact lens consultant (as Morton K. Greenspoon, O.D.)
Steve LaPorte	....	makeup artist (as Steve Laporte)
Ve Neill	....	makeup artist
Larry Odien	....	effects crew: Cannom
K.G. Ramsey	....	hair stylist (as K. G. Ramsey)
John Vulich	....	effects crew: Cannom

Production Management
William L. Young	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
M. James Arnett	....	second unit director (as James Arnett)
William S. Beasley	....	first assistant director
Patrick A. Duffy	....	first assistant director: second unit (as Patrick Duffy)
Eric Jewett	....	second assistant director
Jennifer Kingry	....	second second assistant director
Kalai Strode	....	second assistant director: second unit (as Woody K. Strode)

Art Department
Donald R. Abblett	....	stand-by painter
Cheryl Carasik	....	lead person
Ray Chambers	....	construction foreman
Jack Johnson	....	illustrator
Larry Lennert	....	greens assistant
Dan Ondrejko	....	greens foreman
William A. Petrotta	....	property master (as Bill Petrotta)
Anne Sidaris-Reeves	....	assistant property master
Michael J. Smith	....	construction coordinator (as Michael Smith)
Jane Stewart	....	art research
John Warnke	....	set designer
Lindsay Dawson	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)
Robert Misetich	....	paint foreman (uncredited)
Victor M. Shannon	....	plasterer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Rick Alexander	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Dick Alexander)
Jeff Bushelman	....	sound editor (as Jeffrey L. Bushelman)
Charles L. Campbell	....	supervising sound editor
Larry Carow	....	sound editor
Craig Clark	....	sound editing assistant
Robert Crosby	....	boom man
Louis L. Edemann	....	supervising sound editor
Richard C. Franklin	....	sound editor (as Richard C. Franklin Jr.)
Les Fresholtz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Chuck Neely	....	sound editor
Mel Neiman	....	processed sound effects
Alan L. Nineberg	....	adr editor (as Alan Nineberg)
Vern Poore	....	sound re-recording mixer
Rod Rogers	....	assistant adr editor
David M. Ronne	....	production sound mixer (as David Ronne)
Robert Scarborough	....	cable man
Larry Singer	....	supervising adr editor
Stephen Mackey	....	boom operator (uncredited)
John Roesch	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Donald Elliott	....	special effects
Sam Marquez	....	special effects
Tim Moran	....	special effects (as Timothy J. Moran)
Doyle Smiley	....	special effects
Bob Stoker	....	special effects
Lucinda Strub	....	special effects
Richard Stutsman	....	special effects (as Richard W. Stutsman)
Matt Sweeney	....	special effects coordinator
Fred Tassaro	....	special effects foreman
Mike Wever	....	special effects (as Michael Wever)
Tony Gardner	....	special makeup effects artist: Greg Cannom's crew (uncredited)
D. Kerry Prior	....	special effects artist: Dream Quest Images (uncredited)
Shamu	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Michael Bigelow	....	motion control supervisor
Eric Brevig	....	visual effects designer
Eric Brevig	....	visual effects supervisor
Charles Chiodo	....	visual effects design consultant
Michael Ferriter	....	optical compositing
James Green	....	motion control technician
Robert Hall	....	optical supervisor
Clint Hutchison	....	visual effects element controller
Justin Klarenbeck	....	motion control technician
Doug Lefler	....	visual effects design consultant (as Douglas Lefler)
Tim McHugh	....	special effects photography
Daniel P. Moore	....	video operator: visual effects unit
Richard Ripple	....	optical compositing (as Richard Rippel)
Robert Scifo	....	matte artist
Keith Shartle	....	visual effects production manager
Michael Shea	....	motion control technician
Chuck Shuman	....	special effects photography (as Charles Schuman)
James Balsam	....	motion control camera operator (uncredited)

Stunts
Vicky Benson	....	stunts
Sandy Berumen	....	stunts
May Boss	....	stunts
Christopher Bowman	....	stunts
Janet Brady	....	stunts (as Janet Brady Gibbs)
David Burton	....	stunts
Jodie Mae Caldwell	....	stunts
Doc D. Charbonneau	....	stunts
Monty Cox	....	stunts (as Lamont Cox)
Gary Davis	....	stunt coordinator
Scott Dockstader	....	stunts
Bill Erickson	....	stunt coordinator (as Bill Erikson)
Bruce Gattenbein	....	stunts
Sandra Lee Gimpel	....	stunts (as Sandy Gimpel)
Jeff Habberstad	....	stunts (as Jeff Haberstad)
Randy Hall	....	stunts
Steve Holladay	....	stunts
Madonna Joy	....	stunts
Kim Robert Koscki	....	stunts (as Kim Koscki)
David LeBell	....	stunts (as David Lebell)
Gene LeBell	....	stunts (as Gene Lebell)
John Meier	....	stunts (as John C. Meier)
Larry Nicholas	....	stunts
William R. Perry	....	stunts (as Bill Perry)
Chuck Picerni Jr.	....	stunts (as Charles Picerni Jr.)
Dan Plum	....	stunts
Bernie Pock	....	stunts
Pat Romano	....	stunts
Dennis Scott	....	stunts
Ceci Vendrell	....	stunts
Jack West	....	stunts
Scott Wilder	....	stunts
Spice Williams-Crosby	....	stunts (as Spice Williams)

Camera and Electrical Department
Eric D. Andersen	....	camera operator: second unit (as Eric Anderson)
Michael W. Blymyer	....	rigging gaffer (as Mike Blymyer)
Michael Genne	....	camera operator
Paul Goldsmith	....	director of photography: second unit
Kim Guthrie	....	first assistant camera
Larry Hezzelwood	....	second assistant camera
Frank M. Holgate	....	aerial photography: second unit (as Frank Holgate)
Gene Kearney	....	key grip
Leslie J. Kovacs	....	gaffer (as Leslie Kovacs)
Benny McNulty	....	electrical best boy
Bob Munoz	....	grip best boy (as Robert Munoz)
Jane O'Neal	....	still photographer
Michael D. O'Shea	....	camera operator (as Mike O'Shea)
Dan Reilly	....	key grip: second unit
Bill Roe	....	first assistant camera
Peter Salim	....	camera operator
Scott Spencer	....	gaffer: second unit (as Scott Spenser)
Johnny Walker	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Sandy Williams	....	dolly grip
Michael B. Corbett	....	best boy: second unit (uncredited)
Adam Glick	....	set lighting technician (uncredited)
Bradford Ralston	....	video assist operator (uncredited)
Michael T. Travers	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Judith Bouley	....	location casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Robert Chase	....	costume supervisor (as Bob Chase)
Rosemarie Fall	....	costume supervisor: women
Jerry Herrin	....	costume supervisor: added scenes and retakes
Steve Shubin	....	costumer (as Stephen Shubin)

Editorial Department
Tracy Granger	....	assistant editor
Tracey McCampbell	....	assistant editor
Jim Prior	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Kenneth Karman	....	music editor (as Ken Karmann)
Michael Papale	....	music consultant

Transportation Department
Whitey Ellison	....	transportation coordinator
Bob Nielson	....	transportation captain
Lief Sand	....	driver
George Zimmerman	....	driver

Other crew
Robert A. Daly Jr.	....	production office assistant (as Bob Daly Jr.)
Huw Davies	....	location manager (as T. Huw Davies)
Geno Escarrega	....	production associate
Anthony Goldschmidt	....	title designer
Dennis Grisco	....	animal trainer
William Shane Grisco	....	animal trainer (as Wm. S. Grisco)
Jodi Guber	....	production office assistant
Donna Hart	....	secretary: Joel Schumacher
Phyllis Gardner Hirsen	....	unit publicist
Paul Kaplansky	....	assistant: Joel Schumacher
Jan Kemper	....	script supervisor
Tom Lassally	....	production office assistant
Andrew Lauren	....	production office assistant
Robert H. Lemer	....	location manager (as Robert Lemer)
Jennie Lew Tugend	....	executive assistant: Richard Donner (as Jennie Lew)
Joe Madalena	....	location manager
Gail Martin-Sheridan	....	production accountant (as Gail Martin)
Marie Melendez	....	assistant: Harvey Bernhard
Grant Olson	....	craft service
Travis Powell	....	production office assistant
Ross Reynolds	....	helicopter pilot: second unit
Laurie Ryan	....	secretary: Richard Donner
John D. Sarviss	....	helicopter pilot
Ilyse Selwyn	....	production secretary
Alan Simon	....	production office assistant
Jack Tice	....	welfare worker
Sheila A. Warner	....	production secretary (as Sheila Warner)
Laurie Arnow-Epstein	....	construction accountant (uncredited)
Pam Ellington	....	assistant accountant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures (presents) (as Warner Bros.)

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1987) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1988) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Films (1988) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1990) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Encore Avenue (2009) (Canada) (TV)
• Fazer Musiikki Oy/Fazer Video (19??) (Finland) (VHS)
• Sandrews (1998) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Sandrews (2004) (Sweden) (DVD)
• SubTV (2007) (Finland) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (2004) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Video (1987) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1993) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD) (two-disc special edition)
• Warner Home Vídeo (1999) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Dream Quest Images (special visual effects)
• Makeup Effects Laboratories

Other Companies

• Atlantic Records  original soundtrack album on (as Atlantic Records, Cassettes and Compact Discs)
• Central Coast Production Services  casting: Santa Cruz (as Central Coast Production Service)
• For Stars Catering  catering (as Four Stars Catering)
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  this picture made under the jurisdiction of (as I.A.T.S.E.®)
• New World Pictures  provided through the courtesy of (Reform School Girls poster)
• Pacific Title  opticals
• TAJ Soundworks  foley (as T A J)
• Universal Pictures  courtesy of (still of Molly Ringwald from the motion picture The Breakfast Club [Univ. 1984])
• Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.  copyright owner: original music compositions

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35mm prints)

Certification:

Iceland:16 | South Korea:15 | Finland:K-14 (1987) | Finland:K-15 (2004) | Finland:S (1999) | Netherlands:16 | USA:R (#28541) | South Africa:16LV | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Australia:M | Canada:14A (TV rating) | Norway:15 | Singapore:NC-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Santa Cruz, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

The original screenplay written by Janice Fischer and James Jeremias was originally about a bunch of "Goonie-type 5th-6th grade kid vampires", with the Frog Brothers being "chubby 8 year old cub scouts", and Star being a boy instead of a love interest. Joel Schumacher hated that idea and told the producers he would only sign on if he could change them to teenagers, as he thought it would be more much sexier and interesting.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Sam is first introduced reading the vampire comic, his dog Nanook is on the left side of the bed, but then after when they show the scene were Sam grabs the beaver art, Nanook appeared to be on the right side of the bed.

Quotes:

Alan Frog: Aaaaaah! Flies!
Edgar Frog: We're on the right trail. Flies and the undead go together like bullets and guns. Come on.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003)

Soundtrack:

To The Shock Of Miss Louise

"Holy s##t, it's the attack of Eddie Munster!"

Lucy (Dianne Wiest) moves with her sons Michael (Jason Patric) and Sam (Corey Haim) to California where Michael gets mixed up with local teenage gang, headed by David (Kiefer Sutherland), that is actually a group of vampires.

"The Lost Boys" is an entertaining modern vampire movie with lots of flash, style, 1980's music, and flamboyant effects and interesting design. There's no substance to this picture, but I don't think that the film-makers cared about that. No, they just made a picture strictly catered to the young crowd that is really just for straightforward fun. Don't worry about looking for hidden meanings or symbolism.

David and his gang are a cool-looking bunch with two members (Brooke McCarter, Billy Wirth) who look like they could have been part of a rock group and the third guy is played by Alex Winter - a.k.a. "Bill" of "Bill & Ted".

The young cast is okay; I would only have real criticisms for Jami Gertz's 'performance'. Wiest, as usual, is excellent, and seasoned performer Edward Herrmann kind of looks out of place but he makes up for it with a typically good performance.

Echo and the Bunnymen do a good cover of the Doors' "People Are Strange" and Roger Daltrey does an equally fine cover of Elton Johns' "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me".

"The Lost Boys" is fun if never truly scary.

8/10