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Near Dark

  • 19871987
  • RR
  • 1h 34m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
39K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,813
286
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Bill Paxton in Near Dark (1987)
Home Video Trailer from Anchor Bay Entertainment
Play trailer2:09
1 Video
99+ Photos
  • Horror

A small-town farmer's son reluctantly joins a traveling group of vampires after he is bitten by a beautiful drifter.A small-town farmer's son reluctantly joins a traveling group of vampires after he is bitten by a beautiful drifter.A small-town farmer's son reluctantly joins a traveling group of vampires after he is bitten by a beautiful drifter.

IMDb RATING
6.9/10
39K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,813
286
  • Director
    • Kathryn Bigelow
  • Writers
    • Eric Red
    • Kathryn Bigelow
  • Stars
    • Adrian Pasdar
    • Jenny Wright
    • Lance Henriksen
Top credits
  • Director
    • Kathryn Bigelow
  • Writers
    • Eric Red
    • Kathryn Bigelow
  • Stars
    • Adrian Pasdar
    • Jenny Wright
    • Lance Henriksen
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 270User reviews
    • 210Critic reviews
    • 76Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 9 nominations

    Videos1

    Near Dark
    Trailer 2:09
    Near Dark

    Photos129

    Lance Henriksen in Near Dark (1987)
    Bill Paxton, Lance Henriksen, Jenette Goldstein, and Joshua John Miller in Near Dark (1987)
    Joshua John Miller in Near Dark (1987)
    Bill Paxton in Near Dark (1987)
    Joshua John Miller in Near Dark (1987)
    Joshua John Miller in Near Dark (1987)
    Near Dark (1987)
    Near Dark (1987)
    Near Dark (1987)
    Near Dark (1987)
    Near Dark (1987)
    Near Dark (1987)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Adrian Pasdar
    Adrian Pasdar
    • Caleb Coltonas Caleb Colton
    Jenny Wright
    Jenny Wright
    • Maeas Mae
    Lance Henriksen
    Lance Henriksen
    • Jesse Hookeras Jesse Hooker
    Bill Paxton
    Bill Paxton
    • Severenas Severen
    Jenette Goldstein
    Jenette Goldstein
    • Diamondbackas Diamondback
    Tim Thomerson
    Tim Thomerson
    • Loy Coltonas Loy Colton
    Joshua John Miller
    Joshua John Miller
    • Homeras Homer
    • (as Joshua Miller)
    Marcie Leeds
    • Sarah Coltonas Sarah Colton
    Kenny Call
    • Deputy Sheriffas Deputy Sheriff
    Ed Corbett
    • Ticket Selleras Ticket Seller
    Troy Evans
    Troy Evans
    • Plainclothes Officeras Plainclothes Officer
    Bill Cross
    • Sheriff Eakersas Sheriff Eakers
    Roger Aaron Brown
    Roger Aaron Brown
    • Cajun Truck Driveras Cajun Truck Driver
    Thomas Wagner
    Thomas Wagner
    • Bartenderas Bartender
    Robert Winley
    Robert Winley
    • Patron in Baras Patron in Bar
    James Le Gros
    James Le Gros
    • Teenage Cowboyas Teenage Cowboy
    • (as James LeGros)
    Jan King
    • Waitressas Waitress
    Danny Kopel
    Danny Kopel
    • Biker in Baras Biker in Bar
    • Director
      • Kathryn Bigelow
    • Writers
      • Eric Red
      • Kathryn Bigelow
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    A mid-western farm boy reluctantly becomes a member of the undead when a girl he meets turns out to be part of a band of southern vampires who roam the highways in stolen cars. Part of his initiation includes a bloody assault on a hick bar. —Keith Loh <loh@sfu.ca>
    • vampire
    • truck
    • bar
    • motel
    • cure for vampirism
    • 140 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Pray for daylight.
    • Genre
      • Horror
    • Certificate
      • R
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Future husband James Cameron suggested to Bigelow that she use the ready-made ensemble cast from his recent hit Aliens (1986), and thus Lance Henriksen, Bill Paxton, and Jenette Goldstein all appear in Bigelow's film. Michael Biehn had also appeared in Aliens and was considered, but declined to participate.
    • Goofs
      When Homer brings Sarah to the hotel room, it is night time, and Sarah makes reference to how late everyone is staying up. A minute later, Severen goes out and gets Loy, and it is still night. Two minutes later, when the Coltons flee the room, it is broad daylight out.
    • Quotes

      Sarah Colton: Boy, you people sure stay up late.

      Severen: We keep odd hours.

    • Alternate versions
      The UK version released on video in 1988 was missing 14 secs of BBFC cuts:
      • Diamondback opening and closing a butterfly knife repeatedly before slitting the barmaid's throat
      • Jesse and Severen putting the barman's body on the bar and smashing bottles of spirits over and around him to fuel the fire while Severen quips "Hey, bartender salad".
    • Connections
      Featured in Living in Darkness (2002)
    • Soundtracks
      NAUGHTY, NAUGHTY
      Performed and written by John Parr

      Courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corp.

      By Arrangement with Warner Special Products

      Polygram International Music B. V.

    User reviews270

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    An original and inventive cult classic
    Released in the shadow of the higher budget and more audacious comic fantasy masterpiece 'The Lost Boys', Near Dark doesn't quite get the recognition it deserves within the horror genre. Although it's not as great as the aforementioned cult classic, Near Dark has it's own niche within the vampire sub-genre for being such an original take on it. The rules of vampire horror have been reinvented, changed or discarded completely and the result is something to behold. This allows Katherine Bigelow to do whatever she wants with the premise, and this makes for a very thrilling movie as we're lead to believe that absolutely anything can happen, which continually keeps the audience on the edge of their seats. The story, which takes in various elements of common vampire folklore such as the transition from human to inhuman, follows Caleb Colton; a young farm boy that is taken in by a beautiful young woman (and you wouldn't blame him when you see her…), and soon finds himself battling with some strange ailment that makes him allergic to sunlight, shortly before being picked up by a rag-tag band of vampires that inhabit an old pick up truck. We then follow Caleb as he comes to terms with his situation and attempts to fit in with the pack...

    For this movie, Katherine Bigelow recruited three of the support players from her then husband's fabulous 'Aliens'. Bill Paxton, Lance Henriksen and Janette Goldstein bring life to the movie's core as the three major players of the vampire nomads. Bill Paxton in particular is fantastic as usual as Severen; the most pronounced member of the group. Bill is an actor that tends to get support roles that almost carry the film, and that's exactly the case here. That's not to say that Near Dark is only Paxton's movie, as Adrian Pasdar and the incredible Jenny Wright do well in the lead roles, as do the rest of the support players. But when the movie is over, it's Bill Paxton that sticks in your mind the most. The cinematography on show in Near Dark is superb and a delight for the eyes – as well as the brain, because Near Dark breathes a continual atmosphere of intrigue from the way it's beautifully shot. The music by Tangerine Dream is right on cue as well, and it brings a surreal, trippy sensation to the proceedings, which emphasises the dream-like state that our hero has been put into.

    Near Dark is a vampire movie free of the usual clichés and one that makes it's own rules, which makes it must see for the vampire fan. I wouldn't recommend this movie to people who are new to the vampire movie from the off, however, as it's one that needs to be viewed after you've got used to the genre staples in order to fully appreciate it, but once you have got used to it; this isn't a movie you'll want to miss.
    helpful•15
    9
    • The_Void
    • Jan 24, 2005

    FAQ1

    • What are the differences between the old British BBFC 18 VHS and the Uncensored Version?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 8, 1988 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • StudioCanal (France)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Near Dark - Die Nacht hat ihren Preis
    • Filming locations
      • Casa Grande, Arizona, USA
    • Production companies
      • F/M
      • Near Dark Joint Venture
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $5,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $3,369,307
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $635,789
      • Oct 4, 1987
    • Gross worldwide
      • $3,369,307
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 34 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Ultra Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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