It Wasn't Bad, But The Lost Boys Was Better.

I love Near Dark but I agree Lost Boys is better, MUCH better.

Esta es mi firma

Nah Near Dark is far superior to The Lost Boys.

"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass, and I'm all out of bubblegum."

I prefer The Lost Boys myself (and yes, I think it's a superior film). Near Dark is good though.



Hey there, Johnny Boy, I hope you fry!

Despite them both being vampire movies that came out in 1987, I feel like the two movies can't really be compared. If a person prefers dark and atmospheric vampire films, then they will say that Near Dark is superior. But if a person prefers fun and campy vampire films, then they will say that The Lost Boys is superior.

Personally, I've always liked Near Dark more, but I also really like The Lost Boys. They are both great vampire movies.


Welcome to Fright Night....for real. 

When i was younger I would have agreed. But as i matured and grew a deeper understanding of film, Near Dark is certainly superior. The Lost Boys is a classic. Its campy fun. But it wouldve been torn apart had it been released today.

I think Near Dark is significantly better.

The dialogue between Mae and Caleb at the beginning of the film may be "unnecessarily retarded" (your opinion, not mine) but it at least develops the relationship between the two of them. The relationship between Michael and Star in The Lost Boys is only really developed through some glowering looks in the first act and a sex scene at the end of the second.

Near Dark also offers a more sophisticated and interesting moralistic exploration of vampirism. Caleb is a good man who has been put in a position where he needs to kill in order to survive and the film spends almost all of its second act observing as he gets closer and closer to giving up his old self. Except from David's occasional remarks about Michael being a killer, The Lost Boys doesn't really explore the darker side of Michael's condition.

As for the "slow mystic soundtrack" by Tangerine Dream, I think it's great and has, at the very least, aged much better than some of the 80s pop/rock songs in The Lost Boys. In fact, since many modern bands and composers are copying or paying homage to Tangerine Dream's minimal electronic style these days (check out the 'Ex Machina' or 'It Follows' soundtracks, for example), the Near Dark score now has a kind of retro cool. What was once maybe just a B-movie soundtrack is now more of an arthouse one.

Then there's the cast. Regardless of whether "fanboys" only like the Near Dark cast because they were in Aliens (I call nonsense), I like the fact that the film actually develops the vampire gang members. The Lost Boys just has Kiefer Sutherland and three randoms. I appreciate that The Lost Boys has more non-vampire major characters but still, in a direct comparison between the gangs at the centers of their respective films, the Near Dark gang is much more memorable.

Next, there's the cinematography. Kathryn Bigelow has a way with images. Two of my favorites are (1) Caleb on his knees sucking blood from Mae's wrist while in the background a derrick sucks oil out of the ground and (2) a grinning Severen (Bill Paxton) leaning against the bar in the foreground on the left while Caleb, sitting at the end of the bar, is looking worried in the background on the center-right. Both shots say so much.

The Lost Boys, on the other hand, has effective cinematography but makes a few choices that I disliked. The POV flying shots, for example, are kind of lame. (Oh, and... it's unfair to hold the similarity of the standing on the horizon shot against Near Dark. Both films came out at the same time. Neither is a rip-off and, to be honest, both films are very different.)

Finally, I just don't think The Lost Boys has any moments that are quite as out-and-out cool as Jesse spitting out the bullet or Jesse pouring himself a drink or Severen messing with the bar customers or Severen playing chicken with a truck. And I point this out because I find it interesting that the more serious of these two films is, in my opinion, actually the most fun to watch.

Anyway, you're entitled to your opinion but this talk about The Lost Boys being "clearly" better, as well as your attempts to dismiss Near Dark's acclaim with theories about fanboy behavior, are both silly. I'm glad you enjoyed both films.

The Lost Boys -- 6/10
Near Dark -- 8/10

Not even close. The Lost Boys is a fun, poppy movie. Nothing more. Near Dark actually has themes it explores and delivers. The Lost Boys themes are an afterthought and arbitrary. Oh so...the boys need a mother cuz...Ok. Oh they're Lost Boys because they're eternal teens. Ok.

The Lost Boys is more fun and cheesy. This is more serious. I prefer The Lost Boys myself, but then I always love cheesy movies.

Poorly Lived and Poorly Died, Poorly Buried and No One Cried