Vampires have seen success in the movies since Universal’s release of Dracula in 1931. Since then, they have served as villains in movies like ‘Salem’s Lot, or as more heroic figures in Twilight. Directed by Joel Schumacher, 1987’s The Lost Boys is a strong entry into the vampire genre that changed how people viewed vampires. The movie follows Lucy (Dianne Wiest), who moves her two sons, Mike (Jason Patric) and Sam (Corey Haim), to the town of Santa Carla, California. They quickly find that this town is falling prey to a group of young vampires, and set out to destroy the vampires and save everyone in town. Though critics didn’t enjoy it, it was a financial hit and has remained beloved by fans.
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In 2021, The Hollywood Reporter announced that a remake is in the works, led by actors Jaeden Martell and Noah Jupe. It’s described as a modern-set remake, but no other story information is known as of yet. While the remake can bring the movie to new audiences, the original is so strong that it simply doesn’t need a reinterpretation. Here are a few reasons why The Lost Boys doesn’t need a remake.
A Perfect, Irreplaceable Cast
Warner Bros.
The Lost Boys features a cast of 80s heartthrobs; along with Patric and Haim; it includes Corey Feldman as Edgar Frog, one of the vampire-hunting Frog brothers, and Kiefer Sutherland as vampire David. Patric and Haim feel like normal teenagers, but also do a great job at feeling like brothers, and reflecting that love. After Mike is brought into the gang by David, he drinks blood and becomes a half-vampire. Despite his fear, Sam agrees to help Mike, while Mike, despite his growing thirst for blood, won’t harm Sam. When the vampires are about to attack the boys’ house, Mike even runs outside into danger to help Sam get their dog. They portray that love but still have funny moments, like Sam butting in on Mike’s vampire conversation with half-vampire Star. It’s assumed that Martell and Jupe will take on the roles of Mike and Sam, and while they’re talented actors, they have big shoes to fill.
Sutherland excels as David. With his punk, biker-gang look, he makes the vampire dangerous but also cool. This cool, youthful vampire interpretation hadn’t been seen at the time, and Sutherland makes it instantly iconic. Even as you’re afraid of him, part of you wants to follow his magnetic charm. Feldman is great as Edgar, while Jamison Newlander plays the other Frog brother, Alan. They’re no-nonsense vampire killers who help Sam, roles so beloved that they’ve even reunited and reprised them several times over the years.
In the adult realm, Edward Herrmann is great as Max, a kind man who dates Lucy, but quickly shows his evil side when he’s exposed as the lead vampire. It’s easy to see him as a nice man, but just as easy to believe in his evilness, and Herrmann portrays both sides well. As Sam and Mike’s grandfather, Barnard Hughes perfectly captures his odd spirit, along with his deadpan final line about the vampires in Santa Carla. Wiest is strong as Lucy, who does her best in raising her sons, and truly loves them. Each role is perfectly cast, and it’s difficult to imagine the movie with different actors.
A Strong, Complete Story
The Lost Boys tells a complete story that’s perfectly wrapped up. Mike and Sam recruit the Frog brothers to help them defeat the head vampire, with the added pressure of Mike being a half-vampire struggling to resist the thirst for blood himself. They gather intel about the vampires and gear up for the final showdown, which ends successfully. It has suspense as the vampires are discovered, comedy in the characters, and a mix of horror and action in the thrilling final fight. Even the effects and makeup hold up well. With largely practical effects, everything is scary and gritty, which are in line with the movie’s spirit. Modern effects would detract from that. In short, it’s a strong story that still holds up and excites. A remake simply doesn’t have anything to add, or improve upon, and any major changes would be seen as unwelcome, or as losing the original’s magic. Even if the remake succeeds in recreating the original’s story, it’s just a recreation, which is unnecessary when the original is so good.
Overall Vibes and Feelings Impossible to Recreate
Finally, The Lost Boys has an overall atmosphere that a remake likely can’t recapture. Santa Cruz stood in for Santa Carla, and according to San Francisco Gate, the movie was filmed largely on location at the boardwalk, with real locals as the extras. This creates an authenticity that simply can’t be recreated. In addition, the setting adds so much to the movie. The location is responsible for many great scenes: the vampires prowling the carousel; the vampires hanging off the bridge and falling into fog, and the many scary scenes inside the hotel that serves vampires’ cave. It’s nearly impossible to imagine the movie without these scenes, or in a different location.
Similarly, the time period is central to the movie’s spirit. Even the vampires’ ’80s looks of mullets, black leather, and jewelry are essential to the atmosphere and the characters. They’re far from the traditional vampire image of a white shirt, black cape, and slicked-back hair, just as the movie isn’t a typical vampire movie. This cool, 1980s punk-rock look changed how people saw vampires, and would launch the teen horror-comedy genre as well, seen in movies like Scream or Buffy the Vampire Slayer. A modern setting will lose so much of the character, like style and music, that the 80s time period provides.
The Lost Boys is an excellent blend of genres that re-imagined vampires for a new audience. With its great cast, strong story, and overall vibe, it has remained a beloved movie for 35 years. It’s uncertain how successful the remake will be, but it’s clear that the original is strong enough to not need one in the first place.
