Review by Jeff Abell
In 1987, two modern retellings of the vampire legend went head-to-head at the movie box office.
"The Lost Boys" was a glossy thrill ride that embraced the music and styles of the decade. The other was a gritty, more down-to-earth horror movie that cared less about visual style and more about substance.
The latter is the horror movie cult classic "Near Dark," which had less box office bite than its rival "The Lost Boys." Despite that fact. I'd argue (and have for years) that "Near Dark" is the superior movie.
Directed by Kathyrn Bigelow, this cult classic elevates the tired traditional vampire tale into a bloody good time. Under Bigelow's direction, the story of star-crossed love is both edgy and melancholy. It highlights the isolation of rural life that spurs the need to make a meaningful, deep connection.
The vampires (a term not used in the movie) are town-hopping road warriors who thrive on our mobile society. They hide in the shadows, becoming just another face in the crowd before they strike, giving in to the blood lust that fuels them.
A small-town farmboy named Caleb (Adrian Pasdar) meets Mae (Jenny Wright) while out on the town for the evening. Mae has drifted into town and is instantly attracted to Caleb.
While losing track of time in his truck, Mae bites Caleb and runs off as the sun begins to rise. As the sun shines on him, Caleb feels his skin burning. He panics and starts walking through a cornfield toward his home, where he lives with his father and little sister.
Before he makes it home, he is grabbed and taken away in an RV. Inside he meets the nomadic tribe of vampires Mae calls family.
Severen (Bill Paxton) wants to kill Caleb, but the vampires soon realize Mae has bitten him. Jesse Hooker (Lance Henriksen), the head vampire, gives Caleb a week to learn the ropes. As the vampire road trip begins, his father frantically searches for him, setting up the primary metaphor of the story: vampirism is akin to drug addiction.
This movie has one of my all-time favorite scenes. Set in a honkey-tonk tavern, actor Bill Paxton shines as he and the other vampires revel in over-the-top violence spurred by a sense of humor and blood lust. This scene alone beats anything "The Lost Boys" could muster.
"Near Dark" is a near-perfect horror movie that deserves a watch for Halloween.