When their parents’ divorce, Michael (Jason Patric) and Sam Emerson (Corey Haim) move with their mother to their grandfather’s house in a California town nicknamed, “The Murder Capital of the World.” Soon after arriving, Michael gets involved with a hell-raising motorcycle gang of vampires with a charismatic leader (Kiefer Sutherland). When Sam becomes involved with the Frog Brothers (Corey Feldman and Jamison Newlander), who confess to being undercover Vampire hunters, he realizes it’s up to them to save Michael and the rest of the town from the vampire gang.
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Video Quality
Warner Bros. presents The Lost Boys with a terrific 2160p transfer in its original 2.39:1 aspect ratio sourced from a new 4K master in HDR10. This film was originally released on Blu-Ray by the company over a decade ago which was derived from an older source. While that release may have been pleasing for the time, this new presentation is a welcome update that blows it out of the water in every respect. One of the aspects that will dazzle audiences the most is the stunning implementation of HDR which does not let you down with its depth and nuance. As you might expect from the title, the bright lights of the boardwalk provide a vivid palette of glorious reds, yellows and blues. There is also a greater accuracy to the more natural colors such as the interiors of the bedroom or the comic book shop. The new presentation reaches a level of accuracy and color detail the likes of which have not been seen since the original prints.
This disc also delivers a lovely amount of natural film grain, although there are moments that appear to have been tweaked a bit which this company seems to do. For the most part, fans are treated to so much distinct texture in the production design, the makeup effects and more. There is some text on titles in the comic book store which are able to be seen for the first time on physical media. This disc executes most environmental changes with ease. The black levels are strong with no blatant crush present, and white levels never get too hot. You will not find pretty anything in the way of print damage here. Overall, this is by far the best the film has looked on home entertainment, and Joel Schumacher fans will be thrilled to own one of his top tier works on the format.
Audio Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track which captures this material quite well, even if we are still left longing for the original 2.0 stereo mix as an option. Dialogue comes through with distinct clarity even when the scene is somewhat chaotic and replete with sound. Environmental noises such as crowds at the boardwalk attractions and numerous other sounds are given a precise place within the mix. One great thing about this track is that you never have to worry about it maintaining fidelity, even when things hit the fan. The low end of the track adds some great texture, but it is not going to bring your house down. The terrific soundtrack radiates out without a hint of damage. It adds so much to the experience of the film as it establishes the mood of the story. Overall, Warner Bros. has provided a great audio experience for this one. English SDH and an array of non-English subtitles are provided for those who want them.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Director Joel Schumacher provides a very thorough and entertaining commentary track in which he discusses why they chose their shooting location, the conditions they had to follow in order to be allowed to shoot on location, the creative solutions they had to search for with certain budget restrictions, the thematic ideas behind the musical choices, thoughts on the casting of the film, working with production designer Bo Welch, the happy accidents on set and more that makes for a great listen.
- The Lost Boys – A Retrospective: A 24-minute archival featurette which includes interviews with Schumacher, producer Richard Donner, cinematographer Michael Chapman, and various members of the cast including Kiefer Sutherland, Corey Haim, and Corey Feldman. In this piece, the subjects discuss the background of the production, the casting of the characters, the switch up in directors during development, the tone of the film and more.
- Inside The Vampire’s Cave: A four-part documentary supplement totaling 19 minutes is provided here which delves into the evolution of the narrative from something family friendly to something more mature, the blending of the different tones, the depiction of the vampires, and the ideas for potential sequels at the time.
- Vamping Out – The Undead Creations of Greg Cannom: A 14-minute piece featuring insights into the career of Greg Cannom and the makeup effects that are so pivotal to The Lost Boys.
- Haimster & Feldog – The Story Of The 2 Coreys: A five-minute featurette which takes a closer look at the long and storied career of the two Coreys.
- Multi-Angle Video Commentary By Corey Haim, Corey Feldman and Jamison Newlander: A piece which totals up to 57 minutes of footage as you can watch the same selection of footage featuring insights from three different participants who bring some insight into the production.
- A World Of Vampires: A seven-part featurette totaling 14 minutes which delivers vampire mythology from around the world in different countries.
- The Lost Scenes: A 15-minute collection of unused footage from the film which is provided in rough standard definition quality. There are some decently entertaining moments, but nothing egregious feels like it was removed from the film.
- “Lost In The Shadows” Music Video by Lou Gramm: A nearly five-minute video is provided here.
- Theatrical Trailer: The minute-and-a-half trailer is provided here.
Final Thoughts
The Lost Boys is one of the great vampire films thanks in no small part to the distinct aesthetic brought to the proceedings by the late, great Joel Schumacher. There is a rollicking sense of fun and rebellion that taps into something visceral within the audience. You also can not undersell the importance of the charismatic ensemble, who commit to these performances and bring so much energy throughout. We are now at 35 years since the film was unleashed into the world, and it is just as fun as ever. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has provided the film with a 4K UHD Blu-Ray release that boasts a fantastic A/V presentation and a nice selection of archival special features that fans enjoy. Even if you already own this one on Blu-Ray, this new presentation brings a whole new life to this film. Highly Recommended
The Lost Boys is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.