The Lost Boys: Vampires, Mullets, and Maggots

Before Twilight made vampires sparkle, The Lost Boys made them glitter—literally. Released in 1987 and directed by Joel Schumacher, this horror-comedy hybrid follows two brothers who move to Santa Carla, California, only to discover it's crawling with bloodsuckers. With a killer soundtrack and a cast that includes Kiefer Sutherland, Corey Haim, and Corey Feldman, it's a neon-drenched fever dream of teenage rebellion and undead angst.

Welcome to Santa Carla: The Murder Capital of the World

Santa Carla is a fictional town, but it was filmed in Santa Cruz, which earned its grim nickname in the '70s after a string of real-life murders. The movie cheekily nods to this with a billboard that reads "Welcome to Santa Carla"—and on the back, "Murder Capital of the World."

Weird & Wonderful Trivia 🧛

• 🥡 You're eating maggots, Michael. The infamous Chinese food scene where David tricks Michael into thinking he's eating maggots? Pure vampire gaslighting. And yes, the rice turns into worms too.
• 🎷 The sax man lives on. Tim Capello, the oiled-up, chain-wearing saxophonist who belts out “I Still Believe” on the boardwalk, became a cult icon. He still performs the song live at horror conventions.
• 🧤 Kiefer’s wrist was broken. Sutherland injured himself doing a motorcycle stunt and wore gloves throughout the film to hide his cast.
• 🧛‍♂️ Vampire blood had glitter. The special effects team added glitter to the blood to make it shimmer on camera. Because nothing says undead like a little sparkle.
• 📚 Vampires Everywhere! The comic book Sam reads was created just for the film. The original signed copy is still kept at Atlantis Fantasyworld in Santa Cruz.
• 🧠 “Michael” is said 118 times. That’s right. The name “Michael” is uttered so often it could be a drinking game. Proceed with caution.
• 🧥 The Doors poster wasn’t random. It’s a nod to their song “People Are Strange,” which Echo & the Bunnymen covered for the soundtrack.

Legacy That Won’t Die

The film spawned two direct-to-DVD sequels, a comic book series, and even a planned reboot. But nothing quite captures the original’s blend of horror, humor, and hair spray. Every summer, Santa Cruz still screens The Lost Boys on the beach, proving that some vampires never go out of style.

So next time you hear a sax solo echoing across the boardwalk, just remember: “One thing about living in Santa Carla I never could stomach… all the damn vampires.”