Cinema

The Lost Boys come of age: Looking back at the ultimate American gothic

Shot on a small budget with a relatively unknown cast, Joel Schumacher’s 1987 tale of youth and rebellion continues to occupy a unique place in the pantheon of pop culture, teeming with subtexts that remain relevant today

The Lost Boys: released in July 1987, it was made for just $8.5 million, but grossed $32.2 million at the box office

Though never directly credited with the term, the German philosopher Hegel once defined the word “zeitgeist” as a force or agent commanding influence over a given period in history. A zeitgeist captures a period in time, summoning up the mood of an era and crystallising its spirit like fireflies in a glass jar.

Perfectly encapsulating 1980s teen culture, one of the film industry’s greatest zeitgeist movies is The Lost Boys, which turns 35 this month. ...