This week in the crypt we take a look at the underrated eighties vampire flick Near Dark.

by Adam Holtzapfel

In 1987 two vampire films were released, Lost Boys and today’s topic, Near Dark.

Near Dark focuses on the tale of Caleb Colton (Adrian Pasdar) as he leaves his small town farm to join a pack of traveling vampires.

Written and directed by Kathryn Bigelow, sharing writing credit with Eric Red. Thia tour de force clocks in at just over 90 minutes.

Released a few months after Lost Boys, Near Dark has grown to become a cult classic.

Starring Lance Henriksen as Jesse Hooker, Bill Paxton as Severen, Joshua John Miller as Homer, Jenny Wright as Mae, and Jenette Goldstein as Diamondback we see the dynamic of the group from start to end. The effects of a newly bitten coming to terms with this being his life in a group of those who have no memory of what it was once like to be human.

A western at heart, Near Dark is gritty and raw. Plenty of blood, gore, and one liners. There is nothing sexy about this film. It really deserves more due than it’s given.

What works for this is how dark it is, rarely any scenes with daylight, and the cast. The rawness of the film makes you feel empathy for Caleb, but also the misery of being immortal.

Using a letter grading system this flick easily gets an A. It gets better with every watch. Pair this with 30 Days Of Night for some gory, bloodsucking fun.

And remember kids, if you feel a chill…that’s not the cold. You’re in the crypt!

(Image from Google images)