The Lost Boys (1987) [4K Ultra HD]

Director: Joel Schumacher

Cast: Kiefer Sutherland, Jason Patric, Corey Haim

Release Date: September 20, 2022

A Review By: Kevin Lovell

Disc Rating: 8.5/10

Synopsis:

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.

Please Note: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray I reviewed in this Post. The opinions I share are my own.

‘The Lost Boys’ accompanies brothers Michael and Sam who move to their grandfather’s house in a California town along with their mother to start over. Initially uncertain about the new town, the boys quickly discover that the seemingly boring town isn’t what it first appears to be. Dubbed “the murder capital of the world” by locals who claim that a population of vampires has caused countless murders and disappearances, Sam is initially hesitant to believe the tall tale when two comic shop teens inform him. His hesitation doesn’t last long though when he realizes that his own brother just may be turning into a blood sucking fiend himself, leaving him and his new friends to try and find a way to save him.

‘The Lost Boys’ was first unleashed upon audiences in 1987 and was directed by Joel Schumacher from a screenplay by Janice Fischer & James Jeremias and Jeffrey Boam, from a story by Fischer and Jeremias. The film’s notable cast includes Kiefer Sutherland, Jason Patric, Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, Jami Gertz, Edward Herrmann, Barnard Hughes, Dianne Wiest, Jamison Newlander and Alex Winter, the majority of which each do their part to contribute to this enjoyable and beloved classic which remains a fan favorite to this day, and for good reason.

An incredibly fun ride that’s as funny and exciting as it can be thrilling and bloody, ‘The Lost Boys’ may be a bit over the top and goofy at times but it always makes it feel organic or ridiculous in a manner that doesn’t cause you to cringe. It’s certainly possible that I might be slightly biased to this film as I grew up watching it and was a fan since my younger days, but I would still encourage anyone who has never had the pleasure to try and make a point of giving it a chance whenever possible. The cast, effects and humor all work splendidly together and allow this one to become a familiar, yet also somewhat unique vampire tale that remains a favorite for many of us that grew up in the 1980’s, and it’s a definite thrill to finally see it arrive home in 4K Ultra HD.

In celebration of the film’s 35^th anniversary, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment brings ‘The Lost Boys’ home for the first time in 4K Ultra HD with HDR-10 and the results are even better than I could have hoped, sporting a truly outstanding new Ultra High Definition video presentation with a clarity and beauty unlike it’s ever been granted prior. The stellar new Ultra HD presentation is complemented by a fully capable 5.1 DTS-HD MA soundtrack that doesn’t disappoint, along with a nice quantity of carryover extras from previous releases of the film. While the absence of any new supplements may disappoint some, the top notch quality it offers will surely still make this release an absolute must own for diehard fans of this beloved cult classic. If you’re fully 4K capable and a fan of ‘The Lost Boys’ who is already considering a purchase, this one is definitely highly recommended.

VIDEO:

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release of ‘The Lost Boys’ features a full 2160p Ultra High Definition presentation with HDR-10 presented in its original 2.40:1 Cinemascope Aspect Ratio. The video presentation looks spectacular altogether and provides a clean, sharp and richly detailed presentation from start to finish. Almost surely the best that this film has ever looked, the video presentation is a such a notable upgrade that it’s almost surprising, serving up a smooth and clean presentation that may not be heavy with grain but still manages to appear true to its source with nearly every detail within looking gorgeous and offering immaculate detail not only in the surroundings and backgrounds, but down to the facial details and furniture textures throughout. The HDR-10 only further improves upon the already stellar presentation and delivers some beautiful coloring in nature elements, clothing and the rest, while also showcasing delightfully deep, rich blacks that never disappoint. Overall, this is a magnificent Ultra High Definition video presentation that only exceeds expectations and it should absolutely thrill fans of this 1980’s gem.

AUDIO:

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release features a 5.1 channel DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack. This multichannel soundtrack delivers a clean, crisp and consistently active audio presentation throughout. It regularly utilizes all five available channels in order to send music, along with some action effects, wind from flying vampires, plus crowd chatter and a fair amount more throughout the various speakers whenever fitting and always making certain that any dialogue or other audio elements that may occur simultaneously along the way never become distorted or negatively affected in the process. Overall, this is a solid 5.1 DTS-HD MA soundtrack that may not be as aggressive or expansive as a Dolby Atmos soundtrack on many newer films, but still does its job quite well and shouldn’t disappoint the fans.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release of ‘The Lost Boys’ features a nice collection of previously released extras, the majority of which can be found on the included Blu-ray disc which also features the film’s new remastered presentation in High Definition. The 4K UHD disc itself includes an ‘Audio Commentary with director Joel Schumacher’. The Blu-ray disc includes the same commentary track with Schumacher, in addition to ‘Multi-Angle Video Commentary with Corey Haim, Corey Feldman and Jamison Newlander’ on select scenes (running approximately 57 minutes combined). ‘The Lost Scenes’ (running approximately 15 minutes in length) is also included which features deleted footage from the movie, along with various Featurettes which include interviews/comments with the cast and crew, plus behind the scenes footage and more. They include ‘Inside the Vampire’s Cave’ which itself is comprised of five Featurettes discussing the process of bringing the film to life (running approximately 19 minutes altogether), along with ‘The Lost Boys: A Retrospective’ (running 24 minutes), ‘Vamping Out: The Undead Creations of Greg Cannom’ (approximately 14 minutes), ‘Haimster & Feldog: The Story of the 2 Coreys’ (5 minutes), and ‘A World of Vampires’ which explores vampire mythology across the globe (14 minutes overall). The “‘Lost in the Shadows” Music Video by Lou Gramm’ (4 minutes) and the film’s ‘Theatrical Trailer’ (1 minute) are also included.

*Please note that the above images are taken from the Remastered Blu-Ray disc included in the 4K UHD Combo Pack and resized. They do not represent the quality of the 4K Ultra HD disc itself and will additionally suffer quality loss as a result of .jpg compression. Larger versions of each image can be viewed by clicking on the image. All images and content included on the 4K UHD & Blu-Ray release are the property of their respective owners.

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Disc Rating: 8.5/10

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‘The Lost Boys’ is Now Available to Own on 4K Ultra HD & Digital from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

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