47. NEAR DARK
47. NEAR DARK
(1987)
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow
There were some fucking awful vampire movies in the 1980's, what with goofy shit fests like "Fright Night" (1985) and "The Lost Boys" (1987), but that generally vapid decade did provide horror fans with one bona fide bloodsucking landmark. "Near Dark" is a true original that evades the usual trappings of capes and bats and stakes. It captures the panic of a traveling group of undead in a windblown American desert as they travel from one gruesome roadside repast to the next, always on the run, crashing in shitty motels instead of the traditional coffins, and always dreading sunrise. It's hard not to feel sorry for this bunch. There really isn't too much romanticism to be found in their transient existence and it's clear that their days are numbered. The leader of the pack is an old Confederate soldier played by Lance Henriksen (also in "Aliens") and it's most vicious member is the demented cowboy played by Bill Paxton who deep sixes victims with razor sharp spurs. Fucking scary. The one scene that has always stuck with me shows us the dirty bunch of road grizzled vampires descend on a honky tonk where they proceed to murder and drain everyone inside to the strains of "Fever" as covered by the Cramps.
(1987)
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow
There were some fucking awful vampire movies in the 1980's, what with goofy shit fests like "Fright Night" (1985) and "The Lost Boys" (1987), but that generally vapid decade did provide horror fans with one bona fide bloodsucking landmark. "Near Dark" is a true original that evades the usual trappings of capes and bats and stakes. It captures the panic of a traveling group of undead in a windblown American desert as they travel from one gruesome roadside repast to the next, always on the run, crashing in shitty motels instead of the traditional coffins, and always dreading sunrise. It's hard not to feel sorry for this bunch. There really isn't too much romanticism to be found in their transient existence and it's clear that their days are numbered. The leader of the pack is an old Confederate soldier played by Lance Henriksen (also in "Aliens") and it's most vicious member is the demented cowboy played by Bill Paxton who deep sixes victims with razor sharp spurs. Fucking scary. The one scene that has always stuck with me shows us the dirty bunch of road grizzled vampires descend on a honky tonk where they proceed to murder and drain everyone inside to the strains of "Fever" as covered by the Cramps.
posted by scottra at 3:00 AM
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