Dust, leather, denim, and romance make up this 1987 vampire flick from Kathryn Bigelow. Although, the word ‘vampire’ is never uttered, it’s one of the best of all time in the genre.
Near Dark doesn’t do a lot of explaining about the backstory of the antagonists, but it makes the watch even more enjoyable as you catch yourself in between the ‘good guys’ and ‘bad guys’. The love story is a bit weak, but the soundtrack, cast of characters, and cinematography make up for it. Bill Paxton obviously steals the show as the unhinged vampire of the group, Severen. And while Adrian Pasdar does a great job in the lead role, it’s clear as day who the heavy hitters are.
The tone of the film is set by the desolate backdrops that are sometimes accompanied by eerie neon lights and fog. Near Dark feels dreary, dreamy and exciting all at the same time. It’s kind of a perfect comfort film that encompasses a variety of moods. The element that wraps the film up in a nice pretty bow is the electronic soundtrack provided by Tangerine Dream.
Often overshadowed by The Lost Boys, another vampire movie released the same year, Near Dark hasn’t received the mainstream recognition that it deserves. The film has been out of print for years now, and only recently became available to stream. Let’s all cross our fingers for a restoration soon.
Give it a chance on Shudder and then find out why it’s your new favorite vampire flick.
Brittany Fernandez is a Lifestyle Writer for SoBros Network. She’s a Nashville native covering events on the local scene, B-movie horror reviews, and everything in between. Her go-to karaoke song is “No Diggity.” Follow on Twitter: @brittbutspooky
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