If I bothered to associate with other vampires (most of whom, if the truth be known, are extremely tiresome creatures), I would commend to them the film The Lost Boys. Aside from the one serious flaw in the filmmakers' handling of the transformation from mortal to undead and a minor quibble detailed below, I found virtually nothing to complain about in this film. In addition, it contains one important lesson every vampire should remember: Hubris is the vampire's worst enemy.

A newly divorced mother moves with her two sons to a small but overly festive town in search of a new life with her crotchety father. Every vertical outdoor surface is littered with missing persons posters. Also, none of the myriad mortals slain during the course of the film return from their demise. I was pleased no end to see that the cineastes gave some thought to one of the primary dilemmas of predation: preventing the risen predators from outnumbering the prey (see my previous reviews for more on this important topic). Apparently, the victims are permanently disposed of, although the means of disposal is never explained. No matter. It is done somehow, and the number of vampires never exceeds the handful called for in the scenario. I find this a most gratifying conceit on the part of the filmmakers.

While I personally find the concept of a society of the undead, no matter how small it may be, distasteful, I do know of certain of my fellow creatures of the night who choose to gather in family groups. The one presented in The Lost Boys is reasonably managed. Aside from dining on human viands (including garlic! How gauche! Also impossible under any conditions of which I am aware) and recruiting new members by a suspect method, there is almost nothing in the depiction of the living dead in this movie to arouse my disdain. I am willing to grant some artistic license as regards the characters' feeding habits for the sake of the overall important message to my kind the film includes.

That being that the wise vampire pays attention to his surroundings. There are two characters who advertise themselves on the back of a comic book as being vampire hunters for hire. How did this fact escape the leader of the clan, or its membership? Regardless of how ineffectual vampire vigilantes might seem to be, it was remiss on the part of the 'head' vampire to allow two mortals to openly flaunt their knowledge of his kind and their intention of murdering him and his family. These young gentlemen should have been quietly disposed of long before the events of the film. Arrogance has its place, but it should also have its limits.

In all other respects, my kind are presented as well in The Lost Boys as could be hoped for. Would that it were so in most of the other vampire movies inflicted upon the public.