IMDb > Near Dark (1987)
Near Dark
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Near Dark (1987) More at IMDbPro »

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Near Dark (1987) -- A young man reluctantly joins a travelling "family" of evil vampires, when the girl he'd tried to seduce is part of that group.

Overview

User Rating:
7.0/10   9,952 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 90% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Kathryn Bigelow (written by) and
Eric Red (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Near Dark on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
2 October 1987 (USA) more
Tagline:
Killing you would be easy, they'd rather terrify you...forever. more
Plot:
A young man reluctantly joins a travelling "family" of evil vampires, when the girl he'd tried to seduce is part of that group. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
1 win & 8 nominations more
User Comments:
Best Vampire Flick Ever! more (173 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Adrian Pasdar ... Caleb Colton
Jenny Wright ... Mae

Lance Henriksen ... Jesse Hooker

Bill Paxton ... Severen

Jenette Goldstein ... Diamondback

Tim Thomerson ... Loy Colton

Joshua John Miller ... Homer (as Joshua Miller)
Marcie Leeds ... Sarah Colton
Kenny Call ... Deputy Sheriff
Ed Corbett ... Ticket Seller
Troy Evans ... Plainclothes Officer
Bill Cross ... Sheriff Eakers
Roger Aaron Brown ... Cajun Truck Driver
Thomas Wagner ... Bartender
Robert Winley ... Patron in Bar
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Additional Details

Runtime:
94 min | Sweden:86 min (cut version)
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Filming Locations:
Company:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
While shooting in the desert, Lance Henriksen relieved the boredom between takes by hopping in his car and taking short drives through the desert, still in costume and often staying in character. According to Henriksen and Bill Paxton, the two were stopped by a policeman who became so unnerved questioning Jesse about his speeding that the officer became visibly uncomfortable, stepping back and placing his hand on his firearm. The obviously flustered officer decided to send them on their way rather than write them a ticket. more
Goofs:
Crew or equipment visible: When Caleb punches the truck driver in the bar, the driver goes flying. You can see the cord which helps pull the driver across the room and into the pool table. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Caleb Colton: [crushing a mosquito] Dumb suck.
more
Movie Connections:
Soundtrack:
FEVER more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
25 out of 33 people found the following comment useful.
Best Vampire Flick Ever!, 11 October 2003
8/10
Author: Lt_Coffey_182 from Portsmouth, England

I hunted this film for ages and then it came out on DVD, so I had to buy it. Originally, it was purely due to the cast. I thought it would be good though and I was not let down, in fact, my expectations were well exceeded. Near Dark is my favourite vampire film and I am proud to be part of the cult following this film has gathered years since its release.

The camera work is great, Bigelow does a really great job in the director's chair and always does her best to make a film look as visually impressive as possible; it's hard to believe this was a low budget movie. The screenplay for the film is excellent and very original. Near Dark is very different to other vampire films and it really is refreshing to watch something so different. Where most vampire films bathe in Gothic undertones and romanticise themselves, Near Dark is much more subtle, even to the point where the word 'vampire' is not included within the picture. I can see why Kathryn Bigelow and James Cameron ended up married briefly as they both have similar integrity when it comes to film making.

The casting of the movie is its best point. The Aliens trio of Paxton, Goldstein and Henriksen were brilliant in this. Paxton and Henriksen are two of my favourite actors and I believe this is the best character Paxton has ever played, even Hudson does not compare to the mighty Severen! These three actors all excel at playing ruthless characters and do a great job at making Near Dark as entertaining as possible. In the midst of all the carnage, Adrian Pasdar and Jenny Wright do very well in bringing Near Dark down to earth. The chemistry between the two is very good and the characters are effective as they provide contrast between the other main characters.

I feel I must talk about the bar scene. As soon as that music kicks in, you know some on screen magic is about to happen. This is where the Aliens cast members really shine. Paxton is spitting out more clichés than he is blood. Also, as a big Terminator fan, I had to notice the bar patron as the T-2 'You forgot to say please' guy. I think he should stay away from bars from now on! This is what the film builds up to and this is the turning point of the film from a mainly character piece to a nail biting thriller. This is one of the most enjoyable and memorable scenes you will ever see.

Near Dark is a fantastic film, sadly overlooked due to people drawing too many comparisons between this and Lost Boys. This is far superior to Lost Boys as this has far more substance and more than one memorable character. With gruesome imagery, streams of blood and Bill Paxton and Lance Henriksen, this is the ultimate vampire film.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Near Dark (1987)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Who's your favorite Near Dark character? SleepKills
Michael Biehn's role? randomhero81
Can't Place The Faces Of The Cast? kenenation-1
i'm in shock... and not in a good way. (spoiler) strangemagic
remake!!!????... avo4077
Near Dark Blu-Ray styxandcreedfan
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