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. (imdb)
Cast and Information
Directed By: Kathryn Bigelow
Written By: Kathryn Bigelow, Eric Red
Starring: Lance Henriksen, Bill Paxton, Tim Thomerson, Adrian Pasdar, Troy Evans, Jenny Wright, Jenette Goldstein, Joshua John Miller, Marcie Leeds, Bill Cross, Kenny Call, Ed Corbett
Genres: Drama, Suspense/Thriller, Horror, Western
Country: USA
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Near Dark belongs to 38 collections
1. Female Directors (collaborative: moderated by djross - 90 stars)
2. Psychotronic Film and Video Guides (collaborative: moderated by Gregzilla - 40 stars)
3. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2010 revision) (collaborative: moderated by MMAlpha - 32 stars)
4. The Guardian's 1000 films to see before you die (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 30 stars)
5. Onion AV Club: The New Cult Canon (collaborative: moderated by theficionado - 28 stars)
6. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2017 revision) (collaborative: moderated by iconogassed - 22 stars)
7. Edgar Wright 1000 Favorite Movies (Aug 2016) (collaborative: moderated by Aron Ericson - 17 stars)
8. B-Movie (collaborative - 15 stars)
9. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2020 revision) (public: djross - 14 stars)
10. Vampire (collaborative: moderated by td888 - 13 stars)
11. Films available in HD (collaborative: moderated by kubricksucks - 13 stars)
12. Road Trip (collaborative: moderated by td888 - 12 stars)
13. The Gentlemen's Guide To Midnight Cinema Podcast (collaborative: moderated by Coheed - 9 stars)
14. Synth soundtrack or score (collaborative: moderated by Ag0stoMesmer - 8 stars)
15. List: Taschen (collaborative: moderated by KasperL - 6 stars)
16. Slant Magazine's 100 Greatest Horror Films of All Time (collaborative: moderated by edsu - 5 stars)
17. Horror (public: fruititself - 4 stars)
18. Horror (public: horrorjames - 4 stars)
19. Weird West (collaborative: moderated by Shmendrek - 2 stars)
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23. Women Directors (public: drh - 1 star)
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| Stars | User | Rating | |
| 4 |  |
hellsditch | 82 73rd |
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A western-tinged vampire movie? Yes please. One of the most well made horror flicks I've seen in quite some time (sad that I have to go back to 1987 to find one), that although it doesn't really generate any scares, it delivers tension-filled scenes in spades. The "will he or won't he" scene with Mae, Jesse and the big rig driver--especially--had me bolted upright with queasy anticipation. Can't leave out Paxton's performance as the shades and spurs wearing psychopath. A true horror original.
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| 3 |  |
BillyShears | 80 77th |
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One of the hardest blurbs to write is the one you do after watching Near Dark, trying not to just write "Bill Paxton!" over and over again. It's a tremendous scene chewing masterclass of being the rare cool vampire, most vampires think they neat but baby they suck Heh. I reach up horse assholes for a living, a little vampirism is nothing. - Caleb's dad
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| 3 |  |
Luna6ix | 75 52nd |
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It's got a couple good spots, but the uneven pacing, lack of eventfulness, and a plethora of unlikable characters bog it down. The idea is fine, but if it could have brought up the scary a few pegs and pasted in some more violence, then we would have gotten a keeper.
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| 3 |  |
Paxton | 69 56th |
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Bill Paxton absolutely loses it in a bar, and we the viewers win.
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| 3 |  |
Jasongirl67 | 100 94th |
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In my opinion
A quintessential vampire movie Point Blank Period !
It has a lot of different genre’s
It’s a western and a love story
It’s a tale of two families
A family of vampires and a family trying to save their son
Best scene in my opinion
When the vampires show up at the bar and decide to raise some hell
Bill Paxton is one Bad Ass Mother F****R…… Well You Can Probably Figure Out The Rest!
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| 3 |  |
offlineoz | 55 38th |
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Under Quarantine Film Reviews #47: Bill Paxton chews the hell out of every scene he's in. Would much rather the film be about him and Lance Henriksen, instead of the two wet pieces of cardboard that were the leads.
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| 2 |  |
terrymac | 75 72nd |
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Wasn't sure what to expect with this one, but I did rather enjoy it. It's made with a sense of efficiency, in that nothing seems to be explored or explained particularly deeply, but it's also very capably made and cast, such that some of the shortcomings can be overlooked. The three Aliens alumni are good value for money, even if the casting of the romantic leads isn't particularly inspiring. An odd sort of vampire/romance/horror/western mash-up, with lots of great Paxton action.
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| 2 |  |
Kojiless | 60 65th |
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Alive since the Civil War and not once did he think to get a blood transfusion? Shame, shame. Nice little tip of the hat to Henriksen and Paxton when the family passes through a town and the local theater is showing "Aliens."
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| 2 |  |
Enthusiast | 75 67th |
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The ostentatious "vampire movie meets Western" affectation actually works in this film's favor, as the stark and desolate Texas settings beautifully highlight the disparities between night and day which are so crucial to these characters. With a proper ending this could have been gold, but it's still reasonably endearing.
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| 2 |  |
Vandelay1 | 76 87th |
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very good
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| 2 |  |
MArkjp | 85 80th |
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Interesting vampire film with a good part of the cast from Aliens (Vasquez and Bishop as bloodthirsty nightwalkers, hell yeah). It has some inventive scenes that are obvious influences on Cameron and Rodriguez and although the plot seems to take some quantum leaps here and there and character development at points moves faster than the wings of my pet hummingbird, this is a really neat 80s vampire flick
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| 2 |  |
Trooth | 67 43rd |
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It suffers a lot due to an unlikable main character, tying into a female lead who becomes equally unlikable due to falling for the unlikable male lead. I think the movie would work a lot better if it leaned into the assholery of these two, rather than playing them up as sympathetic, because all of the side characters are genuinely interesting and bizarre. There's a weird freaky indie movie hidden somewhere under the guise of this traditional romance plot that drags everything else down.
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| 2 |  |
Groovy_Souls | 65 47th |
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Near Dark is a film that does and should pride itself on its style. An early Bigelow film that definitely foreshadows what she'll become, but still leaves enough to be desired. The cast does alright, and the story, although unique, isn't great, but this film definitely gets some points for coolness alone.
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| 1 |  |
MartinTeller | 72 41st |
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Not nearly as cool as it seemed at the time. Interesting cast, though.
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| 1 |  |
Filligan | 69 19th |
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Rich Evans was right: the ending isn't good. Some great performances (Paxton, Henriksen) and solid direction from Bigelow raise this above mediocrity. It's nice to see a vampire flick that doesn't batter audiences with the "rules," but rather expects us to know them going in. Nothing is outright stated, which lends to the authenticity and mood of the film. Location, too, is a wise choice.
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| 1 |  |
slidercc | 90 91st |
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Vampires plus the 80's = win!
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| 1 |  |
irvinejump | 60 46th |
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the best part of this film is the nomadic lifestyle the vampires live, especially the youngest who's actually a middle aged pervert. Personally, it's the performances that stand out most, especially Jenete Goldstein, lance Henriksen and the kid who's name escapes me
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| 1 |  |
Pickpocket | 4 35th |
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Bigelow takes a silly subject (vampires) and attempts to make it serious. I guess she succeeded in that regard but it's still about vampires and thus is going to be silly. The ending is god awful and cliched and you really hope it doesn't end up there but sadly it does. None of the characters are very likable either, especially the lead who gives one of the most wooden performances I've ever seen. Has some cool scenes, like the scene in the bar, but it drags at times and gets old pretty fast.
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| 1 |  |
TheDiceman | 55 49th |
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Pretty good vampire flick.
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| 1 |  |
GravyMaximus | 75 76th |
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Paxton and Henriksen make this movie superior to that 'other' 80's vampire flick in every way.
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| 1 |  |
gogokain | 75 80th |
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Watching this now is refreshing after the super serious romanticized vampire flick onslaught of the past 15 years or so. Some of the dialogue is awkward in spots, and Jenny Wright is painful to watch. Henriksen rules (as usual) though, making up for it. The effects at the end are damned horrible. I know it was the 80's, but come on, it had to look like shit then too. Flawed but fun.
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| 1 |  |
PeaceAnarchy | 82 67th |
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Not a film that would ever be a favourite I enjoyed it. It's a vampire story that, while never truly original, has enough sparks of originality to make it shine and a compelling enough inner struggle by the lead to keep the intrigue going. I like the way the film deals with his struggle with the weight of inevitability of vampirism trusting the audience to understand based on reactions without explicit explanations, and it's got great atmosphere. I'm not so enthused by the ending, but it's ok.
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| 1 | Skenkere | 70 57th |
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Pretty good vampire flick, even if it feels a bit dated. What elevates it above standard fare is the cast, with Lance Henriksen being old and creepy, Paxton being ridiculous, a hot girl and a creepy kid. I liked the nomadic approach to vampires this took too. My biggest qualm is a central plot point involving vampirism being curable, but I'm trying to quell the nerd in me to not let that affect my opinion too much. Pretty decent flick overall, and surprisingly brutal in some scenes.
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| 1 |  |
MonsterGear | 54 13th |
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Pretty, uh, ridiculous actually. Didn't really get a huge kick out of it.
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| 1 |  |
Koalafish | 55 18th |
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Summary: A bunch of iditot vampires that - despite beeing around for ages - get caught completely off guard by the rising sun every single morning. The End. - Bill Paxton is great though, but that's about it.
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| 1 |  |
edkrak | 40 19th |
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There are too many directors in this world who think that slow pace automatically makes their films any good. It doesn't work this way and you can clearly see it here. It's totally forgetable vampire romance with uninteresting plot and characters.
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| 1 |  |
NathanDarko | 94 91st |
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Near Dark is one of the best vampire movies ever made. The final showdown is awesome and the movie has this nice 80's feeling. Lost Boys and Near Dark, my perfect bloodsucking double feature. Both thumb's up!
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| 1 |  |
moraesfelipe | 95 98th |
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Kathryn is one the finest filmmakers about male identity and the proof is this wonderful character study about a young dude divided in two -- he's a cowboy raised by his dad and loves his sister but, when he gets bit by the girl (and vampire) he suddenly fell in love with, he sees himself as part of another family. Seductive as hell -- Caleb can't bite people to drink their blood, so gets his food through Mae's blood --, Near Dark can only be filed next to The Addiction and Trouble Every Day.
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| 1 | moviesinhell | 75 54th |
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A vampire revamp of _Bonnie and Clyde_. This features great trashy locations (from seedy motels to funky roadside dives), stylish direction, and enough blood to paint a small town red.
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| 1 |  |
astrakhan | 81 80th |
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Surprisingly enjoyable, and surprisingly stylish vampire thriller with a host of recognisable faces. The music-video-like backlit night photography and synth soundtrack have obviously influenced its successors, but "Lost Boys" this is not. It's moody, dark, and quite rough around the edges in the more complex sequences but nevertheless packs a lot in. Has a pleasing minimalist/indie vibe going on which is lost in most modern (post-2000) filmmaking. A Bige-high in this director's career.
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| 1 |  |
overrated | 84 93rd |
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It's almost like Paris, Texas, except with vampire Bill Paxton burping after he drains someone of blood.
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| 1 |  |
gorejunky | 100 92nd |
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One of my favorite vampire genre movies. Has some great elements of horror, action and romance. Great ensemble cast with Adrian Pasdar being a standout. Very highly recommended!
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| 1 |  |
closedmouth | 60 20th |
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The cheese is fun for the first two acts, but once the vampires become the actual villains that the white-bread hero has to defeat, it loses a lot of its edge. Too many clichés played as though they're necessary and an unwillingness to have the protagonist do anything even mildly bad (he seriously doesn't kill a single person while he's a vampire? What?) had me rolling my eyes by the end. Bigelow has a nice touch from a directing standpoint, too bad about the writing.
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| 1 |  |
jbyn | 62 26th |
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The music from Tangerine Dreams is the first thing to welcome the moody atmosphere of Near Dark, and the cinematography helped keep me there. The silhouette shot of the group standing on a hill accented by the moonlight is a great example of this. Caleb and Mae's relationship reminded me of the film Only Lovers Left Alive. Fun shots were placed here and there that avoided the trap of of being too monotone.
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| 1 |  |
guy piranha | 60 40th |
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If I were a vampire, i'd prefer to roam places with high population density and few to zero sun exposure. Like, say, the desert. Well, what do I know? Bill paxton made it worthwhile, I guess. Everything else is underwhelming.
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| 1 | damil | 50 25th |
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I didn't like this much. The direction's not great, the dialogue's silly, and the performances are mostly bad. Bill Paxton's kinda awesome though. It was probably better when it came out in the '80s, and I think it was influential on future vampire films. It's okay for her first film as a solo director, but Kathryn Bigelow certainly became a better filmmaker.
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| 1 | myfavchords | 74 40th |
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This is an interesting vampire movie. Bill Paxton steals the movie with a very entertaining performance. The ending is disappointing but most of the rest of the film works.
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| 1 |  |
W00DY | 24 6th |
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This really is one awful pile of shite. The quality of the plot, dialogue and acting conspire together to produce a total borefest. Admittedly, there were some nice touches - the vampires on fire were pretty cool looking - and the cinematography and score were good, but this was in serious danger of being switched off on more than one occasion.
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| 1 |  |
adouble | 86 80th |
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My personal favorite vampire movie of all time. Career best performances by Bill Paxton and Lance Henriksen, some really great scenes (the bar scene is incredibly well done), and good direction from Kathryn Bigelow lift this above most 80s movies. The leads are not anything to write home about and the ending is kind of a mess, but the movie still ends up being satisfying despite this.
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| 1 |  |
KenMeisters | 58 33rd |
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Half the cast of 'Aliens' are vampires that are terribly bad at keeping track of time and always surprised that the sun is rising. Apparently this was supposed to be a western which probably would have been much better because in this state, it's rough and uneven.
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| 1 |  |
PianoSama | 70 82nd |
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The story on its own is honestly nothing spectacular, but it's the writing & attention to character that makes this a classic. On top of excellent performances by a phenomenal cast, the script is laced with clever dialogue & callbacks. The pacing is tight, & the characters are memorable & interesting. I didn't fully understand the transfusion stuff, but frankly the rest was good enough for me to ignore it. This stands as one of the most unique vampire movies of all time, & it's a damn good one.
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| Average Percentile 54.95% from 1192 Ratings |  |