Near Dark has filmmaking finesse to spare, but puts its dank characters on display rather than cadging sympathy for them. It is the Blue Velvet of date-night spook shows.
Comment
10/14/08
Near Dark (1987)
93 %
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted: 41
Fresh: 38
Rotten:3
Average Rating: 7.5/10
Consensus: Near Dark is at once a creepy vampire film, a thrilling western, and a poignant family tale, with humor and scares in abundance.
Runtime: 1 hr 39 mins
Genre: Horror/Suspense
Synopsis: A young cowboy is seduced by a new girl in town only to find out he has been kissed by a vampire. Slowly turning into a creature of the night, he is persuaded to join up with the girl and a roaming... [More]
Starring: Adrian Pasdar, Lance Henriksen, Jenny Wright, Jenette Goldstein
Director: Kathryn Bigelow
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Reviews for Near Dark
Top CriticOne of the better vampire films.
04/16/08
... both ferocious and lyrical, a moody horror film with the frontier community romanticism of a John Ford Western and the violent ferocity of a Sam Peckinpah film.
03/05/08
No review available.
11/21/07
As much as it is a horror film and western, it is equally and perhaps more pronouncedly a romance.
10/30/07
Dark, bloody and very stylish, this genre-busting western-noir-vampire hybrid is a toothsome joy and definitely one of the best horror films of the 1980s.
09/26/07
Top CriticThis is on the whole a striking directorial debut, at once scary and erotic, with lots of sidelong touches in the casting, direction, and script.
09/26/07
Top CriticAn auspicious solo directing debut from Kathryn Bigelow.
09/26/07
Top CriticHigh-powered but pared down, slick but spare, this is a tale that introduces the unearthly into the banality of rural American existence.
09/26/07
Top CriticBigelow's artful handling of the magic and menace of the night is hauntingly apparent.
08/14/07
Top CriticStill by far Bigelow's best film, this seductive vampire tale is suffused with the unique beauty of the SouthWest and eerie pacing that enrich the narrative and elevate it to a reverie about the sanctity and unity of the family.
08/21/06
A subtle study in the seductiveness of evil and a terrifying ride to the edge of darkness.
01/26/06
Top CriticNo review available.
11/05/05
No review available.
10/09/05
No review available.
06/26/05
No review available.
05/06/05
Southern-fried vampire-noir romance action horror tragedy. I love this movie.
04/03/05
[A]n intense film, an eerie depiction of the isolated, empty middle of America... surprisingly haunting...
11/02/04
The great Kathryn Bigelow made her solo directorial debut, and managed to emphasize the relationships between the characters while using the gory showstoppers as support.
05/17/04
Latest News for Near Dark
December 18, 2008:
Twilight and History's Coolest Vampires - An RT Guide
With the teenage nice guy vampire of Twilight catching the hearts of 12-16-year-old girls all over the world, it's time to cast a backward glance at style-leading vampire... More...
December 12, 2008:
Brad Fuller Declares Near Dark Remake Dead 
That long-in-the-works "Near Dark" remake will remain unreleased: According to producer Brad Fuller, "Twilight" has cornered the market on vampire love stories. More...
August 22, 2008:
Further Reading: Hammer Horror's MySpace Revival Stumbles
Does a new collection of webisodes hosted on MySpace and featuring tabloid teen favourites Jamie Dornan and Lois Winstone constitute a revival of the Hammer Horror film? Not so,... More...
July 17, 2007:
Kathryn Bigelow to Tackle Iraq War Drama
Jeremy Renner, Brian Geraghty, and Anthony Mackie have signed on to star in Kathryn Bigelow's Iraq War drama The Hurt Locker. Plus, we can expect brief appearances from Ralph... More...
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