Near Dark

Near Dark
Company type	Independent film
Industry	Film
Founded	1987
Founder	Kathryn Bigelow (director and co-writer)
Products	Neo-Western horror film

Near Dark is a 1987 American neo-Western horror film co-written and directed by Kathryn Bigelow as her first solo feature. The cast includes Adrian Pasdar, Jenny Wright, Bill Paxton, Lance Henriksen, and Jenette Goldstein. The narrative centers on a young man from a small Oklahoma community who becomes entangled with a wandering clan of American vampires.

Despite failing to achieve commercial success initially, the movie was met with favorable critical reception and has since gained a devoted cult audience.

Plot

In rural Oklahoma, Caleb Colton meets Mae, a drifter who bites him before dawn, triggering his change into a vampire. Mae’s vampire group arrives in an RV; Severen, the group's unstable member, wants Caleb eliminated, but Jesse Hooker, the leader, grants Caleb a week to prove his worth. Caleb struggles with the need to kill to survive, leading to tension; Mae safeguards him by feeding on his behalf.

The vampire group engages in violent acts such as murdering bar customers and setting fires. Caleb’s hesitation to kill causes friction, yet his courage during a police confrontation temporarily earns their trust. Jesse reveals his history as a Confederate soldier from the Civil War, implying he is over 150 years old.

Caleb's father searches for the vampires. Homer, a child vampire, tries to convert Caleb’s sister Sarah, but Caleb intervenes. When Caleb’s father confronts the group with a firearm, sunlight floods the room causing chaos; the vampires flee and Caleb escapes with his family.

An unexpected blood transfusion reverses Caleb's vampirism. Later, Sarah is kidnapped by the vampires; Mae assists Caleb in rescuing her despite being injured by sunlight exposure. Caleb kills Severen by running him over with a truck; Jesse and Diamondback pursue them but die as dawn breaks.

Mae survives after receiving a transfusion similar to Caleb’s and is cured of vampirism. The film concludes with Caleb comforting Mae as they face an uncertain future together.

Cast

Adrian Pasdar as Caleb Colton
Jenny Wright as Mae
Lance Henriksen as Jesse Hooker
Bill Paxton as Severen
Jenette Goldstein as Diamondback
Joshua John Miller as Homer
Marcie Leeds as Sarah Colton
Tim Thomerson as Loy Colton
Troy Evans as Plainclothes Police Officer
Roger Aaron Brown as Cajun Truck Driver
James LeGros as Teenage Cowboy
Billy Beck as Motel Manager
S.A. Griffin as Police Officer at Motel
Neith Hunter as Lady in Truck
Theresa Randle as Lady in Truck

Production

Near Dark emerged amid the 1980s revival of American vampire cinema, alongside films like Fright Night, Once Bitten, Vamp, The Lost Boys, and The Monster Squad. Kathryn Bigelow originally intended to create a Western film, but financial constraints led her and co-writer Eric Red to merge Western elements with vampire mythology—a fusion previously explored in movies such as Curse of the Undead (1959) and Billy the Kid Versus Dracula (1966).

Bigelow, who later married director James Cameron, cast three actors from Cameron’s Aliens (1986)—Paxton, Goldstein, and Henriksen—in prominent roles. Michael Biehn declined the part of Jesse Hooker due to confusion over the script, resulting in Henriksen’s casting. A cinema marquee advertising Aliens appears early in the movie, and Cameron makes a cameo appearance.

Soundtrack

The electronic music ensemble Tangerine Dream released their thirty-second major album and tenth soundtrack with Near Dark in 1988, distributed by Varèse Sarabande.

Release

Near Dark had its debut screening at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 12, 1987.

Box office

Opening on October 2, 1987, in 262 theaters, Near Dark generated $635,789 during its first weekend and increased its presence to 429 theaters in the following week. The film’s total box office revenue reached $3.4 million, which did not recoup its $5 million production budget.

Director Kathryn Bigelow attributed the film's modest financial results to its release being too close to The Lost Boys, which premiered two months earlier across 1,542 screens backed by Warner Bros.' extensive marketing and distribution. In contrast, Near Dark was an independent production with limited promotional capabilities.

Critical response

As part of a late-1980s resurgence of serious vampire-themed cinema, Near Dark earned predominantly favorable critiques for its unique fusion of Western, biker, and vampire genres. It holds an 83% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 75 critical reviews, with an average score of 7.4 out of 10. The site's consensus praises it as "a chilling vampire movie, an exciting western, and a touching family story, rich with humor and suspense."

Reviewers commended Bigelow’s direction and visual approach. Jonathan Rosenbaum of the Chicago Reader described it as "exquisitely filmed," while Hal Hinson from The Washington Post highlighted its combination of "lavish, bloody excitement" and authentic emotional depth. Richard Corliss of Time referred to it as "strange yet beautiful," calling it "the quintessential teenage vampire love story." Peter Travers from Rolling Stone characterized the film as both "gruesome and stunning."

Alan Jones of Radio Times awarded four stars, dubbing it a "1980s horror classic" and "one of the finest vampire films ever produced," emphasizing strong performances by Lance Henriksen and Bill Paxton. Additionally, the film has been examined for its queer subtext in the portrayal of vampire characters, especially Severen.

Home media

In 1988, Near Dark was made available on VHS, followed by a LaserDisc release from HBO Video in 1989. The film was later issued on DVD by Anchor Bay Entertainment in 2002 and subsequently released on Blu-ray through Lionsgate Home Entertainment in November 2009.

Cancelled remake

A remake was announced in October 2006 as a joint venture between Rogue Pictures and Platinum Dunes, with Samuel Bayer slated to direct. However, by December 2008, producer Bradley Fuller confirmed that production was suspended due to thematic overlaps with Twilight, particularly regarding the romantic relationship between human and vampire characters.

External links

Bright Lights Film Journal essay