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      Near Dark

      R Released Oct 2, 1987 1h 35m Horror Western List
      83% Tomatometer 75 Reviews 74% Audience Score 10,000+ Ratings Cowboy Caleb Colton (Adrian Pasdar) meets gorgeous Mae (Jenny Wright) at a bar, and the two have an immediate attraction. But when Mae turns out to be a vampire and bites Caleb on the neck, their relationship gets complicated. Wracked with a craving for human blood, Caleb is forced to leave his family and ride with Mae and her gang of vampires, including the evil Severen. Along the way Caleb must decide between his new love of Mae and the love of his family. Read More Read Less
      Near Dark

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      Critics Consensus

      Near Dark is at once a creepy vampire film, a thrilling western, and a poignant family tale, with humor and scares in abundance.

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      Critics Reviews

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      Sara Michelle Fetters MovieFreak.com As a kid, I was spellbound. As an adult, each revisit brings me new pleasures as I discover layers to Bigelow’s chilling horror masterwork I hadn’t noticed before. Rated: 4/4 Dec 1, 2022 Full Review Henry Sheehan Chicago Reader The film’s purgation of terror is as vital and energizing as can be possible. This is one hell of a movie. Rated: 3/4 May 10, 2022 Full Review Mike Daly The Age (Australia) An awkward blend of horror spoof and genuine shocker. Mar 26, 2021 Full Review Josh Larsen LarsenOnFilm ...boasts one of the horror genre’s most unique milieus. Rated: 3.5/4 Oct 5, 2022 Full Review Henry Sheehan Los Angeles Reader It's the air of deep, neurotic melancholy that makes Near Dark work. The film's rhythm is set by lonely, nighttime vistas, incantatory shots of the sun setting and rising. Aug 12, 2022 Full Review Joe Lipsett Horror Queers Podcast A collision of genres that shouldn't work, but absolutely does, in no small part thanks to its punk rock visual aesthetic. With Near Dark, Bigelow established herself as one of the most vibrant working directors in contemporary American cinema Rated: 4.5/5 Apr 25, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

      Audience Reviews

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      Emanuele B I would hardly label this one as a "vampire movie". It lacks all the darkness and dread and sensuality of a legit, classic vampire movie. In my opinion this is more of a "dark love story" with a very few and mostly harmless outbursts of violence and blood. Director Kathryn Bigelow delivers a visually stylish, deeply romantic love story with an amazing soundtrack by Tangerine Dream and perfect casting choices. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/13/24 Full Review Elew G A great favorite of mine from my teens. Great cast, and tale. It would be five stars, but I remember when I first saw it the end way out pulled me from suspended belief into disappointment. Thats is by no means a reason not to see this film. It really is great. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/02/24 Full Review Jay H An unusual - and terrific - vampire movie. Bill Paxton gives a standout performance. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 04/04/24 Full Review GPhonse257 This movie is probably in my top 5 best vampire movies of all time. And it has a wild wild west theme to it, which is innovative and has never been done before. Great actors, with good character development between them all. And the movie music score throughout different points of the film is awesome, because they matched the tone, vibe and mood of of the different settings and moments. I have nothing bad to say about this movie at all. And that's saying alot! Although this is a vampire movie...it didn't need a whole lot of blood, gore, and long scary vampire fangs to get it's point across. This is one of the rare horror movies, when "less is more" was done exceptionally well. This movie is an underrated vampire movie masterpiece. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/26/24 Full Review chris h This is a underrated masterpiece.everything about this movie is on point and entertaining.Must see if you like vampire movies.Great cast. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/05/23 Full Review J D ho-hum to start to Bigelow's career, more B movie Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 10/09/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      Near Dark

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      Movie Info

      Synopsis Cowboy Caleb Colton (Adrian Pasdar) meets gorgeous Mae (Jenny Wright) at a bar, and the two have an immediate attraction. But when Mae turns out to be a vampire and bites Caleb on the neck, their relationship gets complicated. Wracked with a craving for human blood, Caleb is forced to leave his family and ride with Mae and her gang of vampires, including the evil Severen. Along the way Caleb must decide between his new love of Mae and the love of his family.
      Director
      Kathryn Bigelow
      Producer
      Steven-Charles Jaffe
      Screenwriter
      Kathryn Bigelow, Eric Red
      Distributor
      Paramount Pictures, Anchor Bay Entertainment, Image Entertainment Inc.
      Production Co
      Near Dark Joint Venture
      Rating
      R
      Genre
      Horror, Western
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Oct 2, 1987, Original
      Release Date (DVD)
      Mar 7, 2006
      Box Office (Gross USA)
      $2.5M
      Runtime
      1h 35m
      Sound Mix
      Surround