The Lost Boys

    

The Lost Boys was released into theaters on July 31st, 1987. Filming locations include Aptos, Burbank, Rancho Palos Verdes, Santa Cruz and Valencia, Ca. The film was directed by Joel Schumacher, who would go on to direct genre film Flatliners, three years later. This was the film that Corey Feldman and Corey Haim initially met one another on. Including The Lost Boys, they would end up appearing in nine films and one television show (The Two Coreys) together over the span of their careers. The film features a stellar cast overall, with a blend of young, up coming actors along with established veterans. It also has a perfect score/soundtrack combination. The fabulous score was written and composed by Thomas Newman. But shockingly, aside from To the Shock of Miss Louise, it was never released as part of the films official soundtrack, or at all for that matter. However, if you look in the right places on the internet you'll be able to find almost the entire score. The soundtrack features a variety of rock themed songs and was one of the most popular rock soundtracks of the 80's. Some of the songs included are Lost in the Shadows (Lost Boys) by Lou Gramm, People Are Strange by Echo & The Bunnymen, Cry Little Sister by Gerard McMann and I Still Believe by Tim Cappello. The films first DVD release was on January 28th, 1998.  

Boardwalk - 400 Beach St. Santa Cruz, Ca. 95060
(Santa Cruz Boardwalk)

The boardwalk opened in 1907 and is California's oldest surviving amusement park. It extends along the coast of Monterey Bay from the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf south to the mouth of the San Lorenzo River. One of the boardwalk rides featured in the film is the Looff Carousel. It was made in 1911 by Danish woodcarver Charles I.D. Looff. Music for the carousel is provided by a 342-pipe Ruth und Sohn band organ built in 1894 and has played alongside the carousel since it first started operating. The cost of the carousel in 1911 was $18,000. Today, just a pair of the Looff horses featured on the ride are valued at more than that. Another ride featured in the film is the Giant Dipper roller coaster. It was built in 1924 by Arthur Looff, son of Charles I.D. Looff. It's currently the fifth oldest coaster in the U.S. that has continuously operated in it's original location. It's seventy feet high, 2,640 feet in length and travels up to 46 miles per hour. The Looff Carousel and Giant Dipper were both listed as National Historic Landmarks in 1987, coincidentally the same year as the film was released. The scene where they ride their motorcycles under the pier was done under the Municipal Wharf. The concert stage used in the film was destroyed in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. Despite this, the boardwalk still hosts a free "Friday Night Bands on the Beach" concert series every weekend June through August as well as a "Free Movies on the Beach" every Wednesday, June through August...with The Lost Boys usually being the first movie shown of the season. The parking lot where the security guard get's killed is between 3rd St. and the San Lorenzo River. Other notable movies filmed at the boardwalk over the years include Bumblebee, Chasing Mavericks, Dangerous Minds, Killer Klowns from Outer Space, Sudden Impact and Us.



All "Now" pictures taken in 2007.

All "Now" pictures taken in 2019.

2022

Laffing Sal at the entrance to Neptune's Kingdom.

Lucy, Michael & Sam arrive in Santa Carla -W. Cliff Dr. Santa Cruz, Ca. 95060

In the initial shot of Lucy, Michael and Sam driving into Santa Carla in their 1968 Toyota Land Cruiser, they're driving south on W. Cliff Dr. through Lighthouse Point Park and past the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum. They eventually pass a "Welcome to Santa Carla" billboard which was obviously constructed for the film. The Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce wasn't too keen on having their town dubbed "The Murder Capital of the World" so they made the filmmakers agree to change the name to the fictional town of Santa Carla. Today, in the spot of the billboard, sits an 18-foot bronze surfer statue which was erected in May of 1992.



2007

All "Now" pictures taken in 2019.

Whale snout - 526 Seabright Ave. Santa Cruz, CA. 95060

The name of the business that the whale snout protruded from is Day's Market and it's been in operation since the 1920's. The first time I visited Santa Cruz in 2007, while at the boardwalk, I had a conversation with a local police officer about the filming locations for The Lost Boys and he told me where the whale snout location was. Prior to that, I'd never seen or read anything on it's whereabouts. On my first visit, the ocean mural was still there but the whale snout was gone. The current owners of the market informed me that it was taken down for safety reasons. I had also heard that a delivery truck backed into it, breaking it off. On my second visit to the location in 2013, the mural was gone as well and the spot it had been at was painted the same color as the rest of the building, leaving no indication that it was ever there. On my third visit to the location in 2019, a new mural had been painted on the wall, which featured a whale which I thought was a pretty cool homage. One neat thing about this location though, is that you can actually see the building that's across the street being constructed in the movie.

2007 

2013 

2019

    

Grandpa's house - 333 Golf Club Dr. Santa Cruz. Ca. 95060

(Pogonip clubhouse)

The clubhouse was built in 1911 as the Casa del Rey Golf and Country Clubhouse. It closed in 1930 and then re-opened again in 1935 as the Pogonip Country Club. It was during this time that the golf course was converted to polo grounds. In 1936, a pool was built next to the clubhouse but it was filled in at some point during the mid 80's. The outline of the pool is still visible today. There were also tennis courts constructed which are still there, however they're overgrown with vegetation and have been unplayable for sometime. Today, the clubhouse is part of the 416 acre Pogonip park and trail system and provides spectacular views of the city of Santa Cruz down below. For the film, only the exterior of the clubhouse was used. The interior shots of Grandpa's house were filmed on stage 15 at Warner Bros. Studios.

2007

2013

All "Now" pictures taken in 2019.

A vintage photo of the clubhouse, when it had a pond in front.

A recent photo of the tennis courts, which is basically now a blackberry patch.

The filled-in pool.

Max's Video Store - 17 Municipal Wharf Suite D Santa Cruz, Ca. 95060

At the time of my visit, it was called the Santa Cruz Bay Company. It's located on the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf, just a stone's throw from the restaurant Lucy and Max dine at later in the film.

2007

2019

Comic book shop - 1020 Cedar St. Santa Cruz, Ca. 95060

(Atlantis Fantasyworld)

The original location of the comic book shop, as well as where it was located during the time of filming, was 707 Lower Pacific Ave. Santa Cruz, Ca. 95060. Not quite on the boardwalk, as the movie suggests. To block the street in front of the shop from view, they put up a fascade. Since filming, the comic book shop has moved twice. The first due to the shop being damaged beyond repair in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. It was then "temporarily moved" to the Tent City which was erected for destroyed businesses of the earthquake, from 1989 to 1992. In 1992, it moved to it's current location. When Sam first walks into the comic book shop, a rare Laffing Sal can be seen (and heard) behind him. There was no Laffing Sal at the comic book shop when I visited in 2007, however, a different one can currently be found on the boardwalk, near Neptune's Kingdom. It was purchased in a 2003 auction for $50,000 by Charles Canfield, president of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Joe Ferrara, the owner of the comic book shop can be seen in the background at the pinball machine, the second time Sam visits the shop. The "Destroy All Vampires" comic book featured in the film, can still be seen at the comic book shop today, on the wall behind the counter. They even allow Lost Boy fans to pose for a picture with it if they'd like. 

2007

The original location of Atlantis Fantasy World, where the comic book scenes were filmed.

Myself with Joe Ferrara and one of the custom comic books used in the film.

Roof gets torn off car - E. Cliff Dr. Santa Cruz, Ca. 95060

While flipping through a "Sad Sack" comic, freshly shoplifted from the Frog brothers comic book shop, two members of a rival gang are sucked out of their 1961 Plymouth Valient. This spot is one of, if not the best elevated view of the boardwalk.

2007

2019

The same spot, taken from a deleted scene.

Cave - Behind* 100 Terranea Way Rancho Palos Verdes, Ca. 90275

The interior of the cave was filmed on stage 12 at Warner Bros. Studios. The cave exterior was filmed roughly 270 miles south of the boardwalk, in Rancho Palos Verdes. The production built stairs that only went part of the way up the cliff. Aside from The Lost Boys, the cave can also be seen in Batman: The Movie (1966) and Charlie's Angels (2000). Martin Riggs' trailer from Lethal Weapon 2 also sat next to the cave. The cliff above the cave used to be home to Marineland of the Pacific. It operated from August 28th, 1954 to February 11th, 1987. During that span, episodes of The A Team, The Beverly Hillbillies, The Lucy Show, The Munsters, The Partridge Family, Sea Hunt, The Six Million Dollar Man and Wonder Woman were filmed there. The last remaining Marineland structure was removed in 2006. In 2007, construction began on the Terranea Resort and it was completed in 2009. Also above the cave, sits the Vanderlip Park which has walking trails and breathtaking views of the ocean as well as Catalina Island on a clear day. 

2007

All "Now" pictures taken in 2018.

2024

Looking out of the cave with Catalina Island visible in the distance.

Railroad trestle - 25311 Magic Mountain Pkwy. Valencia, Ca. 91355

(Iron Horse Trailhead)

During my first visit in 2007, restoration work was being done to the trestle and path. When I re-visited in 2013, the project was completed. Six Flags Magic Mountain is visible from the trestle, just across the I-5. Scenes from the movie Nothing But Trouble were also filmed at the trestle.

All "Now" pictures taken in 2007.

All "Now" pictures taken in 2021.

Looking at Magic Mountain from the trestle.

Sea Cloud - 49 Municipal Wharf B Santa Cruz, Ca. 95060

(Olitas Cantina & Grille)

Olitas Cantina & Grille has been at the location since 2003.

2019

Max's house - formerly* 440 Seaview Dr. Aptos, Ca. 95003

The house seen in the film was demolished in the early 90's. In 1995, the property sold for $330,000. The current house occupying the site was built in 1997. The spot of the roundabout driveway is now occupied by 426 & 430 Seaview Dr. The house seen in the background across the street while Sam's sitting in the Land Cruiser is 427 Seaview Dr.

I'd like to thank PaulH of Halloween Filming Locations for finding this location.

All "Now" pictures taken in 2022.

Sam & the Frog brothers gather holy water - 3400 W. Riverside Dr. Burbank, Ca. 91522

(Warner Brothers backlot)

As far as I know, this was the only outdoors scene filmed on the Warner Bros. backlot, with everything else being shot on location.

2016

Me with Kiefer Sutherland & Jason Patric in 2019.