[Mother of Fears] These Boys Need A Mother in The Lost Boys (1987)

Welcome to Mother of Fears – a monthly column that will explore the various roles that mothers play within the horror genre. Mothers are a staple feature in horror movies, and yet, their stories, motivations, representations, and relationships with their children are so varied and complex that we never feel like we’re watching the same story twice. Every month I will take a look at a different mother from the world of horror, explore their story, and look at how they fit into the broader representation of women in horror.

The Lost Boys (1987) may be the perfect ‘80s vampire movie, but it’s also a lot of other things. It’s the quintessential representation of American summertime. It’s the story of trying to fit in as a teenager and find your place in the world. It’s a love story full of perms and leather jackets. And most importantly for Mother of Fears, it’s the story of a mother trying to do what’s best for her two sons in the wake of a messy divorce. 

We’re introduced to Lucy Emerson (Dianne Wiest) and her two sons, Michael and Sam, on their first day in Santa Carla, the apparent murder capital of the world. Lucy has had to move in with her father, Grandpa, after relocating from Phoenix in the wake of divorcing the brothers’ unseen and barely talked about father.

So many horror films start with families moving across the country either for happy reasons (such as a new job) or less happy reasons (such as escaping past mistakes or having to downsize due to money troubles), but what stands out  about the Emerson family is how they are trying to make the best of the situation and stay united as a family. Lucy mentions how hard the past year has been, but the first scene featuring the family sees them laughing and joking over the radio. It’s obvious that they have a strong bond as a family as there’s no petty squabbling or drama here. Instead, both brothers recognise the sacrifices their mother has made to get them into a better situation and to get herself out of an obviously unhappy marriage without the added stress of a big legal battle.

This has left them “flat broke” according to Lucy, but everyone is trying to make the best of the situation. Grandpa welcomes his daughter and grandsons into his home without any stress, apart from marking his shelf of snacks in the fridge, though it’s clear he wishes his daughter was able to at least profit from the divorce. However, much like her sons, her father only wants the outcome that’s going to make her happiest in the long run.

Not only is Lucy caring and loving towards her own family, but she is seen trying to help others as much as possible. Not long after arriving in town, Lucy gives money to children rummaging in the bins for something to eat despite being low on cash herself. And when hunting for a job in town she immediately notices a lost-looking child and helps reunite him with his mother. 

It’s this kindness that draws the attention of video store owner Max. Not only does Max seem attracted to her generous nature, but he also recognises that she needs a job and offers her one right away. Aside from helping her out in her time of need, Max also has romantic intentions towards Lucy. While we don’t know all the details of her past marriage, it seems clear that she was left feeling unhappy, undervalued, and unloved. She mentions how long it’s been since anyone asked her to dinner, so we can guess that her ex-husband wasn’t the most caring of partners. And while the introduction of a new man into the family is often a point of contention in movies, Lucy’s children are very respectful of their mother’s choice to date. Sure, things get a little confusing when Michael ends up as half a vampire, and Sam thinks Max might be the head vampire. But fang-toothed troubles aside, the brothers are never hateful towards their mother for wanting to date, and never mention anything about their father to her. Again, it’s not clear what happened during the divorce, but as both boys are happily living with their mother, it’s obvious that they chose to live with her and relocate without any drama. 

In fact, the way Lucy talks to Michael and Sam, and vice versa, is what really marks them apart from a lot of horror movie families. There is respect and understanding in almost every conversation that they have as a family. Lucy calls Michael and asks him to babysit Sam while she’s on a date. The only reason he’s hesitant is that he’s literally transforming into a vampire, but even then he manages to be far more courteous than your average movie teen. Similarly, Lucy doesn’t lay on the guilt or force Michael to help her. She merely reminds him that she’s entitled to an adult social life as well. It’s all very grown-up and civil. 

Another thing that marks Lucy apart from other horror movie parents, especially in the ‘80s, is that she’s very present and there for her kids. Usually, horror movies focus on the escapades of teenagers, with all the adults in town mysteriously absent. But Lucy is at home, or she’s calling from work to check on her boys and make sure they are looked after. She even calls from one of her dates with Max. These phone calls aren’t from a lack of trust, but purely from love for her children and wanting to check in on them. She notes that because she’s working during the day she’s not seeing Michael much, due to his vampire activities, and she doesn’t want Sam to be alone all night if they’re both out of the house. Everything she does radiates love for her children, and it’s clear she’s trying to make sure this new life they’ve been forced into is the best it can be.

And when things start to get a little bit weird, Lucy is far more understanding than a lot of horror movie parents would be, even if she is more than a little doubtful about the whole vampire theory, to begin with. When Sam starts freaking out on the phone to Lucy, she leaves mid-date without even telling Max where she’s going. Getting home to her children is the most important thing on her mind, and she doesn’t waste a second on anything else. 

When Sam is unable to sleep, claiming a horror comic got him riled up, Lucy lets him sleep in her bed no questions asked. There’s no judgment or mocking, but instead, she  comforts him. And even though she’s not sold on the idea of vampires, she recognises the sincerity of Sam’s fear enough to be worried about him. Again, she leaves a date early to return home with Max to check that Sam is okay which is a vital part of why the whole family has such a strong bond. Even if vampires sound out of the question, she doesn’t do what horror parents usually do and just dismiss the way their kids are feeling. She sees her son is scared and she responds to it, even if she can’t understand the reasoning. 

While Michael pulls away from his mother a little - which could be attributed to him being older or the whole vampire thing - Sam has an incredibly strong relationship with his mother. He’s not afraid to ask to sleep in her bed or ask her to shut the closet door because he knows she’ll understand. His first response when he finds out Michael is a vampire is worrying about what their mother will think, and he’s clearly not comfortable lying to her about it 

When it’s clear that something is really wrong with Michael, rather than pushing him or punishing him, she tries to communicate with him like an adult. “Hey, aren’t we friends anymore? Let’s act like friends, let’s talk.” There’s no motherly guilt here, but instead, she wants him to talk to her because they’re friends, not because she’s his mother and he feels like he has to. She’s very chill and understanding about whatever is going on, and it’s clear that she would offer assistance to Michael in any way possible rather than dole out threats or punish him. And the only reason Michael isn’t communicating with his mother is partly due to him not really understanding what is happening to him, and partly because he wants to keep her safe from David and his gang. Even if it’s hurtful to shut her out, he’s doing what he thinks is best in the long run. 

A final point that solidifies Lucy as one of the best horror mothers is that she never lets her new relationship form a wedge between her and her children, and more importantly, she never chooses Max over Sam and Michael. It’s clear she’s excited to start dating again, and Max seems like the perfect eligible bachelor. She’s embarrassed by the way Sam acts at dinner with the Frog brothers, but she still thinks over the things Sam has said to the point where she can’t ignore him. She wants to make things work with Max but she’s not above cutting dates short to ensure that her family is happy and functioning. 

In the end, it turns out that Lucy has been the reason behind most of what has happened because Max is indeed the head vampire. Recognising that David and his friends are out of control and refusing to listen to his authority anymore, Max decides that what they need is a mother. Like Wendy in Peter Pan (1953), it seems as though these Lost Boys need a mother because they’ve forgotten what it’s like to have one.

Not only would Max have his vampire queen, but Lucy would hopefully provide the discipline to David and the others that Max is unable to. However, even Max realises how hard a sell this would be, and so he enlisted David to induct Michael into the vampire gang, hoping that once Michael, and eventually Sam, were turned into vampires, Lucy would have no reason to turn down his offer.

With Michael already half transformed, and Max threatening Sam’s life, Lucy hardly hesitates before she gives into Max. She wants to protect her children, and she wants to remain with her family even if it means being turned into a monster. Max knew from the moment he met her helping a lost child that the most important thing in the world to her were her sons, and he used that knowledge to manipulate her. He played the perfect date while Michael was beaten down and turned into a vampire in the background, knowing she was unlikely to believe them even if her sons did clue her in on what was happening.

Luckily, Grandpa is a little more in the know about the vampire situation in Santa Carla than he first let on, and turns up to save the day and finally get rid of the head vampire. Even in the aftermath of the night’s carnage, Lucy is most overjoyed at the fact her children are safe, and Michael has returned to normal. 

The strangeness of the whole situation could easily have torn this family apart, but the bond they all had before any vampires got involved was clearly too strong to break. Even with all the strangeness going on of moving to a new town and murderous monsters, Lucy always places her children first. She stands out from so many other horror mothers of the era because she is always present, always there for her children, and even Max thinks she’s the answer to all his problems. She may be able to fix her family post-divorce, but even she would have found it difficult to mother the damn vampire population in Santa Carla.

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