I chatted with cast members of “The Lost Boys” Billy Wirth and Jamison Newlander; along with musician G Tom Mac, about the films legacy.
If you could describe your experience on “The Lost Boys”, what would it be and why?
G: For me, it would have to be synchronicity. Up until that time on all of the films I did previously, I was able to view the film before I wrote the songs. With “The Lost Boys”, it was quite the opposite.
Jamison: The movie was still shooting if I’m correct, G? Didn’t the track influence the final cut of the film?
G: I sent Joel Schumacher the demo of “Cry Little Sister” and he loved it. The song was the solid theme of the film. He said he was playing the song against everything was filming and that he wanted the song everywhere in the film. I thought “oh my god, overkill.” That’s the worst thing you could do. He wanted to put my voice over the opening shot going over the water, but I asked him to take it out. My manager at the time told me I was committing career suicide for telling him that.
Jamison: My word would have to be ‘eighties.’ As I’ve been thinking back, the movie was as eighties as you can get. The hair, the fashion, the look of the film..even the incredible soundtrack.
Billy: I was surrounded by so many incredible people on the cast and crew, who were so collaborative. The crazy thing about this project is that it just hasn’t stopped. It’s allowed relationships to grow. G and Jamison are like brothers. It’s allowed us to travel and meet the fans all over the place. It’s hard to just say one word though, man. It’s been blissful, enlightening..
Let me ask you something Nick. How did you discover the film?
I remember watching it when I was maybe six or seven. My older cousin had rented the movie from the local video store. I remember the film scaring the shit out of me, but I was captivated. As I got older, I would watch it back over and over, and I do still do to this day. That’s where my love of horror films come from. You guys helped spark that and I just to have thank all three of you for that.
G: The film has become immortal.
Billy: Yes, that too! It’s..such a profound thing.
G: Picking up on Billy’s last statement, he’s correct, it has been profound. Out of all the films I’ve worked on, this film is still in the global atmosphere.
Billy: I feel like G’s song and the film are inter-linked. People like you Nick who saw the film growing up and passed it down. We’ve met couples who have been fans of the film and that’s how they started dating. I saw an article maybe a year or so ago by some younger writer who said the film was the best vampire film ever. I guess it’s people around Nick’s age who loved the film growing up and now they’re in positions of some sort of power to write about it. It’s truly incredible.
G: This is why I started working on “The Lost Boys Musical” about five or six years ago..
Jamison: G getting in that PLUG! ::laughs::
G: I sat down and asked myself what the film is REALLY about. Sure, it’s about vampires, but it’s also about salvation, Frog brothers, brotherhood. All of these vignettes are explored in the musical.
Jamison: I’ve listened to the music and I love it. I really dig it. I think people who love the film will embrace it because you do explore areas that haven’t been before. Great job, G!
Billy, you played Dwayne in the film. How long did it take for you to get vamped up?
Billy: I remember meeting up with Brooke McCarter when I got to Los Angeles. We had the same agent at the time and he had been in a few other films prior, so he kind of guided me through the process of meeting with everyone.
Joel came up to me and assured me not to worry. I didn’t have much dialogue in the film but he said that the camera will find your presence.
G: It did. It REALLY did.
Billy: I remember at one point, some of my hair extensions fell out.
G: I remember when I first saw the final product, I noticed that Billy just gravitated toward the screen and the other actors. He had these moments of just nodding and looking at them which were just sensational. In the musical version, he’s MUCH more talkative ::laughs::
You had a quiet performance in Alan Frog as well. Honestly, I’ve always wanted to know more about Jamison’s character.
Billy: People have become so invested in these characters. Some people get invested in these characters because they see some of themselves in THEM. The other night, I had Jamison do a birthday wish to a friend of a friend. Apparently they watched the film in a cemetery and she just fell in love with his character.
Jamison: Joel did the same thing with me…he was VERY empowering. He told me to go to the special effects and the wardrobe department and develop my character. There are so much depth to the characters and I think that’s why the film was such a success.
I’m so sorry, but I have to jump off right now. From blood to family ::laughs::
Billy: Jamison, I love you man! I’ll see you soon.
G, is it true you almost didn’t sing “Cry Little Sister?”
The record label thought I didn’t have a marquee voice to be on the soundtrack. They wanted Joel to consider Phil Collins and Steve Perry. Joel was dead set against it. He felt I was the voice of the film.
Billy, do you think “The Lost Boys” made vampires sexy?
I think vampires have had an element of sensuality all throughout history. There’s a certain dark, mysterious power behind them. Joel made the vampires attractive with a rock and roll edge.
Billy, Jamison, and G will be at Monster Mania THIS weekend in Hunt Valley!
Follow Jamison Newlander on Twitter
Follow G on Twitter
Visit G’s YouTube Channel for more “The Lost Boys” Musical clips!
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