How To Be a Terrible Daughter 014: Vampires vs Narcissists: You’re Eating Maggots
We’re off to the movies this week! On How to Be a Terrible Daughter, we’re diving into the 1987 cult classic The Lost Boys. Vampires, family drama, and a killer soundtrack—what’s not to love? But beneath the stylish leather jackets and fangs, this film holds surprising insights for anyone unraveling the complexities of childhood trauma.
Join us as we unpack the movie’s themes of found family, gaslighting, and rebellion. We explore why vampires and narcissists have more in common than you’d think. From Megan’s coming-out parallels to Elizabeth’s high school obsession with The Lost Boys poster (hung in the closet—literally), we’re peeling back the layers of this nostalgic favorite.
Whether you’re here for the homoerotic undertones, the family dynamics, or just a good old-fashioned vampire flick, get ready. Let’s embrace the darkness, dodge the garlic, and laugh your way through the blood-soaked memories!
We’re so happy to be back here with you for a brand-new season of the podcast. If you haven’t already, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or your favorite podcast app to automatically get all of the new episodes as soon as they drop. Unlike the narcissist in your life, we'd love to hear your stories and how they affected you. Email us or DM us on Instagram, @terribledaughterpod or at H2Bterrible@gmail.com!
What We Cover In This Episode:
- Some background on The Lost Boys and why we both love the tag line from the movie so much [3:59]
- How the movie was similar to Megan’s coming out process in so many ways and why she felt conflicted inside when watching it [8:58]
- Scenes from the movie that now reveal subtle gaslighting tactics used by certain characters [17:03]
- The parallels between narcissistic abuse and the characteristics of vampires, including the difficulty of disconnecting from both [23:18]
- How science fiction films like The Lost Boys can serve as a powerful reflection for those who have experienced or are currently experiencing narcissistic abuse [34:48]
- Some of the homoerotic themes and undertones that we see now in this movie and others from the 1980’s [39:28]
- Our “Mini Crazy Mom Offs”, including a movie-themed story from Elizabeth’s past [49:08]
- A major realization we’ve both made about self-care in our look at the tools that helped us through this week [59:02]
Links & Resources:
Lost Boys: The Tribe (2008) - IMDb
Lost Boys: The Thirst (2010) – IMDb
011: Silent Night, Silent Treatment: A Holiday Survival Guide