Corey Haim (1972–2010): the death of an ’80s icon
Any self-respecting culture vulture who came of age in the ’80s should be able to answer the following questions: Vuarnet or OP? Boy George or George Michael? Corey Haim or Corey Feldman? Just as the teeny-boppers of today wrestle with the eternal Edward or Jacob question, boys and girls of the pre-Internet era once pledged undying allegiance to Team Haim or Team Feldman.
Corey Feldman was dark, brooding and dangerous, while Corey Haim (who hailed from Toronto and cut his acting teeth on The Edison Twins, one of the weirdest chapters in CanCon history) was, ironically, the all-American dreamboat with a sensitive side. Kind of like Kirk Cameron if he’d found drugs instead of Jesus.
It’s not surprising that Haim died of an apparent drug overdose. His face, which had started to make Mickey Rourke’s plastic surgery look tasteful, suggested that Haim’s real life lacked the feel-good ending of a John Hughes flick. Just days before his death, Celebrity Rehab—the cringe-inducing but totally compelling reality show that’s featured such illustrious has-beens as Dennis Rodman and Gary Busey—asked Haim to join the cast. But let’s not dwell on the Corey Haim of recent shame. Instead, let’s remember him the way we remember ALF: talented, one of a kind, and ultimately bound for a better place (namely, the planet Melmac).
Here, our picks for the ultimate Haim movie marathon:
Lucas: Because even though the geek doesn’t get the dream girl, he does snag the other elusive high-school status symbol, the letterman jacket. The Lost Boys: Because these guys make Edward Cullen and Co. look like a bunch of mama’s boys. License to Drive: Because “Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car” represents the perfect marriage of music and motif. Dream a Little Dream: Because the wardrobe and hair are worth the price of admission.
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Courtney Shea is a freelance journalist in Toronto. She started her career as an intern at Toronto Life and continues to contribute frequently to the publication, including her 2022 National Magazine Award–winning feature, “The Death Cheaters,” her regular Q&As and her recent investigation into whether Taylor Swift hung out at a Toronto dive bar (she did not). Courtney was a producer and writer on the 2022 documentary The Talented Mr. Rosenberg, based on her 2014 Toronto Life magazine feature “The Yorkville Swindler.”
