It’s bl**dy cold here in Nashville right now. So what better film to see than arctic, shot in Sweden during Winter, ‘Let the Right One In’?
I spent the whole film shivering, arms crossed – could practically see my breath. The cinema wasn’t cold – it’s just an indicator of how successful this unusual Vampire pic is at setting a mood and tone that chills. In fact, I found the setting of the film, (drab block housing, the local school and gymnasium), so involving that I didn’t notice until half way through that it’s a period piece set in the early 80′s!
A lot has been said about the film already and I don’t need to repeat what’s already out there on the Tubes – just want to say a few things:
* Notice the use of cars passing in the distance to signify isolation. During the first killing, (horrific – real meat for nightmares and evocative of the ‘can you help me get this couch in my van scene’ from Silence of the Lambs – warning: link NSFW), you see lights of cars driving in the background behind the trees – they’re only a few meters away, and yet – this truly horrible act is taking place – it’s dream logic – we can’t help the poor boy hanging – and, more importantly, life goes on unaware.
Throughout the film cars just pass by/pass by – on a journey somewhere else – and we’re reminded of the initial taxi ride taken by our Vampire heroine and her human ‘friend’, (an Oskar grown old?).
* This film in its title and in various scenes references the ‘Vampire Rule’ that these creatures can’t come into your home unless invited. What’s interesting here to me is this was getting to be a kind of ‘forgotten’ piece of the lore at least in movies, (haven’t seen it since Coppola’s Dracula and Fright Night – though I haven’t seen – will I ever? – Twilight).
Would be fascinating to see an epidemiological study of what bits of Vampire lore are successful, (in terms of their longevity – spreading – as in memes/the Selfish Gene), and which fade away. My assumption is that modern Vampire lore was codified in the original Lugosi Dracula which came of course from Bram Stoker, (though the turning into a bat seems to be almost dead), but what else hasn’t survived? Perhaps we have to go back to Transylvania Superstitions to do a proper study!
* It’s at the Belcourt for another week. If you enjoy Vampire pics then it’s a must see.
(Photo at top, snow in Taos this December)
posted in forum Miscellaneous by zad1138
posted in forum Miscellaneous by seanpdudley
posted in forum General Movie Stuff by seanpdudley
posted in forum General Movie Stuff by Jett Loe
posted in forum General Movie Stuff by prawnman
jett
am i right in thinking you guys didn't do a podcast review of this? i've been going through the archive desperately hoping to find mention of it. but alas…
i know gareth's not a fan of horror, (although ironically i saw the exorcist for the first time with him) so i wouldn't be surprised if he gave it a miss. shame if he missed it though – this is by far my favourite film of 2009 (so far) and i think he'd love the emotional themes. so cold a setting, yet so warm…
although i understand the book from which it was adapted to be quite different (with a lot more explanatory character backstory and has a lot more disturbing content and themes), as a standalone piece of art, this is one of the most emotionally engaging and provocative/subversive films i've seen in a long time, particularly with regards to gender identity.
it has its flaws certainly but it was a great take on vampire lore, and overall it punched seriously above its weight. kind of like Eli. and it hung around me for days after, having left so many questions left open to interpretation.
it disappoints me that a load of folks who like art house movies will probably have skipped it because it's a horror film and a load will have given it a miss 'cause it's got subtitles.
i hope by year's end it finds the recognition it deserves, although i'll wager, if it doesn't, it'll gain cult status on dvd once the subtitles issue is corrected. or at least, it should.
keep the conversation going,
1LB
p.s. nice snow photo, btw.
let the right one in
hello there OneLittleBird
and welcome to TFT – we're glad to have you here…
it is true, as you say, that i am not a fan of horror generally. but i can assure you that the only reason i haven't seen 'let the right one in' is that it passed our local cinemas by when i was there, and the dvd subtitling debacle for the u.s. release has not yet been corrected. once it has been so corrected i'll be first in line to watch.
looking forward to it, and with fond memories of that first viewing of 'the exorcist', and especially the word you used to describe it: 'beautiful'. a beautiful film indeed.
jett
am i right in thinking you guys didn't do a podcast review of this? i've been going through the archive desperately hoping to find mention of it. but alas…
i know gareth's not a fan of horror, (although ironically i saw the exorcist for the first time with him) so i wouldn't be surprised if he gave it a miss. shame if he missed it though – this is by far my favourite film of 2009 (so far) and i think he'd love the emotional themes. so cold a setting, yet so warm…
although i understand the book from which it was adapted to be quite different (with a lot more explanatory character backstory and has a lot more disturbing content and themes), as a standalone piece of art, this is one of the most emotionally engaging and provocative/subversive films i've seen in a long time, particularly with regards to gender identity.
it has its flaws certainly but it was a great take on vampire lore, and overall it punched seriously above its weight. kind of like Eli. and it hung around me for days after, having left so many questions left open to interpretation.
it disappoints me that a load of folks who like art house movies will probably have skipped it because it's a horror film and a load will have given it a miss 'cause it's got subtitles.
i hope by year's end it finds the recognition it deserves, although i'll wager, if it doesn't, it'll gain cult status on dvd once the subtitles issue is corrected. or at least, it should.
keep the conversation going,
1LB
p.s. nice snow photo, btw.
let the right one in
hello there OneLittleBird
and welcome to TFT – we're glad to have you here…
it is true, as you say, that i am not a fan of horror generally. but i can assure you that the only reason i haven't seen 'let the right one in' is that it passed our local cinemas by when i was there, and the dvd subtitling debacle for the u.s. release has not yet been corrected. once it has been so corrected i'll be first in line to watch.
looking forward to it, and with fond memories of that first viewing of 'the exorcist', and especially the word you used to describe it: 'beautiful'. a beautiful film indeed.