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Let The Right One In (2008)Directed by Tomas Alfredson, Starring Kåre Hedebrant and Lina Leandersson

It’s a long Scandinavian winter in Blackeberg. Oskar lives with his mother and spends his days running a gauntlet of bullies. He spends a lot of time alone until new neighbors move in next door. A man with a girl his age. She doesn’t go to school. There’s something wrong with her. Or something different. She’s a vampire.

Based on a novel by the same name, and made into an American film called Let Me In, Let The Right One In is a Swedish vampire movie with a dedicated following. Vampires are my favourite movie monster, but I haven’t really enjoyed a vampire movie in a long time. From Anne Rice’s Lestat to Joss Whedon’s Angel to Stephanie Meyer’s Edward, the last few decades have not been kind. The vampire has gone from being a menacing seducer, a devil in evening wear, to a whiny, moping annoyance.

This movie touches on two themes that have been a part of the problem, the vampire as victim and focusing on the vampire’s relationship with a human, but it succeeds in skirting these tropes without losing itself in them. It succeeds with the first because the vampire, Eli, is a child and children are almost by definition dependents; even when they have been children for a very long time. What’s more Eli never expresses regret for being a vampire. It skirts the second issue by never turning the relationship into a romance. These are two lonely kids, who each need a friend. A connection. The movie is set in the 80s. Were it set today Oskar might have an active online social life, but it isn’t and he doesn’t. He suffers alone until Eli shows up.

Moreover, Eli isn’t a girl. She looks like one and comes across as one, and is played by one, but when the subject comes up she tells Oskar she isn’t one. Audiences might interpret this to mean that ‘she’ isn’t human, except for a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shot of Eli’s naked groin. Where you’d expect to see genitals there is only a nasty scar. The implication being that when Eli was human, ‘she’ was a ‘he.’

I enjoyed Let The Right One In. So far I’ve been very lucky in my Monday movie choices. No turkeys yet. This one shares a lot of the same ingredients of previous winners: it’s well directed, well acted, well written. It seems so simple to turn out a good movie, you have to wonder why they aren’t all winners. I’ve heard good things about the US version too. Maybe I’ll check that one out too.

Originally Pubished at: David Bird



http://www.theouthousers.com/index.php/blogs/david-birds-blog/16416-let-the-right-one-in.html/

[nietoperz]

I loved this film, and honestly I can't recommend the novel highly enough, though it is actually darker and bleaker than the movie (I read it in Swedish, though I've been told that the English translation is good).

[Thunderstorm]

I can't recommend this movie enough, I loved it. Though one person who saw it said there wasn't enough action in it....

[Rockman]

Okay so I've only seen the remake, but I understand they are pretty similar. An interesting concept introduced in the remake, and I assume in the original is the the vampire was actually very intelligent and manipulative. Instead of her befriending the little boy, she was really recruiting him as a source of food, like a pet of some kind. Looking at the story that way makes in way more creepier.

[nietoperz]

Okay so I've only seen the remake, but I understand they are pretty similar. An interesting concept introduced in the remake, and I assume in the original is the the vampire was actually very intelligent and manipulative. Instead of her befriending the little boy, she was really recruiting him as a source of food, like a pet of some kind. Looking at the story that way makes in way more creepier.

Not really as a pet, more as a caretaker and provider - it's clear that despite Oskar's love for her, he will one day grow up to be like Håkan (the father figure). This is creepier in the book, as that character is actually a predatory pedophile (a detail omitted from the film).

[Rockman]

Not really as a pet, more as a caretaker and provider - it's clear that despite Oskar's love for her, he will one day grow up to be like Håkan (the father figure). This is creepier in the book, as that character is actually a predatory pedophile (a detail omitted from the film).

But the argument I've seen, is that the vampire just uses his love for her to manipulate him into doing these things, she reciprocates that love only to string them along. As a predator/parasite she doesn't care about him and would quickly discard him if the need came about.

Watching the version I saw I could see that argument supported in the film, of course I could also see that she legitimately cared for him too.

Oh and in the American version is was clear that the man was with her from his own childhood and at least somewhat implied that he still maintained romantic interest in her.

[nietoperz]

But the argument I've seen, is that the vampire just uses his love for her to manipulate him into doing these things, she reciprocates that love only to string them along. As a predator/parasite she doesn't care about him and would quickly discard him if the need came about.

Watching the version I saw I could see that argument supported in the film, of course I could also see that she legitimately cared for him too.

Oh and in the American version is was clear that the man was with her from his own childhood and at least somewhat implied that he still maintained romantic interest in her.

I think the Swedish version leaves that open to interpretation, though my reading is that she does love him in her way, it's just that her way is not human and so is ultimately incomparable and incompatible with his. Interestingly, in the book the man preys on young boys as opposed to girls.

[Rockman]

I think the Swedish version leaves that open to interpretation, though my reading is that she does love him in her way, it's just that her way is not human and so is ultimately incomparable and incompatible with his. Interestingly, in the book the man preys on young boys as opposed to girls.

Isn't the Swedish version vampire a eunuch though?

[nietoperz]

Isn't the Swedish version vampire a eunuch though?

It's strongly implied that 'she' was born a boy - there is evidence of genital mutilation.

[David Bird]

It's strongly implied that 'she' was born a boy - there is evidence of genital mutilation.

Is that in the book? In the American version? It is in the Swedish movie.

[nietoperz]

Is that in the book? In the American version? It is in the Swedish movie.

I haven't seen the American remake - it's in the Swedish movie. In the book it's more than implied: Eli is a boy who was castrated a several centuries previously then turned.

[Greg]

I haven't seen the American remake - it's in the Swedish movie. In the book it's more than implied: Eli is a boy who was castrated a several centuries previously then turned.

Yeesh.

I loved the original film. Have yet to see the American version.

[nietoperz]

Interesting - apparently Lindqvist has written a short story epilogue called 'Låt de gamla drömmarna dö' (literally: 'Let the old dreams die,') as a clarification for those who assumed that Oskar would turn out like Håkan. In it, Oskar is voluntarily turned so that he and Eli can live together for ever.

[Greg]

Interesting - apparently Lindqvist has written a short story epilogue called 'Låt de gamla drömmarna dö' (literally: 'Let the old dreams die,') as a clarification for those who assumed that Oskar would turn out like Håkan. In it, Oskar is voluntarily turned so that he and Eli can live together for ever.

I prefer not knowing what happens.

[nietoperz]

I prefer not knowing what happens.

I agree. I think we're better off making our own minds up.