Let the Right One In (3 Viewers)

[Lolo]

Anyone seen this yet? I love vampire flicks and I love broody atmospheric Scandinavian art films so it was right up my street. Beautifully shot, amazing sound design, great performance from the 2 young leads, and sums up the boredom and alienation of being 12 years old perfectly.

 

[Squiggle]

Anyone seen this yet? I love vampire flicks and I love broody atmospheric Scandinavian art films so it was right up my street. Beautifully shot, amazing sound design, great performance from the 2 young leads, and sums up the boredom and alienation of being 12 years old perfectly.

I'm not always a fan of vampire films, but I did really enjoy this one. Those kids were amazing. I found it all very darkly funny. Especially the scene in the swimming pool near the end.

The estranged father was also rather dishy, it's a pity we didn't see more of him.

 

[pissypants]

Were we in the same showing? I just came home from it in Cineworld. Just don't get swept up by the hype hyperbole (e.g. 98% on Rottentomatoes). Just go expecting a good movie and you'll enjoy it.

Spoiler

what was with that guy who came to visit the Da? Was it his lover or something? WHy was he portrayed as such a wierdo? (Well, every adult except for the ma and da were a little touched)

 

[Lolo]

The estranged father was also rather dishy, it's a pity we didn't see more of him.

Yes, he was rather - I couldn't quite figure out though, was the guy who came in while Oskar was visiting supposed to be a lover or just a mate?

 

[Lolo]

Were we in the same showing? I just came home from it in Cineworld. ]

Nope, I saw it in London last night.

Spoiler

what was with that guy who came to visit the Da? ]

Spoiler

I just asked the same question but stoopidly didn't put it in a spoiler. He's not, according to this:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1139797/faq#.2.1.9

 

[Gambra]

More discussion on it over on Eirecore here: http://www.thumped.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=68005

Also:

Spoiler

She is a he, she used to have a penis

 

[pissypants]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1139797/faq#.2.1.9

sweet link lolo.
I've been looking at imdb for years, but never really looked at a FAQ before.... idiot moi

 

[Richie]

I saw it the other night.. really liked it. It doesn't feel like a horror movie though, more like the most creepy fucked up 'first love' \ childhood buddy movie ever. Very sad and kind of touching in places. When the kid's fate at the end of the movie eventually hits you it's a fairly grim realisation.

 

[Gambra]

When the kid's fate at the end of the movie eventually hits you it's a fairly grim realisation.

What fate? He's not going to become the new 'protector' if that's what you were thinking.

 

[Squiggle]

What fate? He's not going to become the new 'protector' if that's what you were thinking.

What makes you think that? Or have you read the book?

Spoiler

Certainly, the film ends in a way that had me picturing him as an older man trying to kill for Eli. But, unless he's turned he will get old while Eli stays young.

 

[Gambra]

What makes you think that?

I'm not sure if it's a spoiler but just to be safe:

Spoiler

In this months Sight & Sound mag it mentioned that the director is going to make a add on scene/short sequel to show that Oskar will actually become a vampire along with Eli, not his protector.

 

[nooleen]

i didn't think it was all that amazing, it was alright like.

 

[Richie]

What fate? He's not going to become the new 'protector' if that's what you were thinking.

Well that's what I thought it seemed to be implying.. I haven't read the novel it was based on, does it explain what happened to him afterwards in that? edit- read your spoiler above, that explains it so..

 

[Squiggle]

I'm not sure if it's a spoiler but just to be safe:

Spoiler

In this months Sight & Sound mag it mentioned that the director is going to make a add on scene/short sequel to show that Oskar will actually become a vampire along with Eli, not his protector.

Which would raise a whole new set of questions. But that is part of the appeal I guess.

 

[Lolo]

Which would raise a whole new set of questions. But that is part of the appeal I guess.

I haven't read the book, I like his fate left open-ended. I also like the pay-off at the pool scene being ambiguous (i.e. did it really happen or is it just Oskar's imagination)?

 

[pissypants]

I haven't read the book, I like his fate left open-ended. I also like the pay-off at the pool scene being ambiguous (i.e. did it really happen or is it just Oskar's imagination)?

Spoiler

surely it totally happened?
Yes - it makes no sense that he seems to have been able to escape that scenario without a "what the fuck did you do to all those kids!!!?" type situation going down, but it was that kind of film. Forensic reality wasn't really going to be part of the story.

I too saw him as being her new helper at the end, and thought that the previous guy who did the killing for her was the former Oscar (note his jealousy with the "please don't see him tonight" statement) although I believe the book and the director have made it plain that this is not the case.

 

[7 - No tomorrow]

I saw this at the film fest, didn't know it was a vampire flick going in though. Loved it.
The thing looked awesome and I thought it really worked. More than just a vampire flick, it was also about bullying, isolation, loneliness, how fucking shit it can be to be a kid etc. etc.
Great stuff. Getting praised a little too much for my money.

Spoiler

I definitely thought that was a My Two Dads situation.
And I definitely felt the ending had the kid in the role of protector.

With due respect, fuck what the director says in interviews, what he left up on the screen was a gay Dad and Oskar taking over the role of enabler/hunter/blood-getter.

 

[pissypants]

Spoiler

With due respect, fuck what the director says in interviews, what he left up on the screen was a gay Dad and Oskar taking over the role of enabler/hunter/blood-getter.

[/QUOTE]

I agree 100%.
Too many times recently I've seen a movie and drawn my own conclusions about things like this only to be told "...but in the book.." or "...the the original korean version..." or "....but the director said in an interview...". Fuck that - like you said, if it's not in the movie I saw then it doesn't exist.

 

[Lolo]

Spoiler

I agree, I didn't cotton on to the fact that Eli is supposedly a castrated boy ("in the book"). The shot of him/her naked does show a scar, but it was so brief that the conclusion I came to was that he/ she was an androgynous being rather than an ex-boy. Hence he/she keeps saying "I'm not a girl"... And it makes the sexless nature of their relationship all the more poignant.

I like the many ambiguities left in the film, even though the book's supposed to be great I think reading it might spoil the possibilities left open by the film.

 

[xrockridgex]

Just reading the book at the moment. It's really putting into perspective how good a job they did on the film. Like any book there is loads of character development and subplots going on. Most films just seem to condense scenes and hope it all comes across, where as Let The Right One In leaves it all intact, although you have to use your imagination to get a lot of it.

Spoiler

And I suppose the point about the ambiguity over his da is that the important thing is he feels really detached from him. He is too young to understand why people can be gay/alcoholics/crap dads, so it just adds to his alienation.