Let The Right One In

RAUL DUKE

IMDB 8.3

Oscar, an overlooked and bullied boy, finds love and revenge through Eli, a beautiful but peculiar girl who turns out to be a vampire.

I see its been mentioned by a couple of people in other threads but i've only just got around to watching it tonight.Easily one of the best films i've seen in the last year!Highly Recommended.

johnny_ultimate

Due to be shown at the Jameson Festival in February so looking forward to finally getting to see it. Don't think its getting a release over here until April otherwise, which is ridiculous given that its been out for so long already.

daithijjj

this movie is quite simply fantastic..................yes, it is in scandinavian tongue, and yes, there are subtitles but that isnt a problem if you can indeed read. A small word of warning to all you meatheads and hollywood 'rednecks'........this is pure cinema......please just shuffle on as you do, there is nothing for you to see here...............no doubt, when hollywood gets its 'vampirish' teeth into it you can then enjoy the innevitable added make-up and CGI and some old faces to quench your predictable desires. This movie is a 'tour de force' .............thoroughly enjoyed every second of it.

Basq

I adored this film.

Absolutely brillant.. one scene sticks out in my mind as one of my favourite scenes in recent memory. I won't even give away too much about it but I'll say one word and those who've seen it will know what I mean -

pool

.

Cannot recommend it enough!

Auvers

good stuff never seen or heard anything about this, going to watch it tonight.

Tusky

Is this going to be in cinemas in Ireland ?

BenjAii

Yep this is a brilliant film, I watched it a few weeks ago, very easy to get hold of in the usual internet places if anyone wants to see now.

A very original take on the vampire story which is rare & I found it really creepy. There is nothing sweet about the friendship between the kid & the vampire at all, that's what makes it is so creepy. It's presented that way, but the kid is just being set up to be used & you feel his story will eventually become that of the older man with the vampire.

Necronomicon

While it was quite different to what I was expecting, it was a very good film. It's not fraught with tension and the horror sometimes takes a back seat to the love story, but there are a few unsettling scenes nonetheless (like the one Basquille referenced, which was fantastic - honourable mentions also go to

'What happens if you don't get invited in?'

and

the scene where Eli finally talks to Oskar about her condition. When she recites Oskar's earlier lines we catch just a brief glimpse of her as a much older person.

It is shot beautifully, the score behind it is terrific and you'll be hard pushed to find better performances than those of the two kids.

Kingp35

How have all you lads seen this? Is it released on DVD anywhere yet?

Auvers

Kingp35 wrote: »

How have all you lads seen this? Is it released on DVD anywhere yet?

ummm *cough*Torr*cough*ents*cough*

Aedh Baclamh

Yeah obviously torrents.

Great film and I'll definitely be checking it out next month.

ginoginelli

Good but not great..

After all the brilliant reviews, I was expecting something really special here..Unfortunatly it failed to deliver. It is a decent flick though. Its shot spectacularly, well thought out, and theres some good acting in it..Its just not worthy of such a high rating.

Pugsley

Got my hands on this after reading this thread, what a film. Really felt for the characters as the story progressed, my only gripe about the film is the ending

I feel a darker ending would have suited the mood of the film more

.

BenjAii

Pugsley wrote: »

Got my hands on this after reading this thread, what a film. Really felt for the characters as the story progressed, my only gripe about the film is the ending

I feel a darker ending would have suited the mood of the film more

.

It's funny how people interpret things differently, I thought the whole film was much darker than most people seem to be taking it as.

The way I saw the ending was as very dark, the boy is being sucked in to playing the role for the vampire that destroyed the older guy. I thought the going off into the sunset stuff was irony of the first order.

Necronomicon

I think some spoiler tags are needed there BenjAii but I agree completely on the ending -

on the face of it, it seems happy but the boy is just part of her cycle and in half a decade he'll be the old guy we saw at the start while she seduces the next guy to use.

Das Kitty

Saw this last night.

I was watching away deciding that this was more of a thriller than a horror. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

It wasn't until 4am this morning until I woke up and started thinking about it that I realised how good of a horror it is. Christ almighty, I couldn't get back to sleep I just lay there in the pitch dark trying not to make out shapes in the dark.

Thinking back on it now it was incredibly disturbing, the relationship between the little kid and the vampire was so strange, there was no "aw, isn't that sweet" about it.

she basically turned him being bullied around so he'd do her bidding eventually, actually I don't think that she didn't feed on him because she liked him but because she needed him

The only scene that I thought was a bit stupid was the one with all the CGI cats.

I loved that it was set in the 80's which just adds to its bleakness.

I think the

swimming pool

scene is very telling.

Only one of the guys was threatening her "friend" yet she tore all but one of them to pieces, even doing this to one of them is too much to allow you to believe that there is any goodness there

Just one question:

She says she's not a girl, and then when he's peeping in at her changing there's something odd going on down south, what exactly was that?

Anyway I'm still freaked out.

Crash

Just a quick question - sat down after a few beers with friends looking or a decent horror to watch - started this and and after about 20 minutes turned it off deciding that slightly-medium drunkeness was not a good time to watch a film that might actually involve concentration (we watched cube zero instead )

However, my first question was: are the subtitles slightly dodgy on this? or was that just me? there seemed to be certain sections lacking translation.

and secondly, please tell me you get used to the shallow DOF used, at the time it was kinda hurting my eyes :P

L'prof

Das Kitty wrote: »

Just one question:

She says she's not a girl, and then when he's peeping in at her changing there's something odd going on down south, what exactly was that?

There is additional backstory present in the novel for many of the characters that is missing in the film. In the book it is revealed that Eli is a boy who had been castrated many years ago. This is only hinted at in the film, without any elaboration, in a brief scene in which Eli is changing into a dress; however, she does mention to Oscar twice that she "is not a girl", and asks him if he would like her anyway if this were the case. There was a scene that touched upon his history through flashbacks, but it was eventually cut.[7] Late in production it was also decided to overdub actress Lina Leandersson's voice with a less feminine one.[8] Other changes from the book include toning down Håkan's impact on the plot, removing his pederastic attraction to Eli and the subplot in which he becomes undead and evil after being bitten and killed at the hospital.

From wiki.

Das Kitty

Ta. I should have googled.

Illkillya

jasonorr wrote: »

There is additional backstory present in the novel for many of the characters that is missing in the film. In the book it is revealed that Eli is a boy who had been castrated many years ago. This is only hinted at in the film, without any elaboration, in a brief scene in which Eli is changing into a dress; however, she does mention to Oscar twice that she "is not a girl", and asks him if he would like her anyway if this were the case. There was a scene that touched upon his history through flashbacks, but it was eventually cut.[7] Late in production it was also decided to overdub actress Lina Leandersson's voice with a less feminine one.[8] Other changes from the book include toning down Håkan's impact on the plot, removing his pederastic attraction to Eli and the subplot in which he becomes undead and evil after being bitten and killed at the hospital.

From wiki.

This actually makes it a lot more interesting... I was disappointed in the film, but if they had given it some more depth/darkness (e.g., hinting about Eli's history) then it could have been a lot better.

Das Kitty

I was thinking more about this last night.

Is it a comment on paedophilia? If they left the scenes in with the older man you'd be feeling uncomfortable in that kind of way. Then when we see the flash of Eli as an older person. And the whole process that Eli undertakes to get Oskar to go with her, it's akin to grooming. It all gives me the willies.

L'prof

Das Kitty wrote: »

I was thinking more about this last night.

Is it a comment on paedophilia? If they left the scenes in with the older man you'd be feeling uncomfortable in that kind of way. Then when we see the flash of Eli as an older person. And the whole process that Eli undertakes to get Oskar to go with her, it's akin to grooming. It all gives me the willies.

Yeah, her/his minder (the older man) is a paedophile in the book and I think Eli is supposed to be around 200 or something, so that's why there was that flashing image of her/him looking old. Also, if you remember how angry Eli got when the old man didn't bring her any blood back? Eli is definitely grooming Oscar to take on the role of her minder for the rest of his life!

BenjAii

I think this film is horror of the first order destined to be a cult classic. It's so clever because it really does play with your head. I thought some of the things mentioned in SPOILER comments here, but judging by IMDB's comments most people seem to focus on the sweetness of Oskar & Eli's relationship; it's anything but.

I thought Eli was "grooming" Oscar as well. She is definitely an adult, albeit with a childs body. There is another brief moment, when Eli is naked in bed with Oscar and she appears as her true age, She looks late middle aged, about the same age as Hakan.

Which made me think Hakan might have been first involved long ago with Eli, when they were both children.

But that's what's so clever about this film, it creeps you out wondering about it.

Lirange

This was a strange enthralling film.

Why did I have fleeting moments were I wanted to believe in the relationship even though the set up early on gave away that she was a dark and calculating character? Particularly after the ending? What's wrong with me?

The auld fella was totally rapt with her until the very end.

Am I the only one that found his clumsy blood quests comically tragic? It seemed to really foreshadow his demise and was symbolic of impotence. He was out artery slashing yet I was sitting there prodding the muppet to do things properly. What's wrong with me?

I do like that they dispense with the whole childhood innocence malarkey. Kids deal with the same crap adults do just with less pretense. This film was very much about the marginalised. It's also cynical but it in a good way. Most of the adults are portrayed as degenerate burn-outs and there's a co-dependency theme going on with some of them too. It's a soul sapping world out there so maybe both of Oskar's options aren't too different in the long run. Or maybe I'm just rationalising.

A memorable film experience.

Tchaikovsky

A beautiful film, the Swedish winter really compliments the theme aswell.

Burning Eclipse

Hope this isn't too much of a thread resurrection here, but I watched this last night and was hoping to find some discussion about it here.

Can anyone shed any light on

the uneasiness in the scene where Oskar is visiting his father when his father's friend shows up?

Is there more to that in the book?

I really enjoyed the film. Anything that still has me thinking about it the following day is a winner. The kids were both fantastic in it.

johnny_ultimate

Burning Eclipse wrote: »

Can anyone shed any light on

the uneasiness in the scene where Oskar is visiting his father when his father's friend shows up?

Is there more to that in the book?

If I remember correctly

there was a lot more emphasis on Oskar's dad alcoholism in the book. Oskar feared going to his father's because it would often end in disaster after his dad had a few drinks, with him coming into Oskar's room and waking him up with angry drunken ramblings. Oskar was terrified of these incidences.

Think a lot of people thought it was meant to imply that his father was gay, but Alfredson denies that here.

c - 13

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

Think a lot of people thought it was meant to imply that his father was gay, but Alfredson denies that here.

Yeah thats the impression I got from the film as well.

Is the title of the book the same as the film ? Wouldnt mind getting my hands on it.

Burning Eclipse

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

If I remember correctly

there was a lot more emphasis on Oskar's dad alcoholism in the book. Oskar feared going to his father's because it would often end in disaster after his dad had a few drinks, with him coming into Oskar's room and waking him up with angry drunken ramblings. Oskar was terrified of these incidences.

c - 13 wrote: »

Yeah thats the impression I got from the film as well.

Is the title of the book the same as the film ? Wouldnt mind getting my hands on it.

Interesting. That seems like a good interpretation of the scene when I think about it.

Yes is the answer to your second question btw c - 13...

I don't think I like the idea of this being remade... If it's some commercialized POS that goes for cheap scares it will just ruin it. As much as I liked Chloe Moretz in Kick Ass, I can't imagine anyone in the roles of Eli (and Oskar for that matter) except the original kids.

johnny_ultimate

c - 13 wrote: »

Yeah thats the impression I got from the film as well.

Is the title of the book the same as the film ? Wouldnt mind getting my hands on it.

It's worth a read, but differs considerably from the book. There's much more depth for characters, with some who were completely removed from the film. The tone is completely different too, much more 'pulpier' for lack of a better word. Is also much more graphic, and goes into more... disturbing details about Eli's adult minder and

'that' scene where you catch a glimpse of Eli coming out of the shower.

It's an interesting read, although the film is much more haunting, and the more focused approach on Oskar and Eli totally benefits the film.

c - 13

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

It's worth a read, but differs considerably from the book. There's much more depth for characters, with some who were completely removed from the film. The tone is completely different too, much more 'pulpier' for lack of a better word. Is also much more graphic, and goes into more... disturbing details about Eli's adult minder and

'that' scene where you catch a glimpse of Eli coming out of the shower.

It's an interesting read, although the film is much more haunting, and the more focused approach on Oskar and Eli totally benefits the film.

Yeah thats what i'm after, the back stories of the charachters werent delved into too much in the film so want to see what the source material was like. The last few posts comments regarding the differences between the two mediums are really after piquing my interest in it. Just after finding a copy online so will crack into it in the next few days.

SuperInfinity

I actually hated this movie. I hated the slow, childish conversations (and children don't normally speak that slowly or stupidly). I hated the murder/action scenes, that really didn't show anything. Where were the graphic scenes? We didn't see anything. I hated how slow and long the movie was.

I thought it was very unrealistic, putting the vampire aspect aside. I think that if I'd seen a close up of that blonde freak again in various states of undress, with that SLOW look on his face I would have barfed.

L'prof

SuperInfinity wrote: »

I actually hated this movie. I hated the slow, childish conversations (and children don't normally speak that slowly or stupidly). I hated the murder/action scenes, that really didn't show anything. Where were the graphic scenes? We didn't see anything. I hated how slow and long the movie was.

I thought it was very unrealistic, putting the vampire aspect aside. I think that if I'd seen a close up of that blonde freak again in various states of undress, with that SLOW look on his face I would have barfed.

What's your favourite vampire movie?

SuperInfinity

L'prof wrote: »

What's your favourite vampire movie?

Francis Ford Coppola's Dracula.

jaykhunter

lol, there's always one!

indough

i didnt think it was all that great either really, a bit too slow of a slow burner for my tastes but it was no doubt very well made

edit: i should add i did like it, just dont understand the level of praise it sometimes gets

johnny_ultimate

SuperInfinity wrote: »

I hated the murder/action scenes, that really didn't show anything. Where were the graphic scenes? We didn't see anything.

I've heard the 'slow' criticism before, and while I don't agree, I won't argue. However, I totally fail to see how the above is a valid criticism of the film. You don't see anything? Gore doesn't define a movie, this film is much more chilling for the fact that a lot of the graphic imagery is left to the imagination, the climax particularly for being selective in what it shows. Yeah, vampires are horrific, violent creatures, but this films thankfully rejects the perceived need for excessive gore. And in any case, it isn't exactly material for children either. There are plenty of moments when Eli's true nature is explicitly illustrated, blood dripping from her face after a feeding.

I genuinely cannot see how "where were the graphic scenes" can be considered a criticism here. If the story and pacing didn't engage you, fair enough. Criticising a lack of gore, though, is missing the point of what this film is about. It's about the uneasy contrast between Eli's true nature and her relationship with Oskar that is the core focus. It's a dark film thematically, and the I'd still consider the ending a weird blend between disturbing and temporary happiness. It's a film that often chooses to suggest rather than show some of the more ambiguous narrative strands, and that for me is what makes the film so effective.

That said,

the character combusting in the hospital

is one of the most haunting images of violence in contemporary cinema.

indough

i saw it more as a psychological horror than anything attempting to be a gore fest, although i thought a few scenes were bloody enough anyway

SuperInfinity

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

I've heard the 'slow' criticism before, and while I don't agree, I won't argue. However, I totally fail to see how the above is a valid criticism of the film. You don't see anything? Gore doesn't define a movie, this film is much more chilling for the fact that a lot of the graphic imagery is left to the imagination, the climax particularly for being selective in what it shows. Yeah, vampires are horrific, violent creatures, but this films thankfully rejects the perceived need for excessive gore. And in any case, it isn't exactly material for children either. There are plenty of moments when Eli's true nature is explicitly illustrated, blood dripping from her face after a feeding.

Another moment might be when you get a glimpse of what seems to be the a glance of of a prepubescent girl's vagina. Oh sure, the slit is going the wrong way and that's not what it's "supposed" to be in the film, that doesn't preclude it from being something that shouldn't be allowed imo. If you allow that, why not all types of things that look like child pornography involving young models but technically "aren't"?

If I want something to be left to the imagination I'll read a book! I see no reason why not liking the fact that there is so little gore can't be a valid criticism, especially for a vampire movie. It doesn't mean you have to agree with the criticism, but I fail to see how you can fail to see that it is a valid reason not to like it. Some threads are all about praising a movie, well I just wanted to represent the minority that really dislike the movie.

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

I genuinely cannot see how "where were the graphic scenes" can be considered a criticism here. If the story and pacing didn't engage you, fair enough. Criticising a lack of gore, though, is missing the point of what this film is about. It's about the uneasy contrast between Eli's true nature and her relationship with Oskar that is the core focus. It's a dark film thematically, and the I'd still consider the ending a weird blend between disturbing and temporary happiness. It's a film that often chooses to suggest rather than show some of the more ambiguous narrative strands, and that for me is what makes the film so effective.

That said,

the character combusting in the hospital

is one of the most haunting images of violence in contemporary cinema.

Personally I think it's more the result of a low budget. Only the director or someone else working on it could answer that for sure.

McCruiskeen

SuperInfinity wrote: »

Another moment might be when you get a glimpse of what seems to be the a glance of of a prepubescent girl's vagina. Oh sure, the slit is going the wrong way and that's not what it's "supposed" to be in the film, that doesn't preclude it from being something that shouldn't be allowed imo. If you allow that, why not all types of things that look like child pornography involving young models but technically "aren't"?

If I want something to be left to the imagination I'll read a book! I see no reason why not liking the fact that there is so little gore can't be a valid criticism, especially for a vampire movie. It doesn't mean you have to agree with the criticism, but I fail to see how you can fail to see that it is a valid reason not to like it. Some threads are all about praising a movie, well I just wanted to represent the minority that really dislike the movie.



Personally I think it's more the result of a low budget. Only the director or someone else working on it could answer that for sure.

Why should a film that has absolutely no need for onscreen violence and would be diminished by unnecessary violence, include unnecessary gore and onscreen violence in order to appeal to simpletons.

Go watch Rambo, buddy!

johnny_ultimate

SuperInfinity wrote: »

Another moment might be when you get a glimpse of what seems to be the a glance of of a prepubescent girl's vagina. Oh sure, the slit is going the wrong way and that's not what it's "supposed" to be in the film, that doesn't preclude it from being something that shouldn't be allowed imo. If you allow that, why not all types of things that look like child pornography involving young models but technically "aren't"?

If I want something to be left to the imagination I'll read a book! I see no reason why not liking the fact that there is so little gore can't be a valid criticism, especially for a vampire movie. It doesn't mean you have to agree with the criticism, but I fail to see how you can fail to see that it is a valid reason not to like it. Some threads are all about praising a movie, well I just wanted to represent the minority that really dislike the movie.

Personally I think it's more the result of a low budget. Only the director or someone else working on it could answer that for sure.

The point I'm making is that the film doesn't set out to be a gore movie. It sets out to be a more personal, smaller scale subversion of the typical vampire story. Criticising it for not being hyper gory is like criticising Lost in Translation for not having enough full frontal nudity. It's completely missing the point. I'm not for a second denying the film is critic proof - I'm very much of the opinion that no film is going to appeal to everyone out there. But complaining about a film for a reason that it isn't hyper gory just makes very little sense to me. Budget had something to do with it, yeah, but it makes it much more effective. I was delighted they toned down the more graphic imagery from the book, which at it's worst seemed designed to just cheaply shock. With a few exceptions (mostly the ridiculous likes of Rambo, or purposefully OTT stuff like Evil Dead, or stuff like Martyrs or Antichrist that are violent to make a point) I cannot think of many films where gore has made a film better.

Not sure about your comment about 'that' scene either

How is it child pornography? It's a very brief glimpse from another character's perspective that illustrates an important but vague point about another character. It makes sense within the context of the film, it is very brief indeed, it's clearly not a real person, and it's not degrading or anything.

Renn

SuperInfinity really cannot be serious here

lalee17

Superb film, it's probably one of my favourite films ever. I've watched it twice in the last two days

The pool scene is amazing. The way the camera shows only Eli's eyes, with specks of blood around them, makes her seem even more mysterious

JohnK

Is it just me or is anyone else afraid to rewatch it incase it takes from your original impression of the movie? I saw it for the first and only time at the dublin film festival and although I have it twice on dvd (US and proper subs) I just cant bring myself to put it on for fear that it wont be able to meet my expectations the second time around

SellingJuan

One of the best movies I have ever seen. (The sweedish version) No hollywood crap. Absolutely amazing.

johnny_ultimate

Merged with the most recent thread on the film.

Sad Professor

It’s one of my favourite films of the last 10 years. It seems to get better and better on repeated viewings. What I’ve really grown to appreciate about it is how every horror moment in it has a purpose within the love story. Like the scene where Eli bleeds is (on subsequent viewings anyway) more moving than horrifying because she enters the room knowing that it is going to happen. The scariest scenes in the film are probably the bullying scenes and they are implied for the most part.

Really looking forward to Alfredson's next film: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. It's out here in a little over 2 weeks.

LittleBook

SellingJuan wrote: »

(The sweedish version) No hollywood crap.

I watched the US remake purely out of curiosity. What annoyed me (the most) about it was the ridiculously over emphatic score, like it was trying to tell us when to be scared or when to be sad. After all the beauty and subtlety of the Let The Right One In, it was extremely irritating.

Sad Professor

I love Michael Giacchino, but I have to agree about the score for the remake. It was a pretty typical horror score to go along with the pretty typical cinematography, special effects and sound design. The original had a score which played against what you would expect from a horror film. I'd blame this on Reeves. Composers just do what the director tells them for the most part. Reeves obviously told Giacchino to give him a horror score and that's what he got, where as Afredson wanted a love score to contrast with the horror.

mikhail

Sad Professor wrote: »

... What I’ve really grown to appreciate about it is how every horror moment in it has a purpose within the love story. Like the scene where Eli bleeds is (on subsequent viewings anyway) more moving than horrifying because she enters the room knowing that it is going to happen...

It's not a love story. Eli is not a little girl falling in love. Eli is a monster, emotionally entrapping its next servant.

Sad Professor

mikhail wrote: »

It's not a love story. Eli is not a little girl falling in love. Eli is a monster, emotionally entrapping its next servant.

And what do you base this on?