From Lou's "Shame" files: Let The Right One In

[LouCipherr]

Ok, so my wife bought me a shit-ton of Blu-Ray's for xmas, and one of them was the original Let The Right One In. I watched it last night. I had heard some great things about the flick, but after watching it, I'm not sure what to think about it.

The first thing I noticed is while it had great atmosphere, it seemed to hold on most shots in the film way too long. There could've been 15 minutes shaved off this film had they just cut and moved on once a scene was over - instead, they would just hang on a scene for way too long after it was done. Not sure of the purpose, but whatever. To me, the pacing was just way too slow. The flick clocked in at an hour and fifty minutes, so it's a pretty lengthy haul considering the pacing.

I think the cinematography for this flick was fantastic (although there is something to be said about the lack of motivation for much of the lighting in the outside scenes, especially in the woods, but that's just being nitpicky, so lets move on), and the 'tone' it carried was indeed very creepy.

Those who haven't seen it, I'm not going to spoil it, but the general plot is about a boy (who is apparently very timid and doesn't like to stand up to the school bullies) who becomes friends with a little girl who moves in next door - who just happens to be a vampire.

One thing I will say is that this was a very refreshing look at vampires after the garbage that has been coming out lately (Twilight anyone?) - this is how I could see a "kind-of" love story develop between two individuals, one vampire and one human. It seems more gritty and real of a relationship between the two than has been presented in past vampire-and-human-love-story kinda flicks.

The ending (no worries, no spoilers!) can be taken one of a couple different ways. It could be a 'happy' or a 'sad' ending - depending on how you interpret what you see. That's all I'll say about that as to avoid spoilers.

The actors (the kids) were actually really decent. I watched the flick with the english dubbed dialouge because I didn't feel like reading subtitles for 2 hours, but it was still effective, even though it wasn't in it's native sweedish language.

All in all, I think it was a pretty decent flick, but it doesn't seem to have much of a 're-watchable' quality for me. It was good, but it's not like I'll sit down and repeatedly watch this over and over again. It's pacing was just too slow. Great tone and atmosphere, but the pacing needs some serious work. Not sure if that's because it was a sweedish flick and we americans are used to the "get to the fucking point already!" kind of movies, but it just seemed meandering. Other than that, it's worth a watch, at least once, especially if you're sick of the current trend of vampire flicks and shows.

[bassman]

You've just brought down a world of hatin' on yourself. :p

I agree though. I saw it once and don't care to ever see it again. Overhyped mediocrity.

[Trin]

Now I want to see it!!

[LouCipherr]

You've just brought down a world of hatin' on yourself. :p

I agree though. I saw it once and don't care to ever see it again. Overhyped mediocrity.

Why? Are people hell-bent that this is the definitive vampire flick or something? I sure as hell hope not! :lol:

[bassman]

Why? Are people hell-bent that this is the definitive vampire flick or something? I sure as hell hope not! :lol:

I dunno. I just remember once before saying I didn't think it was all that great and they jumped on me like I had raped their mothers. :lol:

[LouCipherr]

I dunno. I just remember once before saying I didn't think it was all that great and they jumped on me like I had raped their mothers. :lol:

Well, I'll be happy to rape anyone's mom if need be.. :lol:

I mean, I liked the movie, I just think the pacing was for shit. For example: there was a scene where outside, in the snow, the main character was being bullied by some of the local school kids. After they mess with him, they take off - he's left standing there, and the camera just sits there on him for like 20 more seconds. That happens all over the place in this flick - and it was completely unnecessary and screwed the pacing of the film IMO.

*shugs shoulders*

Perhaps I should've posted this in the 'unpopular opinions' thread. :lol:

[blind2d]

Well I liked it! Cat scene.... mmm... anyway, I thought the gore effects were also well-done (what about them, eh, Lou? huh?). I thought it was a good film. Yes, the pacing was a liiiiittle bit slow for me, but still engaging. I'd watch it again... slam me if you will, but I like this film.

[LouCipherr]

Well I liked it! Cat scene.... mmm... anyway, I thought the gore effects were also well-done (what about them, eh, Lou? huh?). I thought it was a good film. Yes, the pacing was a liiiiittle bit slow for me, but still engaging. I'd watch it again... slam me if you will, but I like this film.

Shit, I skipped right over the effects, didn't I? Well, they were pretty good - there was some great ones, especially near the end of the flick ("can you open the blinds for me, doc?" the cat, and of course the pool stuff).

Like I said, I enjoyed the film, I just think the pacing needed to be sped up quite a bit. Perhaps that's a "sweedish" thing, but either way, the pacing needed a push as it's what would keep me from watching again (unless I use some judicious amounts of fast-forwarding). Other than that, I did enjoy it (and would never slam ya, blind, for wanting to see it again). It was certainly a different take on the "vampire/human love" angle, that's for sure.

[EvilNed]

Lou, for fucks sake...

There's one E in Swedish.

As for the film...

Personally, I'm not a big fan of Vampire films, period. But this one was better than most, considering it wasn't a "genre" vampire flick. Very different.

[DjfunkmasterG]

Rawr.... and Ned's cat claws come out (Hissssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss)

:lol:

[EvilNed]

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_X6bfacAhmsU/TJJOCteovuI/AAAAAAAABbs/qW68mbk4Y5M/s1600/Grammar-Nazi-2.jpg

[LouCipherr]

Lou, for fucks sake...

There's one E in Swedish.

Ned -

For fucks sake, excuse the fuck out of me for not living there and not knowing (or giving a royal shit). :rolleyes:

http://imagemacros.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/grammar_nazi.jpg

[MinionZombie]

I saw it recently, after it sitting on my Sky+ box for a good six months, and I rather dug it. I won't be rushing back to it anytime soon, but then again vampires aren't so much my thing - however I thought it was really quite good, and well, it's from an entirely different country so there's not only an entirely different visual aesthetic, storytelling style, but also an entirely different editing style.

Be-all and end-all? No, but then again what is? I found the film quite hypnotic at some points too. Really dug it. :thumbsup:

[LouCipherr]

Be-all and end-all? No, but then again what is? I found the film quite hypnotic at some points too. Really dug it. :thumbsup:

Same here. There were some truly weird, mezmerizing parts of the film that were really, really creepy.

Now I'm curious to see what "Let Me In" is like. I'm guessing the pacing is sped up quite a bit for us short-attention-span Americans. :lol: Has anyone seen it?

[EvilNed]

I saw it recently, after it sitting on my Sky+ box for a good six months, and I rather dug it. I won't be rushing back to it anytime soon, but then again vampires aren't so much my thing - however I thought it was really quite good, and well, it's from an entirely different country so there's not only an entirely different visual aesthetic, storytelling style, but also an entirely different editing style.

I heard it's from some country called Sweeden. Never heard of it, and I can't find it on any map.

[DjfunkmasterG]

I heard it's from some country called Sweeden. Never heard of it, and I can't find it on any map.

Sweeden it is where the SWEEDISH chef comes from... BORK! :lol:

Be prepared for Lou's wrath when he sees that Ned.


Oh and does WTF ever qualify as a reason for an edit lou?

[krisvds]

Really beautifully shot film. Horror for the arthouse crowd. You know, people who say they're not intrested in fantasy but really are. enjoyed it quite a bit but agree with some posters on here that it's not exactly the second coming or anything. Just a well made and original take on vampire stories. Luckily very FAR removed from that twilight crap.
Way better than that pointless remake IMO. Didn't really add much. What is it with American studios remaking euro-horror nowadays?
See also Rec. and Quarantine. Stupid remakes. Why don't those guys invest in original filmmakers and take some risks huh?

[MinionZombie]

Interesting you mention Quarantine. I saw it a while after seeing the REC. and I have to say I enjoyed it. Obviously it's a pretty direct copy, however what actually impressed me was Jennifer Carpenter as the news reporter - I've rarely seen an actress go into such a visceral state of hysterical panic and horror before. She did a fantastic job in the role, and nicely positioned herself outside of "Debra Morgan from Dexter" as she's probably most commonly known.

One bit that made me go "what the fuck?!" in Let The Right One In though, was the fanny-shot. :eek:

[LouCipherr]

I heard it's from some country called Sweeden. Never heard of it, and I can't find it on any map.

:p :lol:


Sweeden it is where the SWEEDISH chef comes from... BORK! :lol:

:fin: :lol:

[DjfunkmasterG]

:p :lol:



:fin: :lol:


:fin: Right back at ya

[LouCipherr]

:fin: Right back at ya

http://enderzero.net/smilies/fuckyou.gif

:p


One bit that made me go "what the fuck?!" in Let The Right One In though, was the fanny-shot. :eek:

Agreed - when I saw that, I thought to myself, "WTF?!" and what was with the scar it looked like she had? Or was that just my eyes playing tricks on me?

[MinionZombie]

Scar? I wasn't paying close enough attention, personally ... I was blind-sided by that shot and just kept playing the movie, lol.

[LouCipherr]

Scar? I wasn't paying close enough attention, personally ... I was blind-sided by that shot and just kept playing the movie, lol.

Yes, take a closer look next time you watch it (if that ever happens.. :lol:). Perhaps it was my eyes playing tricks on me, but I swear I saw a scar.

Oh, and when that shot came up and passed, both my wife and I looked at each other with this "holy shit, did we just see what I thought we just saw!?" look - I mean, I know it was a body double, but it's what was insinuated by that shot (the girl is 12!), that's what was shocking. I don't think they'd ever get away with that in the US. ;)

[shootemindehead]

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_X6bfacAhmsU/TJJOCteovuI/AAAAAAAABbs/qW68mbk4Y5M/s1600/Grammar-Nazi-2.jpg

I thought your were a Communist.

---------- Post added at 12:33 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:29 AM ----------

As for the scar...

"She" used to be a boy. Eli was castrated centuries before.

[MinionZombie]

Shoot - wow, now that puts things into a whole new perspective for the movie! :eek:

[AcesandEights]

As for the scar...

"She" used to be a boy. Eli was castrated centuries before.

You just blew Lou's mind!

As for the film, I thought it was great. Well done and a nice, genre-appropriate take on vampires.

[shootemindehead]

Shoot - wow, now that puts things into a whole new perspective for the movie! :eek:

Yep, those crazy "Sweedes".



http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:8IXHwFEoy8mspM:'Norwegians Mac'

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:qRwEUgYW2O1ytM:'NO!...I think you'll find they're Sweedes, this time! pffft!'

[LouCipherr]

"She" used to be a boy. Eli was castrated centuries before.


*head explodes*

WHAT?! How were we supposed to determine this fact from the movie? Was it mentioned and I missed it? WTF!?

[shootemindehead]

It's more subtle in the film than it is in the book. But, Eli says to Oskar that she's "not a girl" and the scar suggests that something untoward has happened. It's never explicit in the film.It's kind of clear that, besides being a vampire, Eli isn't quite what "she" seems.

[blind2d]

I always thought that line meant she was a vampire... but wow, 'Sleepaway Camp' twist, eh? Oh crap, I hope THAT wasn't a spoiler!

[LouCipherr]

It's more subtle in the film than it is in the book. But, Eli says to Oskar that she's "not a girl" and the scar suggests that something untoward has happened. It's never explicit in the film.It's kind of clear that, besides being a vampire, Eli isn't quite what "she" seems.

Ahhh, ok, that makes sense - and adds a whole new twist to the movie for me. :stunned:

[Mike70]

[/COLOR]As for the scar...

"She" used to be a boy. Eli was castrated centuries before.

is that info in the novel?

i really liked "let the right one in." it was different & much more interesting than the usual vampire fare we get these days.

the pool scene is one of the best scenes of violence ever done on film.

[LouCipherr]

the pool scene is one of the best scenes of violence ever done on film.

and it was without getting too graphic - that's one of the things I really dug about this film.

When they were holding the boy underwater and filming him under there - then you suddenly see a pair of shoes being dragged through the water as if the kids was being dragged a few feet above the pool but with their legs still in the water.. wow! that was awesome and unexpected. :D

[blind2d]

Agreed! One of the best parts!
And the cat scene! LOVE the cat scene... don't know why... I just love cats, I guess... thoughts on the Rubix cube?

[MinionZombie]

and it was without getting too graphic - that's one of the things I really dug about this film.

When they were holding the boy underwater and filming him under there - then you suddenly see a pair of shoes being dragged through the water as if the kids was being dragged a few feet above the pool but with their legs still in the water.. wow! that was awesome and unexpected. :D

Aye, that scene was very impressive. Usually in an American horror movie you'd just see everything, like you've seen it a million times before, but here it's mostly off screen - but in an interesting way where you just get the edges of pieces of the action, and then you get a much better experience as a result. The way that the film approached the subject matter throughout was really interesting and fresh. :thumbsup:

[shootemindehead]

is that info in the novel?

i really liked "let the right one in." it was different & much more interesting than the usual vampire fare we get these days.

the pool scene is one of the best scenes of violence ever done on film.

Yeh, the book's a bit harder hitting...

For instance, the old guy Eli lives with is a paedophile who was fired from his teaching job.

[LouCipherr]

For instance, the old guy Eli lives with is a paedophile who was fired from his teaching job.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e104/LouCipherr/pedobear/pedobear-23yearolds.jpg

:D

[Mike70]

Yeh, the book's a bit harder hitting...

For instance, the old guy Eli lives with is a paedophile who was fired from his teaching job.

i keep meaning to pick this up and give it a read but somehow i never get around to it.

[shootemindehead]

You should do Mike. it's one of the better fiction novels I've read in a long time. But, I don't read much fiction any more these days.

Ironically though, I'm in the middle of HG Wells' 'War of the Words' at the moment.