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)
