Let the Right One In (DVD, 2009)

From Foreign to American Transitions can be Rocky

When the Twilight franchise came around and people were billing it as a “coming of age” film series I was thinking, “How can these kids that are clearly in their 20s be going to high school.” And when you add the genre to it you get a bad mix of horrible acting and terrible storylines. I’m all for children reading, it seemed there were children in every school across the nation reading one book or another from this series. However, when it is for “coming of age,” there is no substitute for the “tweenie” years from adolescence to teen, that awkward age where you begin to discover yourself and the world around you.

In the genre world it can be tricky to fill that void. Tomas Alfredson’s “Let the Right One In” walks that line and succeeds! Oscar has the makings of a serial killer; just the type of person Eli adheres to for survival in a tough environment. Although I found the movie dated (seemed like it takes place in the mid 1980s) I felt it was the best vampire story I had seen on film. American child actors need to take notice of how to act like a child in movies today. It was refreshing to see children being children and nothing more. Although Eli is much older than she appears, her childlike mannerisms are something she’s never outgrown and have served her well for a few hundred years. She’s good at grooming the next caretaker (familiar) and the last one knows when he can’t assist her any longer.

For the American release we can assume that overpriced child actors can copy anything. The look of the film is similar and reminds me much of the original. However, I would recommend to anyone to see the original (as most of the Hollywood “remakes”) you can’t account for great filmmaking. When the studios run the films like their personal pet projects, Hollywood films lose the goal and keep the brain candy. Too bad too, smart filmmakers run overseas to make better movies away from the cookie-cutter factories. Aspiring filmmakers can take note of Alfredson’s work and understand upfront why this movie is a classic.

I first heard about this film by reading an article talking about how it was winning awards rapidly(has won 42 awards to date) and was considered one of the films you must see if you're a film enthusiast. It finally gained enough momentum to start showing up in movie theaters in the US, but with all the buzz surrounding Twilight(another vampire flick that came out at the same time in theaters and was backed by big studio spending) Let The Right One In became lost in the shuffle, losing theater counts because they instead wanted to show Twilight in yet another theater at every venue. Unfortunately, I didnt get the chance to see it for that reason. I remembered it though and when it came out on Dvd I didnt hessitate to buy it even without seeing it(from what I read I knew I would like it). Unlike Twilight, I was not dissapointed!

This film is truly a masterpiece. Even if you don't normally like horror films, or vampire movies, dont let that prevent you from seeing this! Sure there are some gruesome parts, but if I had to categorize this movie I wouldnt call it a horror film. I would call it a art/time piece with a twist of horror. The Direction was outstanding. Tomas Alfredson, with this film became in my mind one of the top 5 directors currently working in the industry! The art direction was flawless. The cinematography was masterful. There were shots in this film that have never been done before in cinematic history! Even the acting by the two young leads was often brilliant, emoting perfectly, far surpassing the two lead actors in Twilight.

Perfectly paced and an intelligent storyline. This film is mesmerizing, human, and yet sticks true to the vampire mythology. Let The Right One In is easily the best Vampire film of 2008, and in my opinion is now one of the 200 best films of all-time!

First off, if your into twilight, then this isn't for you. This isn't your typical Hollywood horror flick, this is a foreign film which has English dubbed or you can watch it with subtitles. The movie centers on a twelve year old boy named Oscar who gets bullied by classmates. A girl moves next door who he befriends and later discovers that she is very different, that's because shes a vampire. I don't want to give too much away so ill just say the the film focuses on there relationship and how it grows. There's plenty of freaky scenes and I noticed that there's no soundtrack which gives it a different vibe. I thought that the ending was fantastic. If your into vampire films, open minded and tired of the same old, same old then this is a great film for you to check out. I'm a huge fan of horror films and I thought that this film was great.

This is the original to the current release Let Me In. Although I have not seen the latter-the original is a fantastic film. If you want to see a different take on a vampire movie-this is it!

I watched it with subtitles so the original language would be played which I do with most foreign movies and it makes a difference in setting the mood and it gets better from there. While all the basics as far as storyline are there, that is about as much in common as it has with other types.(No pretty boys and girls with perfect hair and fashionable clothes here). Set in the 1980s in a small european town, a young boy becomes friends with a new neighbor and the thirst begins. Not to give away details, trust me when I say that you need to Let The Right One In!

Features Actors:Lina Leandersson, KÃ¥re Hedebrant,Per Ragnar
Running Time:114 Min.
Rating:R

In Let the Right One In, 12-year-old Oskar (future heartbreaker Kåre Hedebrant) and Eli (Lina Leandersson) enter into a deadly form of puppy love. The product of divorce, Oskar lives with his harried mother, while his new neighbor resides with a mystery man named Håkan (Per Ragnar), who takes care of her unique dietary needs. From the wintery moment in 1982 that the lonely, towheaded boy spots the strange, dark-haired girl skulking around their outer-Stockholm tenement, he senses a kindred spirit. They bond, innocently enough, over a Rubik's Cube, but little does Oskar realize that Eli has been 12 for a very long time. Meanwhile, at school, bullies torment the pale and morbid student mercilessly. Through his friendship with Eli, Oskar doesn't just learn how to defend himself, but to become a sort of predator himself, begging the question as to whether Eli really exists or whether she represents a manifestation of his pent-up anger and resentment.

Must for any vampire fan!Hope this helps you decide.Thanks for reading! :)