LET THE RIGHT ONE IN

Who's seen it?

I watched it on DVD this weekend and it totally blew me away...the hype was brewing for this Swedish vampire picture last year and I just kind of blew it off. What a mistake that was, this is one of the best horror films of the past 20 years. Period. It completely blows all this remake shit, torture porn, J-horror garbage out of the water. It's a return to some quite traditional horror and folkloric elements and it's a hell of a lot closer to Val Lewton than Eli Roth- and as a lifelong horror fan I really appreciate a return to classic horror. But it's still very modern, relevant, and very serious. It's a film about atmosphere, subtlety, interior darkness, dread, the attraction of evil, and all the things that GREAT horror films have in common. I was really impressed at how well the brazenly supernatural elements are gradually integrated into a very real-world setting in a credible and surprising way- this is the movie M. Night Shymalan has been wishing he could make for about the past 10 years.

If you care about horror at all, see it. See it before the US remake fucks it all up.

Michael Barnes wrote:

Who's seen it?

I watched it on DVD this weekend and it totally blew me away...the hype was brewing for this Swedish vampire picture last year and I just kind of blew it off. What a mistake that was, this is one of the best horror films of the past 20 years. Period. It completely blows all this remake shit, torture porn, J-horror garbage out of the water. It's a return to some quite traditional horror and folkloric elements and it's a hell of a lot closer to Val Lewton than Eli Roth- and as a lifelong horror fan I really appreciate a return to classic horror. But it's still very modern, relevant, and very serious. It's a film about atmosphere, subtlety, interior darkness, dread, the attraction of evil, and all the things that GREAT horror films have in common. I was really impressed at how well the brazenly supernatural elements are gradually integrated into a very real-world setting in a credible and surprising way- this is the movie M. Night Shymalan has been wishing he could make for about the past 10 years.

If you care about horror at all, see it. See it before the US remake fucks it all up.

I posted a thread about this awhile back ( fortressat.com/index.php?option=com_kune...ew&catid=19&id=21208 )

I was certain you would like this. I agree with you, I thought it was excellent. I am sure that I will pass on the US remake. Check out the book it is based on too -- a little more detail of the story, but all in all, the movie was a great adaptation.

Have a chance to watch this again this tonight at a local theater and probably will. This is really a great treatment of what a horror film should be. I have become disillusioned with the recent fare that comes out, relying on visual shock rather than atmospheric tension.

LET THE RIGHT ONE IN nailed many things correctly. The subtle inclusion of many elements of vampire lore fit nicely as well. One personal favorite was her smell reverting to that of the undead if she went to long between feedings, and I really liked the requirement to invite her in and the subtext that went with knowingly inviting evil into one's life. That plays nicely with the dichotomy of her evil, which she is compelled by "nature", versus the evil of the bully which is just done for his own twisted glee.

I really recommend this also -- the best horror movie I have seen in at least a decade.

Michael -- perhaps we are the only ones interested in these types of horror movies. Clearly, you are much more discerning when it comes to films than I (who likes a lot of everything). Do you have a short list of "best horror movies"?

Come on Space Ghost--you know I can hang cinematically. I just haven't seen this one.

Best horror films... hmm. Harumph. Horror films are pretty cheap, by and large--especially in the US. Quick BOO!s, gore for gore's sake, etc.

I was horrified by FUNNY GAMES (the Austrian one, I have no desire to see the remake). I'm not sure I would call it a horror film though.

PSYCHO is really fucking good, but that movie is so spoiled it doesn't really work anymore.

I thought 28 DAYS LATER was one of the best horror movies of the last ten years. The relatively no-name cast takes away the audience's ability to tell who's going to make it to the end.

I really like John Carpenter's THE THING. Good man's movie there. The DVD with commentary and featurettes is awesome, by the way.

SE7EN is pretty good, but again, not really a horror movie.

I keep hearing that AUDITION will destroy my mind, so I guess I have that to look forward to.

As for vampire films go, NEAR DARK is pretty awesome.

I watched this a few days ago. It's received a lot of praise like yours for being a fresh addition to a stale genre. And that's true. But what I was more impressed with is that this is one of the tightest movies of any genre I've seen in a while. Nothing is superfluous; every moment adds to and supports the story. I appreciate that kind of succinctness since so many movies are bloated.

I was thinking about downloading this, but then I remembered all you guys suck ass when it comes to movie tastes.

This from the guy who's nation produced Baz Luhrman.

Mr Skeletor wrote:

I was thinking about downloading this, but then I remembered all you guys suck ass when it comes to movie tastes.

So far, my movie recommendations remain unblemished -- although, this would be the only one I have recommended.

jeb wrote:

This from the guy who's nation produced Baz Luhrman.

Only Baz films I have seen are Moulin Rouge (excellent) and the ass end of strickly ball room (enjoyable).

Mr Skeletor wrote:

Moulin Rouge (excellent)

I win the Internets.

Ah, Jeb -- didn't mean to call into question your movie love. Just figuring you might not like horror movies.

jeb wrote:

Mr Skeletor wrote:

Moulin Rouge (excellent)

I win the Internets.

Moulin Rouge sucks because the internet told you it does.

Saw it this eve.

A: The Blu-Ray had a dubbed track. Not sure about the DVD.
B: It is quite good. Not as much ahorror movie as a rather sweet coming of age story with a bit more blood than usual.