It’s Halloween, and Geoff is getting into the spirit by snuggling up on the couch and watching a scary movie every day until the trick-or-treaters arrive.
If you haven’t seen these movies, you should. You really, REALLY should.
Miss any of the countdown?
Day 1: My Bloody Valentine (1981) Day 2: In the Mouth of Madness (1995)
Day 5: Let Me In (2010)
Yes, I know, I should be reviewing Let the Right One In, the original Swedish version. I shouldn't be plugging another shameless “Americanized” remake, but I’ll be damned if Let Me In isn’t as good (and in some cases better) than the original. And you have no idea how much I loved the original.
The Plot in 140 characters: A little boy who totally isn't mentally disturbed at all gets a new neighbor. And did I mention he isn't disturbed at all? Because he's not.
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| Yep. Perfectly normal kid here. |
The Actual Plot: Owen (or Oskar, if you watch the original Swedish version) is an extremely disturbed 12-year-old boy. He’s picked on every day and imagines killing his bullies with a knife.
Owen isn’t exactly what you’d call “well adjusted.” He collects newspaper clippings of serial killers. But just before he completely snaps and shoots up his school he gets a new neighbor. A sweet girl who soon becomes his only friend.
The only problem is that she’s not exactly what you’d call “human.”
Why I Love It: I don’t understand the point of an “Americanizing” great movies. I don't understand the idea that Americans are incapable of reading subtitles, or appreciating any film that wasn’t made in Hollywood.
Let the Right One In is one of the single best horror films of the last decade, hands down. So when word came that American studios were remaking it for American audiences I was, needless to say, skeptical.
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Especially a movie as good as Let the Right One In
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Movies like Scent of a Woman, The Ring and The Magnificant Seven, are some of the better examples of the “so good we have to re-make it in English” category, but more often than not the films end up fizzeling (can you say Godzilla?)
Let the Right One In is one of the single best horror films of the last decade, hands down. So when word came that American studios were remaking it for American audiences I was, needless to say, skeptical.
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| The vampire version of Rear Window left a bit to be desired. |
Thankfully, I was wrong. Let Me In is good. In fact, it is just as good as the original, and that is high marks.
Not only that, but Let Me In stands on its own from the original.
Let Me In is directed by the man who previously brought us Cloverfield (which I hated) and stars Kick-Ass’s Chloë Moretz (who I like).
Mortez does a nice job in the film, and unlike Kick-Ass she she conveys the tragic nature of Abby The Vampire perfectly.
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And it stars the great Richard Jenkins in a darkly sinister role that I absolutely adore.
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Both films, I should say, are based on the novel of the same name by Sweedish author John Lindqvist, and both follow the basic plots of the book, although they (I think smartly) are not as overt about the pedophalic overtones of the vampire-REnfield relationship. (The Sweedish version epecially).
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| "I don't care what anyone says, Peter Kriss is the best KISS member." |
The highest praise that I can give the remake is that there are several scenes that I think genuinely improve on the original. If you are a fan of the original I can safely recommend the film to you with the same passion that I can to someone who has never heard of Sweeden at all.
The film is a smart combination of horror and coming-of-age innocence. The film focuses primarily away from the gory vampire cliches (those there’s certainly a bit of gore in it for us fans) and instead on the relationship between Abby and Owen.
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| It's sort of the Lois and Clark of vampire stories. |
But don’t think that this is some Twilight knockoff. The film is dark, and smart and (frankly) it is exactly what Twilight should have been. If you want a story about love, vampires and alegories about never being able to truly be together, but aside your Stephanie Meyer and pick up this.
The film is nicely blends the two genres and hits on all the emotional buttons. It’s tragic and sad, it’s sweet and innocent, it’s violent and bloody.
In short, this this (and Let the Right One In) would make excellent Halloween Night fodder, and if you are in the mood of OG (which true film lovers are) pleae pick up Let the Right One In, but if you want a quick fix please watch Let Me In.
TOMORROW: The single greatest horror film of all time. PSYCHO.
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