I’m not reading too much into the film, but appreciate that others do. Bergman references and all this pretentious stuff don’t make a genre film in disguise…it’s just the logical extension of the storyline.
It is approximately my favorite film. With All That Heaven Allows is the greatest romance ever made. With Near Dark, the greatest Vampire movie ever made.
http://punkeinfilm.blogspot.com/2008/11/david-tafoya-film-appreciation-society.html
A remake is a sin. Alfredson said, rightly, that the reason you remake a film is because there’s something wrong with it. I hope the producers of the remake are killed before the film can be put into production.
I blind bought the Blu ray and plan on watching this weekend.
Scout – Maybe Matt Reeves will be killed by Cloverfield. If his remake of Let the Right One In is as bad as Cloverfield . . . YIKES!
Here’s a perfect film that should go into “what we would like to see as a Criterion edition” thread.
My favorite film of the last 5 years for sure (I would say 10 to 15, but I would have to fact check my memory bank too carefully to enjoy this forum)
Read the book Eli is a castrated male.
well reading the book doesn’t help only because the film is an “adaptation”, we have to rely on that work individually for evidence. and its there, Eli states in the film he isn’t a girl, and they show castrated genitalia.
Crap Monster
well yes that is my point,there should be no questioning his gender as it is clearly stated,which it seems some were not aware of.
I did not care about the story or characters. It’s all about the feel of it. Like when you see a Ki-duk film.
Jacob I was agreeing with you but simply pointing out that people don’t need to read the book. But for what its worth, its actually not completely obvious. Many people took Eli’s statement of not being a girl, meaning that he was a vampire, monster, or simply inhuman.
The castration shot was very short and at a voyeuristic angle, so it could have been understandably missed. Its similar to the concentration camp tattoo that Maude has in Harold & Maude. Its visually and explicitly there, but many people miss it since its not emphasized by a long close up or the like.
Maybe the unrated director’s cut will give us a better shot of that castrated genetalia (JK).
Crap Monster
Oskar : I like you
Eli : I am NOT a boy.
Ha! I am not trying to be an ass but I do see your point.In any case it is so beautifully shot it really doesn’t matter.
The Pedophilic nature of the older man/caretaker and his true intentions is subject to debate.And a more important one at that.
Jacob I know what you mean, but it is true. People here obviously made the same mistake and I actually saw it with two other people, who similarly did too. I almost feel though that gender is meant to be androgynous and somewhat ambiguous. The exact gender of a character is not important but I think the fact that there seems to be a lack of dichotomy is more emphasized. If we see Eli as Oskar’s fantasy, as someone who can physically fight back against his oppressors, then we can see gender being used as a means of escape. Both are boys, while Eli represents that fantasy, and his castration can almost be seen as exemplifying that notion of escaping one’s own undesired identity. Its just a theory, and it probably contradicts with the notion of Oskar instead as victim to Eli, but yea….interesting nonetheless.
I am curious about the pedophiliac nature myself as well as the somewhat undefined relationship between Eli and his father. I actually tried to make sense out of alot of these seeming dynamics and such on my blog, but have no idea how successful I was. if your interested, would definitely like to hear your thoughts or criticisms on my take either here or on the post itself.
I’m still convinced the Eli is Oskar’s alter ego. Did anything allude to that in the book?
to be honest Lester, Im leaning towards something like that too. Eli represents a fantasy of what Oskar would like to be.
Crap-I missed the fact that Eli was a girl first time around because of the very reason you mentioned. And the castration shot was so quick I thought it was just a vagina shot-not understanding why that was included.
Exactly. The parallels between Oskar and Eli lean that way. And the whole thing with the castration, I’m convinced, symbolizes that, or one could at least draw that reference.
CM
It is not stated that the old man is Eli’s father,I believe him not to be his father and to be in love with the boy either out of lack of companionship or subservience.His only motive is the feeding and well-being of Eli,exemplified by his self sacrifice. Also I believe Eli to be the embodiment of Oskar’s fantasies,although alter ego is going a bit far,the affectionate undertones are not to be misconstrued as this film is ultimately about acceptance.
yea its not, I was wondering this myself since I read in the novel Eli is 200 years old. If thats the case, the man could not be his father. Your theory of him being in love with the boy is interesting, because it directly feeds into the notion that Oskar is simply part of a larger cycle.
Indeed it is,at least thats what i gathered.
Perhaps the old man is to Eli as Renfield was to Dracula?
Wow, people sure are reading into this…i never thought a simple film with good scenes in it would make such a topic for debate. I personally don’t read too much into it…like when people starting reading all this subtext into Oldboy. It really isn’t too much to read here, boy misunderstood, victim of cruelty at hands of bullies, befriends vampire (unisex being), both interrelate, bullies are dealt with, both run away.
I do like people seeing more than that….healthy discourse.
Yep! Films with simple storylines sometimes delve much deeper than the surface they’re built on. It’s all subjective I guess. Depends on the viewer. It either hits you or it doesn’t.
Alanedit I think theres more going on, hence the discourse. I think similarly with Oldboy as well as many other films.
Just saw it on blu-ray, thought it was great. love the lighting in it
CM – Yeah. There’s definitely more going on in this film, at least in my head there is, hence the magic of film: Let out imaginations run wild!
I love the scene with Oskar and his class in the snow when the two boys find the body of the man Eli killed, and at exactly the same time Oskar hits the bully with the big stick. Both of the protagonists harm people out of necessity. This further endorses the idea of an (and I use this term loosely) “alter ego.”
Anyway, this was my favorite film of 2008. Eli and Oskar form the best relationship in this film than anyone else in any other film this year. And all this in a horror film? Get outta here!
I assumed (never having read the book) that the old man had been with Eli since he was Oskar’s age and Oskar became his replacement, destined to the same life and probably death. In that respect it’s a very sad story and Eli becomes, in my mind, the ultimate villain. That is, honestly, the only thing that made this story interesting to me.
I couldn’t help but fall in love with the cinematography and tone of the film, but some scenes (the cats and the lady bursting into flames for example) were just ridiculous. I don’t think the subplot of Eli being a eunuch had much relevance to the story (as it was explained in the film, maybe in the book it made more sense). I like the observation that Oskar was a bit androgynous himself, but there wasn’t a strong enough connection for that to resonate with me. Maybe I’m just dense.
I have to say, the pool scene got me. Some dude bro down front in the theater I saw it in summed it up, “DAAAAAAAAMMMMNNNNN.”
Interestingly enough, this is the sort of film I might buy because it’s pretty and slow—the kind of thing I would have on in the background when I’m writing. Also, apparently a lot of people like it so maybe it wouldn’t be bad to have in my collection. I just wasn’t blown away.
Crap Monster
Im tending to see the castration in more of a positive fantasy rather then an emasculation, through the usage of transcending gender. Oskar himself subsequently seems pretty androgynous which could go in line with actually either view.