I have no idea why vampires seem to be such a part of our zeitgeist. I do think there's some kind of connection but, alas, I think it will only reveal itself through history. I will conjecture, however, that the vampire fascination is closely linked with the zombie revival that's been a regular part of cinema for at least fifteen years. At the risk of revealing the extent of my geekiness, I like to think of the relationship between vampires and zombies as analogous to the relationship between elves and orcs (from The Lord of the Rings).
Of course, one could also argue that the fascination is overdetermined -- that there really is no single clear answer just as there really is no single, definitive representation of vampires. Case in point, this little gem of a film from Sweden. LET THE RIGHT ONE IN (Låt den rätte komma in) often gets discussed in the same breath as TWILIGHT. They both feature young vampires in love with young mortals but, really, that's where any similarities end. Twilight focuses on a tortured relationship between two people who want each other but can't have one another without risking death. It's the ultimate cinematic love story in that most films about love are never really about love but only about seeking after love. Let's face it, there's probably nothing more boring than a film about a couple who are already in love and just living everyday life.
To a large extent, Let the Right One In follows a similar path except that this "love" is not couched in deeply romantic language but one of desperation and alienation. In other words, our desire for another -- for a beloved -- is not a beautiful thing but rather a defensive weapon we use to guard ourselves against the coldness of the world. Love is a kind of necessary comfort and, to that extent, becomes the target of obsession.
For most American audiences, Let the Right One In can be painfully slow. There's a very restrained pace that makes the film's climactic ending that much more powerful. It may not have the bang you see in an American action thriller but the bang is even more powerful because it's so much more restrained. Normally, I don't hold back from leaking the endings. After all, by the time I get around to writing about a film, it's been out a couple of months already. But, in this case, I'm going to keep mum.
Oh ... and make sure to see this soon because an American version is in the works and I can guarantee you that it's going to suck.
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