Let the Right One In / Let Me In

[Langsta]

I didn't think we had a thread for the original Swedish film or its American-British remake (apparently Hammer Films is one of the studios that handled the remake, which is cool if you grew up with those Hammer Horror movies with Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing), but I thought we should have one because they're pretty highly acclaimed and this remake seems to be overshadowed by hype for The Social Network. I haven't seen the original but I saw the remake the other night and it's a pretty spectacular film. Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Road) and Chloë Moretz (Kick-Ass) have amazing chemistry especially when you take their ages into consideration. I can't stress enough how awesome they are in this movie. Let Me In, directed by Matt Reeves (Cloverfield) and also starring Richard Jenkins, is a refreshing take on the vampire genre, and Let the Right One In (directed by Tomas Alfredson) is supposed to be an even better film according to many horror fanatics. In the novel and the original film, the main characters are named Oskar and Eli and the story takes place in Stockholm. In the remake, the main characters are named Owen and Abby and the story takes place in New Mexico.

 

[Jaggyd]

I personally loved it. It was a well crafted, and very well acted, film. Some of the CG was kind of weak (but it was in the original too), but the overall feel of dread and oppressiveness of the town (and the people), was spot on.

 

[Goodwill]

I saw the original for one of my classes last semester. Loved it. I was skeptical of an American remake, but apparently it has gotten solid reviews all around. As long as they do they end pool scene justice, I'd go see it.

 

[ultimatedjf]

I hear they outdid the pool sequence. I'm seeing it this weekend. Also, I just pre-ordered Michael Giacchino's score for it.

 

[Dr.Strangefate]

The original is shot far more beautifully, but the new one actually has better chemistry between the kids. I was pretty astonished by how good it was overall.

 

[ProjectX2]

I think I'm going to have a double feature with both of them.

 

[Planet-man]

I'd probably want to see this and end up enjoying it more if I hadn't seen the original.

The original was made very, impressively well, but the two kid characters were sort of more loathsome than sympathetic, I thought, and the foreign setting made it too dismal. I have no desire to see it again. This one seems like it'll still have everything that was great about the original but be more compelling overall. Abby's more attractive and Owen seems like less of a weirdo. Best of all I've heard they aren't going with the whole

Spoiler

vampire girl actually being a castrated boy

thing. The trailers have given away a RETARDED amount though. I mean, Jesus.

Either way, people this week are busy enough that I'm having a tricky enough time setting up an outing to see The Social Network.