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MguyXXV 
"X marks the spot"
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 Posted - 04/14/2009 : 15:35:43
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WOW: Sal, you used "definitely," "certainly" and "obviously" in your opinion! That being said, one cannot but conclude that there is only one valid point of view on the matter. Duly noted. 
It's a bit soon, however, to be calling the as-yet unmade remake effort appalling -- no one's seen it yet! Let Michael Mann or Zack Snyder or Michael Bay have a whack at it first. Then we'll see whether it's appalling.  |
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Demisemicenturian
"Four ever European"
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Posted - 04/14/2009 : 15:46:13
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quote:
Originally posted by MguyX
WOW: Sal, you used "definitely," "certainly" and "obviously" in your opinion! That being said, one cannot but conclude that there is only one valid point of view on the matter. Duly noted.
It's a bit soon, however, to be calling the as-yet unmade remake effort appalling -- no one's seen it yet! Let Michael Mann or Zack Snyder or Michael Bay have a whack at it first. Then we'll see whether it's appalling.
Everything that anyone says is their opinion. Therefore my saying that something is definitely the case is absolutely equivalent to indicating that I think it is definitely the case, i.e. that I haven't seen the slightest reason to think the contrary. The way the boy comes across, for example, seems to me totally in keeping with the atmosphere of the film.
I said that it is appalling that it is being remade, not that the remake is appalling, and I stand by that. I see no positive value in the exercise. It's just about money, thus appalling. |
Edited by - Demisemicenturian on 04/14/2009 16:34:46 |
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MguyXXV
"X marks the spot"
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Posted - 04/14/2009 : 16:31:20
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If it's just about money, then it's not appalling: it's accounting!  |
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MisterBadIdea 
"PLZ GET MILK, KTHXBYE"
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Posted - 04/14/2009 : 17:28:17
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quote:
It's just about money, thus appalling.
The Godfather was made just for money too. |
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Demisemicenturian
"Four ever European"
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Posted - 04/14/2009 : 17:41:54
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quote:
Originally posted by MisterBadIdea
The Godfather was made just for money too.
Well, that was an appalling thing to do, though, if it's the case. It's also not comparable because it was obviously filling a valid gap (a film version of the book) that the English version of this isn't. (English speakers too lazy to read is not a valid gap.) |
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BaftaBaby 
"Always entranced by cinema."
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Posted - 04/23/2009 : 23:01:48
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We just got this. I saw the subtitled version, which I'm sure is the best way other than quickly learning Swedish!
It's got many flaws, primarily structural, but it's a remarkable piece of work.
Thematically the film is about choices. The impotence of youth unable to choose most aspects of their life. The impotence of adults in choosing to remain servants to those with power. The biggest choice involves crossing the threshold to responsibility. Let The Right One In heralds that choice, and, of course, attests to vampire law that the bloodsuckers must be invited in.
There's a quietly powerful scene where the vampire, loyal to the boy, does enter uninvited. Choices. Testing powers. Taking responsibility.
Some of the best photography around, and some brilliant editing choices.
Some images I'll never forget ... and how the scene in the hospital made you laugh, MguyX and MdaughterX I really don't understand. The cats, on the other hand, while not funny to me, were hardly an example of great sfx.
Bizarre. Arresting. Disturbing.
Unlike mainstream films of the genre, it's in no way manipulative, yet it's generally surprising, unpredictable.
What's missing is any depth of relationships, but that may be part of the point. Coldness is a vital element.
The title - taken from the book of the same title - is from a Morissey song.
Go see it!
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demonic
"Cinemaniac"
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Posted - 04/23/2009 : 23:56:02
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Finally caught up with this having been more eager to see it then any recent release I can think of. Hence I was asking to be mildly disappointed - as always - hype doesn't help. What also doesn't help is four tipsy twenty somethings sat in front of me who couldn't sit still and whispered to each other through the whole thing. More than a little distracting.
A couple of plot points bothered me and took me out of the experience. Firstly for someone having to take care of a vampire, presumably for quite some time, the old fella was unbelievably inept at it - in the first instance stringing a kid up in a very well-lit woodland area, and in the second in a changing room with people still around. It's small wonder he wasn't caught earlier or could feed her at all.
Secondly when Eli goes to visit him at the hospital the duty nurse seemed very untroubled by the arrival of the daughter of a captured serial murderer who refuses to supply his identity - she would be a rather important person to try to keep hold of, no?
The CGI was truly awful unfortunately. I know that the budget probably prohibited it, but it ruined the mid-section of the film (mainly the cats) with sheer cheapness when special effects were far from what was important in a film mainly concerned with character and emotion. Ginia burning in the bed was great though I thought. And Eli's general changing appearance and eyes.
I loved the idea of a darker than usual love story, thought it was stylishly shot, and thought both kids delivered excellent performances - but I spent a lot of the film waiting for the real plot to kick in. I suspect I'll like it a lot more on the second viewing, or after I've read the book. I love a good vampire movie, and I love foreign films too - this didn't feel as classic to me as some critics have suggested.
Final thought - I can't think of anything more painful than watching a foreign language film dubbed rather than subbed. All the nuances of the actor's performance are basically thrown out and the original sound design of the film is lost - which includes the sound of the language being spoken. Losing the sound of Japanese being spoken in "Seven Samurai" or Italian in "Bicycle Thieves" or French in "Jean de Florette" would diminish all three immeasurably. I know a lot of people hate reading in the cinema - but like Rabid I got used to it as a kid and now I don't even think twice about it. In the case of "Let The Right One In", I thought the high detail of the sound was one of the best things; I read on imdb they even created the close up sounds of the childrens' blinking with grape skins.  |
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MguyXXV
"X marks the spot"
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Posted - 04/23/2009 : 23:58:02
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Re the title: as I noted in my second post, "And I found out what the title means! (Which I could have done at IMDb if I just scrolled down a little.)." So, if you're answering that initial query, again, Beebs, I got it. Didn't you guys get the memo about the new cover sheet for the TPS reports?
Re the hospital scene: the movie was not moving me or littleX at all, hence the sudden conflagration was hilarious. Yes, I understand the suicidal impetus; it's just that the absence of any emotional connection between audience BigX/littleX and the characters rendered the moment laughable.
Re the cats: bingo - the silly sfx were laughable, hence the laughter.
Re lack of relationship depths: I'm not willing to assign that a function of purpose; I regarded it as an erroneous lacuna.
I saw a lot of potential in the story and the film - there's tons of realized potential in the book, by the way. So my criticism was this crazy thing about industry bandwagons and the nutty Emperor, because to me it's clear: I can see the Emperor's nuts.
However, even I admitted that there was something engaging about the film. So I'm not relegating it to the rubbish heap: I'm just being a kid in the audience who's talking about how he sees it. And to my sight, I see it.
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Edited by - MguyXXV on 04/24/2009 01:53:47 |
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Demisemicenturian
"Four ever European"
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Posted - 04/24/2009 : 09:55:29
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Re: the old guy's ineptness, I guess it's possible that he wants to be caught, because he's had enough of it all.
I thought the same about the hospital visit, though. Even if she had proof she was the daughter and he wasn't a killer, surely children aren't allowed to just wander in alone to see their severely disfigured parents.
The coldness of the relationships seemed spot on to me. I am totally certain that that was intended. |
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MguyXXV
"X marks the spot"
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Posted - 04/24/2009 : 12:30:35
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quote:
Originally posted by Salopian
I am totally certain that that was intended.
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demonic
"Cinemaniac"
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Posted - 04/24/2009 : 22:09:15
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quote:
Originally posted by Salopian
Re: the old guy's ineptness, I guess it's possible that he wants to be caught, because he's had enough of it all.
That would make sense but only if that were suggested in any way in the film - he seems pretty obedient and devoted to Eli. I discovered, but only from later research, that the character in the book is a paedophile - which is a fascinating idea. He gets to spend all his time with a child that will never grow older in return for arranging the nightly food supply. It's suggested in the film when she strokes his face, but that's about it I think. |
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BaftaBaby
"Always entranced by cinema."
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Posted - 04/24/2009 : 23:18:01
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quote:
Originally posted by demonic
quote:
Originally posted by Salopian
Re: the old guy's ineptness, I guess it's possible that he wants to be caught, because he's had enough of it all.
That would make sense but only if that were suggested in any way in the film - he seems pretty obedient and devoted to Eli. I discovered, but only from later research, that the character in the book is a paedophile - which is a fascinating idea. He gets to spend all his time with a child that will never grow older in return for arranging the nightly food supply. It's suggested in the film when she strokes his face, but that's about it I think.
Apparently in the book it's clear the child was born a boy who was later castrated. That quick shot of the naked girl as she slips on the dress flashes a horizontal scar instead of a vaginal slit. The guy is also a Renfield figure, serving the vampire. He's been interpreted many ways in various films.
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MguyXXV
"X marks the spot"
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Posted - 04/25/2009 : 00:44:04
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THIS is exactly what I'm talking about! There's a lot more in the book that the film fails to handle well.
I'm not one of those "books are better than films" guys: believe me, "Anal Sluts 4" was a far better film than paperback. But there's stuff important to the plot that this film fails to deliver, and that's part of what my problem is with LTROI. I get the impression that somebody started this hype once s/he read the book first and then read the story into the film.
The story is fascinating, but I'm still seeing pimples on the big E's butt! |
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demonic
"Cinemaniac"
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Posted - 04/25/2009 : 09:48:57
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You're way off target MGuyX.
Anal Sluts 4 was a great book. All the nuances and subtlety of characterisation went right out the window in the adaptation. |
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Whippersnapper. 
"A fourword thinking guy."
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Posted - 04/25/2009 : 11:32:05
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ANAL SLUTS 4?
That would be a hard-back, I suppose?
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Let the Right One In ...
