What are the odds that the American remake (opens Oct. 1st) of the Swedish vampire film will be any good?

[img:$uid]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c9/Let_the_Right_One_In_(Swedish).jpg[/img:$uid] [img:$uid]http://twitchfilm.net/news/letmeinposter.jpg[/img:$uid]

I think it will probably be competently made but I also think it runs a big risk of being just another genre piece. What made the original good was its "artistic feel" with a deliberately slow pace, good casting, and sensitive handling of the youth and love aspects and how they blend with the disturbing (but fascinating) sequences of violence. It really needs to be a deeply personal movie for all that to work and with the bigger, slicker production that might be lost. But we'll see...

It actually looks pretty closely done.

I like the original but found it greatly overrated as a HORROR film.

There was nothing scary or very suspenseful about it (I know there are many differing opinions of what constitutes horror). I'm not trashing the film, I very much enjoyed it. I just found it to be a great DRAMA.

[Edited 8/6/10 20:03pm]

johnart said:

It actually looks pretty closely done.

I like the original but found it greatly overrated as a HORROR film.

There was nothing scary or very suspenseful about it (I know there are many differing opinions of what constitutes horror). I'm not trashing the film, I very much enjoyed it. I just found it to be a great DRAMA.

[Edited 8/6/10 20:03pm]

Even with all the slaughtering for the collecting of blood? I found even the first killing to be horrific.

ufoclub said:

johnart said:

It actually looks pretty closely done.

I like the original but found it greatly overrated as a HORROR film.

There was nothing scary or very suspenseful about it (I know there are many differing opinions of what constitutes horror). I'm not trashing the film, I very much enjoyed it. I just found it to be a great DRAMA.

[Edited 8/6/10 20:03pm]

Even with all the slaughtering for the collecting of blood? I found even the first killing to be horrific.

that tested my limits

I hate U.S. remakes. It's just lazy. I predict another epic fail.

Seems Hollywood is devoid of good scriptwriters and original stories. So much so, you get reboots of films only made in the last ten years. It's ridiculous.

Then there are the Asian cinema remakes...

[Edited 8/7/10 3:31am]

Marrk said:

I hate U.S. remakes. It's just lazy. I predict another epic fail.

Seems Hollywood is devoid of good scriptwriters and original stories. So much so, you get reboots of films only made in the last ten years. It's ridiculous.

Then there are the Asian cinema remakes...

[Edited 8/7/10 3:31am]

Couldn't agree with you more.

I remember when Sexton turned me on to this movie from a thread recommending lesser known movies about a year ago.

I thought it was great. And this remake looks almost EXACTLY the same, so why bother? And the original was made less than two years ago in this case....

Perhaps the only good thing to come of this is it will turn people to the original.

johnart said:

It actually looks pretty closely done.

I like the original but found it greatly overrated as a HORROR film.

There was nothing scary or very suspenseful about it (I know there are many differing opinions of what constitutes horror). I'm not trashing the film, I very much enjoyed it. I just found it to be a great DRAMA.

[Edited 8/6/10 20:03pm]

To me, the strength of the original Let The Right One In was that it wasn't a horror story at all, but a story about loneliness employing the supernatural (vampires) as the metaphor for being outside the norm/mainstream (anyone being outside the mainstream should be able to relate).

As a drama with supernatural elements (in ordinary settings) in the vein of Andrei Tarkovsky's films, I think it succeeded wonderfully.

Now, the American remake .. ugh .. seems to not get the original's melancholy. It honestly looks as a typical "more guns, more blood, more fire, more sex"-American remake.

But true, as a horror film it failed. And the remake will fail also, because it seemingly thinks the original was a horror film.

Cravens said:

johnart said:

It actually looks pretty closely done.

I like the original but found it greatly overrated as a HORROR film.

There was nothing scary or very suspenseful about it (I know there are many differing opinions of what constitutes horror). I'm not trashing the film, I very much enjoyed it. I just found it to be a great DRAMA.

[Edited 8/6/10 20:03pm]

To me, the strength of the original Let The Right One In was that it wasn't a horror story at all, but a story about loneliness employing the supernatural (vampires) as the metaphor for being outside the norm/mainstream (anyone being outside the mainstream should be able to relate).

As a drama with supernatural elements (in ordinary settings) in the vein of Andrei Tarkovsky's films, I think it succeeded wonderfully.

Now, the American remake .. ugh .. seems to not get the original's melancholy. It honestly looks as a typical "more guns, more blood, more fire, more sex"-American remake.

But true, as a horror film it failed. And the remake will fail also, because it seemingly thinks the original was a horror film.

The original was a wonderful film. Period. Very nicely done. I'm prejudiced against any remake, but I'll wait for it on DVD and judge then.

Cravens said:

johnart said:

It actually looks pretty closely done.

I like the original but found it greatly overrated as a HORROR film.

There was nothing scary or very suspenseful about it (I know there are many differing opinions of what constitutes horror). I'm not trashing the film, I very much enjoyed it. I just found it to be a great DRAMA.

[Edited 8/6/10 20:03pm]

To me, the strength of the original Let The Right One In was that it wasn't a horror story at all, but a story about loneliness employing the supernatural (vampires) as the metaphor for being outside the norm/mainstream (anyone being outside the mainstream should be able to relate).

As a drama with supernatural elements (in ordinary settings) in the vein of Andrei Tarkovsky's films, I think it succeeded wonderfully.

Now, the American remake .. ugh .. seems to not get the original's melancholy. It honestly looks as a typical "more guns, more blood, more fire, more sex"-American remake.

But true, as a horror film it failed. And the remake will fail also, because it seemingly thinks the original was a horror film.

I'm going to have to say that a story about lonliness employing the supernatural is classic horror material. It's horror. Just like the movie "Se7en" is horror and "Silence of the Lambs" is horror.

Horror has long standing tradition in literature to be dramatic, character heavy. There are many great horror movies that do the same.

Let the Right One In has so many horror elements that all work. Including "the underdog that gets picked on until all his/her enemies get slaughtered in the end".

ufoclub said:

Cravens said:

To me, the strength of the original Let The Right One In was that it wasn't a horror story at all, but a story about loneliness employing the supernatural (vampires) as the metaphor for being outside the norm/mainstream (anyone being outside the mainstream should be able to relate).

As a drama with supernatural elements (in ordinary settings) in the vein of Andrei Tarkovsky's films, I think it succeeded wonderfully.

Now, the American remake .. ugh .. seems to not get the original's melancholy. It honestly looks as a typical "more guns, more blood, more fire, more sex"-American remake.

But true, as a horror film it failed. And the remake will fail also, because it seemingly thinks the original was a horror film.

I'm going to have to say that a story about lonliness employing the supernatural is classic horror material. It's horror. Just like the movie "Se7en" is horror and "Silence of the Lambs" is horror.

Horror has long standing tradition in literature to be dramatic, character heavy. There are many great horror movies that do the same.

Let the Right One In has so many horror elements that all work. Including "the underdog that gets picked on until all his/her enemies get slaughtered in the end".

I agree. Just because it was subtle doesn't mean it failed as a horror film. I found many parts to be chilling the first time I watched it--the scene under the bridge for example. Perhaps many of us are used to extreme visuals now and are desensitized to more delicate movies like Let The Right One In.

Johnart, I know you're like that, your posts are all over this thread: http://prince.org/msg/100/312065

As for the upcoming Let Me In, as has already been stated, it could be a nice looking and successful movie (judging by the reputation of the director), but most likely reduced to just another vampire film. Which is definitely not the case with the original.

sextonseven said:

ufoclub said:

I'm going to have to say that a story about lonliness employing the supernatural is classic horror material. It's horror. Just like the movie "Se7en" is horror and "Silence of the Lambs" is horror.

Horror has long standing tradition in literature to be dramatic, character heavy. There are many great horror movies that do the same.

Let the Right One In has so many horror elements that all work. Including "the underdog that gets picked on until all his/her enemies get slaughtered in the end".

I agree. Just because it was subtle doesn't mean it failed as a horror film. I found many parts to be chilling the first time I watched it--the scene under the bridge for example. Perhaps many of us are used to extreme visuals now and are desensitized to more delicate movies like Let The Right One In.

Johnart, I know you're like that, your posts are all over this thread: http://prince.org/msg/100/312065

Yes. But what perplexes me, is that are a slew of great horror films of all flavors... just as all the best comedies are not like American Pie or Police Academy... a comedy can also be something like Dr. Strangelove or Being There.

ufoclub said:

sextonseven said:

I agree. Just because it was subtle doesn't mean it failed as a horror film. I found many parts to be chilling the first time I watched it--the scene under the bridge for example. Perhaps many of us are used to extreme visuals now and are desensitized to more delicate movies like Let The Right One In.

Johnart, I know you're like that, your posts are all over this thread: http://prince.org/msg/100/312065

Yes. But what perplexes me, is that are a slew of great horror films of all flavors... just as all the best comedies are not like American Pie or Police Academy... a comedy can also be something like Dr. Strangelove or Being There.

I'm happy some movies don't fit nicely into the box otherwise I'd dislike all horror films and comedies.

ZombieKitten said:

ufoclub said:

Even with all the slaughtering for the collecting of blood? I found even the first killing to be horrific.

that tested my limits

It didn't test one horror limit for me. I just thought it was a touching nice drama about a vampire child. I don't know if it was a novel, but I think it would've made a great (classic even) horror novel. As a film however I didn't find it scary at all. There was no moment in which I felt nervous at what horrific scare might come next. I'm being serious.

johnart said:

ZombieKitten said:

that tested my limits

It didn't test one horror limit for me. I just thought it was a touching nice drama about a vampire child. I don't know if it was a novel, but I think it would've made a great (classic even) horror novel. As a film however I didn't find it scary at all. There was no moment in which I felt nervous at what horrific scare might come next. I'm being serious.

I'm worried about you.

Cravens said:

johnart said:

It actually looks pretty closely done.

I like the original but found it greatly overrated as a HORROR film.

There was nothing scary or very suspenseful about it (I know there are many differing opinions of what constitutes horror). I'm not trashing the film, I very much enjoyed it. I just found it to be a great DRAMA.

[Edited 8/6/10 20:03pm]

To me, the strength of the original Let The Right One In was that it wasn't a horror story at all, but a story about loneliness employing the supernatural (vampires) as the metaphor for being outside the norm/mainstream (anyone being outside the mainstream should be able to relate).

As a drama with supernatural elements (in ordinary settings) in the vein of Andrei Tarkovsky's films, I think it succeeded wonderfully.

Now, the American remake .. ugh .. seems to not get the original's melancholy. It honestly looks as a typical "more guns, more blood, more fire, more sex"-American remake.

But true, as a horror film it failed. And the remake will fail also, because it seemingly thinks the original was a horror film.

I couldn't agree more.

It was kind of the opposite of when horror stories are described as "something extraordinary happening to ordinary people". It was a drama about an extraordinary child trying to cope in/with an ordinary world.

Genesia said:

johnart said:

It didn't test one horror limit for me. I just thought it was a touching nice drama about a vampire child. I don't know if it was a novel, but I think it would've made a great (classic even) horror novel. As a film however I didn't find it scary at all. There was no moment in which I felt nervous at what horrific scare might come next. I'm being serious.

I'm worried about you.

You more than anyone here, Ms. Actor should know that what a character might be does not define the piece or its genre.

johnart said:

Genesia said:

I'm worried about you.

You more than anyone here, Ms. Actor should know that what a character might be does not define the piece or its genre.

That's not what I meant. You? Enjoying a "touching drama" about any kind of a child?

sextonseven said:

ufoclub said:

I'm going to have to say that a story about lonliness employing the supernatural is classic horror material. It's horror. Just like the movie "Se7en" is horror and "Silence of the Lambs" is horror.

Horror has long standing tradition in literature to be dramatic, character heavy. There are many great horror movies that do the same.

Let the Right One In has so many horror elements that all work. Including "the underdog that gets picked on until all his/her enemies get slaughtered in the end".

I agree. Just because it was subtle doesn't mean it failed as a horror film. I found many parts to be chilling the first time I watched it--the scene under the bridge for example. Perhaps many of us are used to extreme visuals now and are desensitized to more delicate movies like Let The Right One In.

Johnart, I know you're like that, your posts are all over this thread: http://prince.org/msg/100/312065

NoI wouldn't say that. I don't need a visual to be extreme to think it's scary. My very first suggestion in that thread is "El Orfanato".

One of my FAVORITE horror films of recent years (perhaps in my top-10 or 15 ALL TIME...and that was as subtle as any horror film can get. "Rosemary's Baby" too. Some of my favorite horror movies are extreme, but my taste in the genre is varied. I will always take suspense and jolts over gore. Always.

I'm not saying the film is a faliure. And I know that technically most folk classify it as horror. To me personally it was more effective as a drama is all. I'm not disputing that it might be horror, just saying how it affected me personally, which wasn't by scaring me.

[Edited 8/8/10 8:15am]

Genesia said:

johnart said:

You more than anyone here, Ms. Actor should know that what a character might be does not define the piece or its genre.

That's not what I meant. You? Enjoying a "touching drama" about any kind of a child?

Oh yeah. There's that.

johnart said:

sextonseven said:

I agree. Just because it was subtle doesn't mean it failed as a horror film. I found many parts to be chilling the first time I watched it--the scene under the bridge for example. Perhaps many of us are used to extreme visuals now and are desensitized to more delicate movies like Let The Right One In.

Johnart, I know you're like that, your posts are all over this thread: http://prince.org/msg/100/312065

NoI wouldn't say that. I don't need a visual to be extreme to think it's scary. For example, one of the scariest parts of one of my faves "Inside" was not the major shocking scene, but when the protagonist is on the couch and we see the intruder glide across the background.

One of my FAVORITE horror films of recent years (perhaps in my top-10 or 15 ALL TIME) is "El Orfanato" and that was as subtle as any horror film can get. "Rosemary's Baby" too. Some of my favorite horror movies are extreme, but my taste in the genre is varied.

I'm not saying the film is a faliure. And I know that technically most folk classify it as horror. To me personally it was more effective as a drama is all. I'm not disputing that it might be horror, just saying how it affected me personally, which wasn't by scaring me.

[Edited 8/8/10 8:10am]

I still say you have to be somewhat numb to think the movie FAILED as a horror film. Or maybe I'm just more sensitive because I generally don't like horror movies.

sextonseven said:

johnart said:

NoI wouldn't say that. I don't need a visual to be extreme to think it's scary. For example, one of the scariest parts of one of my faves "Inside" was not the major shocking scene, but when the protagonist is on the couch and we see the intruder glide across the background.

One of my FAVORITE horror films of recent years (perhaps in my top-10 or 15 ALL TIME) is "El Orfanato" and that was as subtle as any horror film can get. "Rosemary's Baby" too. Some of my favorite horror movies are extreme, but my taste in the genre is varied.

I'm not saying the film is a faliure. And I know that technically most folk classify it as horror. To me personally it was more effective as a drama is all. I'm not disputing that it might be horror, just saying how it affected me personally, which wasn't by scaring me.

[Edited 8/8/10 8:10am]

I still say you have to be somewhat numb to think the movie FAILED as a horror film. Or maybe I'm just more sensitive because I generally don't like horror movies.

I think it can be both and neither. I think it's just a matter of personal taste.And folk finding different things scary.

I assure you I am not numb. I'm a die-hard horror fan. I've been watching horror since early childhood. Am I jaded because of the massive amount of crap that is released? A bit, but not desensitized. I don't watch extreme horror like this

I jump, turn away, climb up on the arm of the couch, yell at the tv. And often even yell at my own self asking "WHY THE HELL AM I DOING THIS TO MYSELF??"

[Edited 8/8/10 8:27am]

johnart said:

ZombieKitten said:

that tested my limits

It didn't test one horror limit for me. I just thought it was a touching nice drama about a vampire child. I don't know if it was a novel, but I think it would've made a great (classic even) horror novel. As a film however I didn't find it scary at all. There was no moment in which I felt nervous at what horrific scare might come next. I'm being serious.

Ah, you see in my opinion horror is not about nervousness about what horror will come next. That could be the same feeling as a ticking time bomb in an action/thriller.

Horror is sometimes more about about a philosophical revulsion, shock at inhumanity or any assault to our own sense of well being (and that can be mental as opposed to physical) or feelings of melancholy and mortality that can also be in felt in slow motion by the viewer or reader.

One of the most common elements of horror is the feeling of being trapped into a destiny or infinite loop of fate that seems so solid in its revelation that it seems to have a supernatural personality or life of its own.

ufoclub said:

johnart said:

It didn't test one horror limit for me. I just thought it was a touching nice drama about a vampire child. I don't know if it was a novel, but I think it would've made a great (classic even) horror novel. As a film however I didn't find it scary at all. There was no moment in which I felt nervous at what horrific scare might come next. I'm being serious.

Ah, you see in my opinion horror is not about nervousness about what horror will come next. That could be the same feeling as a ticking time bomb in an action/thriller.

Horror is sometimes more about about a philosophical revulsion, shock at inhumanity or any assault to our own sense of well being (and that can be mental as opposed to physical) or feelings of melancholy and mortality that can also be in felt in slow motion by the viewer or reader.

One of the most common elements of horror is the feeling of being trapped into a destiny or infinite loop of fate that seems so solid in its revelation that it seems to have a supernatural personality or life of its own.

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johnart said:

ZombieKitten said:

that tested my limits

It didn't test one horror limit for me. I just thought it was a touching nice drama about a vampire child. I don't know if it was a novel, but I think it would've made a great (classic even) horror novel. As a film however I didn't find it scary at all. There was no moment in which I felt nervous at what horrific scare might come next. I'm being serious.

I felt nervous throughout though, I knew no good could become of anything

Not much I can say that hasn't already been said here. Looks like it'll be OK, but pretty much unecessary. The first was great. Why can't Americans just rent it?

And I'd have eaten my hat if they found a cuter girl to play the vampire.

This type of debate will always go back to yours, mine, hers, his...opinions. It's inevitable that folk will have different views and reactions to what they find "horrific".

Lammastide said:

Not much I can say that hasn't already been said here. Looks like it'll be OK, but pretty much unecessary. The first was great. Why can't Americans just rent it?

And I'd have eaten my hat if they found a cuter girl to play the vampire.

I will admit that I like the casting of Chloe Moretz (500 Days Of Summer, Kick Ass) to play the vampire child in the remake.

sextonseven said:

Lammastide said:

Not much I can say that hasn't already been said here. Looks like it'll be OK, but pretty much unecessary. The first was great. Why can't Americans just rent it?

And I'd have eaten my hat if they found a cuter girl to play the vampire.

I will admit that I like the casting of Chloe Moretz (500 Days Of Summer, Kick Ass) to play the vampire child in the remake.

She's a cutie pie, but there's something almost too conventionally cute about her to me for this role. Hmm... Maybe rather than cuteness, I'm missing an endearing quality: I really enjoyed that Lina Leandersson was not only cute, but there was something eccentric, enchanting, even pitiful in her face.

I confess I've not seen Chloe Moretz act, though. I've heard only good things. She may win me over.

[Edited 8/10/10 20:14pm]