I still do not understand all the hype and hoopla over this whole “Twilight” phenomena. I had just even heard about the stupid book when Comic Con came around where hordes of Twilight fans basically ran rough shot over the whole convention. I’ll admit that I’ve never read the book… but come one… it’s a story about a vampire, who’s actually good deep down, that has a romance with a mortal. OOooooo… haven’t seen this a hundred times before! What’s the big deal?!?!
Anyway, I was reading through some of my favorite writers today and I came across a little piece by my friend Scott Weinberg over at Cinematical about a Swedish film that sounds very much like Twilight that he said was just amazing. The film is called “Let The Right One In”. Here’s what he had to say:
if you’re someone who’s in the market for a film based on an award-winning book about a dark-yet-poignant romance between two young people — one of whom happens to be a vampire — then I have a movie that’s NOT called Twilight that I want you to check out. You’ll have to (gasp) brave some subtitles to earn your rewards, but Tomas Alfredson’s Let the Right One In is one fantastic film. Either you know that already, you’ve heard it already, or you’ll find out in a few months time: It’s awesome. As much as I hate to contribute to “overhype,” some films just deserve the praise. Like this one.
Once again, my first reaction would be “So what… we’ve seen this a hundred times before”, but if Scott says it’s that good, then I’m curious to see it. My only question now is, is Twilight a rip off of Let the Right One In? Hmmm… I’ll have to check the publishing dates.
The film is getting a limited release in the following cities:
October 24
New York, NY: Anjelika Film Center
Los Angeles, CA: Laemmle Sunset 5
November 7
San Diego, CA: Hillcrest Cinemas
Washington, DC: E Street Cinema
November 14
San Francisco, CA: Embarcadero Center Cinema
Chicago, IL: Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema
Cambridge, MA: Kendall Square Cinema
Baltimore, MD: Charles Theatre
Minneapolis, MN: Lagoon Cinema
Philadelphia, PA: Ritz at the Bourse
Nashville, TN: Belcourt Theatre
Seattle, WA: Varsity Theatre
November 21
Denver, CO: Mayan Theatre
Providence, RI: Avon Cinema
November 28
Santa Fe, NM: The Screen
December 12
Hartford, CT: Real Art Ways Cinema
Look for me at the October 24th screening in Los Angeles. I’m definitely going to be there. For the heck of it, here’s the trailer:
i love twilight…but this movie is great i love it.!
Don’t bother to read this, I just need to get it off my chest…
I’m sorry, I know this shouldn’t really be a Twilight good/Twilight bad discussion – but I just can’t help myself! I enjoy reading. I enjoy it a lot, and I’m working my way through all the classics (starting with Tolkien and Austen) and love the way they’re written. A lot of people say Twilitght is poor in language, I’d say it reflects the language used today, as Austen novels reflect the language used in the early 1800’s.
When it comes to the vampires being all wrong, I actually really like that about the story, bringing something new into vampire lore. Who are we to judge what a fictional being should be like, it’s like saying Jesus’ hair was brown, no way it could be black. I do have a vampire thing going, and have had for years, but I like Stephenie’s vamps as much as I like Bram’s.
I was somewhat reluctant to reading Twilight, because it had already become a hype and I’m not really into mainstream stuff, and tend to avoid it. But I was in Germany for a month, where books in English (and definitely in Norwegian, my first language) are hard to find. I chose Salman Rushdie’s the Enchantress of Florence, and Twilight. The Enchantress of Florence was a really piece of shit novel, with really stuck-up-trying to hard language, but hey, Salman Rushdie is concsidered to write great books! Stephenie’s down-to-earth contemporary writing style was refreshing.
And hey! Bella is not a damsel in distress, she really hates being saved and is not a very stereotypical girl at all. As a feminst in practice I found nothing sexist about the books. Sure, Rosalie is vain and Emmet is really strong, but that’s just character development.
And now, I have to watch Let the Right One In. :D
well i loved the book twilight, but the movie wasn’t the greatest,
terrible actors!
I admit that there are many other stories like twilight but in my opinion none are as good as twilight. Yes I am a Twilight fan, but I am not going to get all defensive and shove my opinion down your throat. I just want to say that its not fair to judge a book before reading but I understand what you are saying.
I only wish that people could just try to be less ignorant and refrain from attacking people with different views. I guess, that is like asking a cat not to meow.
Twilight is made for teenagers and is appealing to them because Edward is hot and falls in love with a normal girl. It’s a fairytale, just that in this fairytale the “prince” is a vampire. I do agree the movie was made poorly, but the book wasn’t so bad.
I read information about “Twilight” on the Internet, but I didn’t like it. It’s too much stress for teenagers to deal with.
Adam Ant was in “Love Bites: The Reluctant Vampire (1993)”. It was a romantic comedy, which made me laugh my head off!
Unfortunately, this movie is NOT available for purchase, but you can see it on http://www.YouTube.com.
I THINK MOST OF YOU ARE REALLY MEAN PEOPLE. YOU SHOULD LEARN TO RESPECT OTHER PEOPLE’S LIKES, WHAT DOES IT MATTER TO YOU IF WE LIKE TWILIGHT OR NOT. JUST LEAVE US BE.AND BY THE WAY IF TWILIGHT IS BAD ( WHICH IS NOT) THIS OTHER MOVIE THAT YOU’RE ADVERTISING SEEMS EVEN WORSE. SEE NOT NICE WHEN I JUDGE YOUR PREFERENCES IS IT?
you’re funny. this is all about letting other people know you’re opinion. don’t cry if others don’t have the same opinion as you.
Let the Right One In looks beautiful
@Hazmat: No one ever said it looked anything like Twilight. Your reading skills really ARE on par with the Twilight target audience it seems.
Where have you been? Twitch has been raving about this film for a while now. I’ll be there at the After Dark Film Fest next Friday for this one. Too bad you won’t be there, Rodney.
Låt den rätte komma in (Let the right one in) is for me a very anticipated movie. I usually don’t watch Swedish movies even though I am Swedish. But I have read the novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist and I liked it a lot.
In the trailer it says that the premiere will me in spring of 2008 but they always push the date forward. Another thing is the translation “Scream like a pig”. Where did they get that from. The girl says “Skrik! Skrik hårt” which means “Scream. Scream hard”. Does every person in American movies scream like a pig since Deliverance?
I’ve read the first Twilight book, and dispite not being the target audience (vapid teenage fangirls), I did enjoy it. I take it as much more of a romance instead of vampire novel (for 1 vampires do not sparkle in the sun, seiously what the fuck, it pretty much spits in the face of traditional vampire fiction), and it works in this capacity. And i will be seeing Twilight in theaters.
LMFAO!!!
that looks NOTHING like twilight!
well john did say “it’s a joke bruce” so thats a releaf
I tried to read twilight but it became apparent half way through I was definitely not the target audience. however I have seen let the right one in and comparing the two is like trying to decide between Romeo and Juliet and The O.C. there is no competition.
Let the right one in is a masterpiece and I hate to over hype it to the folks yet to have seen it but and masterpiece is not something I like to through around but its outstanding.
FUCK TWILIGHT!
@ Meli (who said “I’ve read all the books and they are mindless fun, a modern day fairytale for girls to daydream about. It’s another set of books my daughter and I have been able to enjoy together, talk about and bond. I can’t say that’s a bad thing.”)
I’m glad that you and your daughter are reading together. I also hope, however, that you’ve had a discussion with her about the incredibly sexist damsel-in-distress stereotypes that run rampant throughout these novels. Sometimes “mindless fun” ends up setting a bad example when the “fairytale” casts its main character as a victim who constantly needs to be saved.
John, you did rag on the fans and the hype of Twilight a bit. And you did call it a “stupid book” though that’s probably not an insult in your eyes some might take it the wrong way. But, honestly, fuck them. Twilight fans: Read a GOOD vampire-falls-in-love with a mortal series like the Anita Blake books.
Hey Bloggingfun
Help me out here… where did I “rag” on Twilight? I just said the premise was nothing to get excited about. I never said one negative word about it since I haven’t seen it.
Am I not allowed to have an opinion about something I think does or doesn’t LOOK good to me?
You could have shared this information without ragging on Twilight. It was unnecessary.
Hey, if they can’t take a joke..or sober (sort of…) criticism too freaking bad. The wrath of the Hype-Twilight babies…..Ooooooohhh—frightened! LOL…Dean Koontz is overrated too.
Ramsey Cambell
Stephen King
Robert Bloch
Charles Grant
Bentley Little
Richard Laymon
….Joe Lansdale
and almost anyone published in Cemetray Dance or the old school pulps! They need to broaden they’re horizons, hopefully time will remedy that.
I think you’ve just unleashed the wrath of the Twilighters! Duck for cover… this article better not make it’s way into the IMDB Twilight boards lol.
I’ve read the books and they’re all right. Nothing amaaaaazing like they say but they’re okay, more like airport books. But I agree with you, the concept is nothing new.
I’ve heard nothing but good things about Let the Right One In and hope I can make it down to LA to watch the screening. I especially want to see it before the American remake is made and marketed all over the place, blah.
Most of you guys aren’t suppose to understand the Twilight craze because you’re not the target audience. Most of the audience are teenage girls, their moms, some of their grandmothers and a spackling of guys who wanted to check out what their families/girlfriends were squealing about.
I’ve read all the books and they are mindless fun, a modern day fairytale for girls to daydream about. It’s another set of books my daughter and I have been able to enjoy together, talk about and bond. I can’t say that’s a bad thing.
It’s very easy to hate on Twilight because most of the girls are screaming idiots who lack the ability to type a coherent sentence. I have had discussions with both irrational and rational fans of the books.
The movie won’t be groundbreaking cinema, but as long as it keeps within in the spirit of the book it’ll be a sappy romance with a little bit of action. I don’t think there is anything wrong with teens having something geek out over.
I agree that the films probably can’t be compared, but really, Twilight is based on one of the worst books I have ever tried to read.
I realize a lot of people love it, but I can’t fathom why. Let the Right One In sounds like a book I’d really like, I’ve already started trying to figure out when I can see the movie.
But yeah, they might have similar “log lines” but the feel and tone are entirely different. I could probably write a series of essays on this topic, but just because things have the same premise doesn’t mean they’re the same.
I saw this trailer a few days ago and have been jonesing to see this flick ever since. Looks awesome.
Showing next Friday in Toronto at the Bloor. Everyone who saw it at Fantasia said it was amazing.
…and the premise of it is really old. In fact I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen any vampire story that didn’t have the vampire falls in love with a mortal storyline =)
I don’t understand the twilight phenomena either. Not saying the movie couldn’t be good (probably won’t be). But the enthusiasm of some people towards this movie is closing on crazy.
@finaljoe…. so then you have seen this movie AND twilight so that you can make that distinction of quality?
Just sayin.
This movie is also being screened at the Toronto after Dark Film Fest on its opening night. Little over a week from now.
Maybe I should have requested THAT one on my press pass.
“I still do not understand all the hype and hoopla over this whole “Twilight” phenomena. I had just even heard about the stupid book when Comic Con came around where hordes of Twilight fans basically ran rough shot over the whole convention. I’ll admit that I’ve never read the book… but come one… it’s a story about a vampire, who’s actually good deep down, that has a romance with a mortal. OOooooo… haven’t seen this a hundred times before! What’s the big deal?!?!”
What? You mean like comic books?
Anyway comparing this movie to Twlight is like comparing a seven course meal to a McDonald’s.
A more apt comparison would be Pan’s Labyrinth.
I read it because my girlfriend liked the first two books. And I agree with her on the point that the last two books were complete crap because all it really came down to was Bella and Edward just wanting to fuck a lot. Not to mention the weird hint at pedophilia (and beastiality technically) with Jacob wanting to wait for Edward and Bella’s baby to grow up so he can love her (WTF?!). Since I did read it though, I can agree with Hazmat on one thing. The casting for this movie is terrible.
Personally, I thought it was one of the most poorly written books I’ve ever read. And, no offense Hazmat, but it’s pretty clear the intelligence level of the reader has a result on whether or not you enjoy the book. I felt like I was losing brain cells with every page I read. It was boring, overly sappy, and yes, recycled “Vampire-loves-human but OH NO, I can’t make you a vampire. I don’t want that fate for you” tripe.
You don’t NEED to read this book to judge it in all honesty.
well read the fucking book! theres a million knight movies but black knight isnt as good as the heath ledger movie!!
but hey i havent read any harry potter books yet but- im sure they fuckign suck (wtf?)
i mean its about frieken witches…idk y people like it
(um sarcasm)
twilight i sbetter then fukcing blade and angel too…
if you havent READ the book. then say NOTHING
if you read it and hated it unlike most..then fell free to show throw in your input
Did anyone mention ‘Dracula’, the grand daddy of all vampire/mortal relationship stories?
the trailer for this looks really awesome.
i wish it was showing a little closer near me cuz i def wanna see it.
To compare Let The Right One In to Twilight is like comparing Tom Waits or Nick Cave to Britney Spears. One film is a beautiful, poetic study of the human heart while the other is a goth teeny bobbers wet dream.
Let the Right One In is a fucking masterpiece of the tallest order but it’s not a horror film per se, it’s not particularly scary nor does it try to be. Just remember that before going in, it’s more art house than cineplex. But it is fucking great.
And John, why is Scott always so hyped up?
Arthas – owned
I will be awfully surprised if you like let the right one in john I have to say.
And I only say that because I loved it and for the most part we have the exact opposite tastes.
Let the right one in is the best film of the year by a mile.
Its is fucking breathtaking and I cannot foresee any upcoming film knocking it off the top spot for me.
It is amazing.
There is a scene involving a swimming poll which is now firmly in my top ten favorite movie scenes of all time.
see it before the remake.
Hey BigSampson
Really? There were movies about old Jedi Knights looking over their sworn enemy’s son before? REALLY? Ummm… nope, I don’t think so. You may have been talking about generalities, but I’m talking about specifics.
We are talking about SPECIFIC premises here. A Vampire, who also happens to be a GOOD vampire falls in love and has a romance with a mortal.
And where exactly did I say the Twilight fans were “lame”?
And where exactly did I “pass judgement” on Twilight?!?! I haven’t seen it yet. I’m just saying I don’t see anything to get excited about in the premise, which I’ve already seen 100 times.
You really do have to read my posts more carefully before trying to rebuff me my man.
so…..seems like your hating on a concept cause it has been done before…..star wars wasnt a new concept either.
not trying to argue but seems you think its lame cause the people at the convention where lame? wait till you se it to past judgement…im sure it will suck then but it will be appropriate
Add Buffy to the list! I know it’s the same world with Angel, but yeah, Buffy is another one.
I actually read the first Twilight book because it was hyped up as the next Harry Potter. I picked it up and I was really disappointed. The book is very sappy. Like ridiculously sappy. The vampire lead was described as handsome and perfect, while the girl was a pathetic damsel in distress who does nothing but swoon after the vampire. No plot beyond that. I actually like a good romance but this is just childish, lovestruck, and one dimensional.
I can’t speak for the other books but the first one really sucked that I was skimming the pages by the end of it.
Hey Arthas,
Ok, just is just spontaneously off the top of my head… sure I could come up with more “Good vampire who falls in love with mortal” tv shows or movies. How about:
Angel
Blade
Forever Knight
Interview With A Vampire
Queen of the Damned
Underworld
Lost Boys
Well… that took me 10 seconds
John, UMADBRAH?
If you’re a Twilight hater that much, why share your opinion with people who DO NOT GIVE A DARN.
Get over it, you’re sad, son.
First of for the “seen that a hundred times”. wow, cool. mind if you tell me which movies you all see?
there are about 1 to 2 movies about a story like that. but if you can enlighten me, go ahead.
secondly, the trailer looks awful.
Thanks for the heads up Goggs
Saw Let The Right One In about a month ago at FrightFest in London and it’s a beautiful movie. From what I know and have seen of Twilight it’s possibly a bit unfair to compare them as I think they’re aimed at different audiences. Twilight seems more of a teen movie (especially girls) and Let The Right One In is more of an adult movie and unfortunately won’t get the same marketing or distribution and will go under the radar of a lot of people which is a real shame.
It’s a joke Bruce
Twilight inst out yet, can you really make that call.