Whilst we’ve never been huge fans of the horror genre, one of our favorite Scandinavian novels of recent years is Låt den rätte komma (Let the right one in), written in 2004 by Swedish writer John Ajvide Lindqvist. Set in Blackeberg, a working class suburb of Stockholm, the story centers on the relationship between a 12-year-old boy, Oskar, and the 200-year-old vampire child, Eli. The book focuses on the darker side of humanity, dealing with contemporary social issues such as bullying, drugs, theft, pedophilia, prostitution and murder as well as the obvious supernatural themes. The book was a bestseller in the author's home country of Sweden and the film adaptation released earlier this year has already won the Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature at The Tribeca Film Festival.
Unlike in most horror films, Director Tomas Alfredson treats the fantastic as though it were the stuff of everyday life. Although there are moments of gore, Alfredson handles them with a restrained precision, and the eerie stillness of the scenes makes them shudderingly memorable. Though dark themes prevail, the essence of the film lies mainly in the relationship between Oskar and Eli, tactfully portrayed by talented young actors. The two emit a natural innocence even within the gloomy storyline, thereby conveying a constant sense of hope.
Take a look below for more details and a trailer from the film:
A turbulent yet highly romantic coming-of-age story, Let the Right One In is set in the drab Stockholm suburb of Blackeberg where 12-year old Oskar is continuously bullied by his peers. Then one evening he befriends a mysterious girl on the playground. Even though she is his own age, he has never seen her before. Her name is Eli, and Oskar soon realizes that she is not like other people, in either the physical or spiritual sense. The essence of the film lies in the relationship between Oskar and Eli, two misfits who discover hope, courage and the meaning of true friendship. Director Tomas Alfredson and screenwriter John Ajvide Lindqvist deftly adapted the work from Lindqvist's own bestselling book, and despite the macabre storyline, they manage to conjure up an overarching sense of innocence and beauty.
Readers of ours based in New York will get the chance to see Let the Right One In at a special screening by Scandinavian House on Wednesday, October 22 (7 pm).
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