What This Movie Means to Me

[Vampyr5000]

First off, I just want to say that the fact this message board exists warms my heart. It's good to see that so many others give this movie well-deserved love, and to see so many lively discussions surrounding it. I wanted to extend a thank you to the founder of the site, and also to the many members here who have made contributions to the forum.

I'm a late comer to this movie, only having discovered it in Spring 2023. Since then, I've seen it probably 20 + times (and have watched Let Me In about the same number of times as well). I've also read the novel, and listened to the audiobook (I'm currently going through the audiobook again). No less than 3 posters of the movie now adorn my wall. I've never seen or read anything like it before. I was in college when it was first released, but it flew under my radar somehow, until someone recommended it to me last year. When I finished watching it for the first time, I was stunned by its beauty, and knew I had seen something very special.

As someone who has really never fit into this world very well, and who is something of a permanent outsider, I related very strongly to both characters. I basically was Oskar as a kid, and still have many of the same traits. It's hard to imagine anyone more isolated than Eli...imagine being 200+ years old and seeing whole generations die away, the old world you knew fade away, and remaining ageless and unchanged in spite of it all. Oskar is the human version of this, in the way that he is cut off from the world due to being bullied and being different, in the world but never a part of it. One of my favorite aspects of the movie is the symbolism surrounding both windows and walls with regards to Oskar and Eli. Right from the start of the film, I think Oskar's hand on the window represents his separateness from the world around him, and I think the wall between his and Eli's apartment does the same. Eventually, this "barrier" comes down when Oskar visits Eli's apartment after the attack on Virginia, and Eli opens the glass door for him. I found that scene very beautiful. Eli did not have to hide what they were anymore, and Oskar accepted them for who they were.

In the end, I never did find my Eli and maybe never will, but I am thankful I found this beautiful film/novel that I can connect to and lose myself in whenever I want. It truly never gets old for me. The mixture of darkness and childlike innocence found here is perfected here unlike anything I have ever seen (the 1990 movie The Reflecting Skin, and the 2020 movie All The Moons are the only two I've seen that even come remotely close to LTROI and LMI).

To add to the above, I wanted to extend my thanks to those who have contributed exact filming locations to this forum. My love for this story is such that this past December I traveled to Sweden to visit the filming locations (in both Blackeberg and Luleå). I'd never been to Europe before (I live in western Canada), so i figured why not. Stockholm is a very beautiful and walkable city, I spent several days just walking and exploring. Once I made my way to the western suburbs, it was surreal, actually seeing and walking through Blackeberg in particular, seeing the Jocke Bridge at Råcksta, etc. I also visited the sites in Blackeberg from the novel, like Oskar's apartment complex on Ibsengatan, the actual Jocke bridge, ghost hill, etc. Luleå was also great, just a nice place to visit in general. There was too much snow to really walk through the courtyard at the apartment complex where filming occurred, but even just walking in the area was great. I also visited the rear facade of the brick "candy store" where Eli threw up, and where they had their first hug with Oskar. Not related to LTROI at all, but taking a long walk around the harbor at Luleå on the ice road was also a neat experience. I'll have to get some of my pictures together and upload a few here, in case anyone is curious what these sites looked like in late 2023.

I could go on forever about this film and novel, but maybe I'll just leave it at that for now. I'm a bit saddened that it took me so long to discover this movie, and that because of that I missed the golden days of this forum, but I am thankful that it's still here, and all of the old topics are still available for reading. I hope everyone is having a great 2024 so far.

[gkmoberg1]

Greetings and welcome! Welcome to 'We, the Infected', as from your post this appears to be the case

You'll find a lot of discussions here, yet don't let that hold you off from starting your own.

I look forward to seeing your pictures of both Blackeberg and Luleå. We've had several such sets posted here. Each set, though, naturally captures something different.

As said: welcome!

[Vampyr5000]

Thanks gkmoberg, for the warm welcome. I am definitely infected by this story.

Visiting this message board prior to my trip, it was encouraging to see that several others had made the pilgrimage as well. It felt a bit strange at times going around and taking pictures, especially since several of these were in a residential area, but nobody seemed too bothered. I did get a few quizzical looks taking pictures of the brick "candy shop", since this is near a grocery store that had a fair bit of foot traffic.

Oskar and Eli's Apartment Building from the film, in Luleå


The Courtyard, 1


The Courtyard, 2 (the jungle gym was set up next to the tree here in the opening scene)


The "Candy Shop" in Luleå


The exterior of the pool in Luleå


Blackeberg Station (I tried to recreate a similar angle to the shot as is show near the start of the film)


Virginia's Stairs (Blackeberg Centrum)



The tree Eli jumped down from (Blackeberg Centrum)


The arch in the courtyard where Eli and Oskar first hugged (in the novel)


Another shot of the arch


Courtyard from the novel


Another shot of courtyard


Haunted building on ghost hill (from the novel)


Path through China Park (from the novel)


Jocke's Bridge from the novel...I'm not entirely sure about this one, the correct bridge may have been the next one over that also crosses under Björnsonsgatan. Included it anyway though.


Jocke's Bridge from the film (at Råcksta)


Another shot of the bridge from the film


The lovers kiosk (now a Thai Food place) in Blackeberg



My observations are that some places looked quite similar (candy shop in Luleå, pool exterior, Blackeberg Centrum, etc.), whereas some others have changed in time. For example, the courtyard in Luleå looks different, with 16 years since the film, a few new trees and bushes have grown, etc. It appears some guardrails near the bridge from the film have been removed. Overall it was a great experience. I also visited the area of Stockholm where JAL's novel "I Always Find You" was set (Brunkeberg Tunnel, Luntmakargatan, etc.), since so far that's my next favorite novel of his next to LTROI, that was rewarding as well.

Anyways, I do hope to post some other topics here in the future definitely, for those who are still around. I am looking forward to reading the rest of JAL's novels as well, also "The Kindness" is being released in North America around June this year, I'll be picking up a copy for sure.

Cheers!

[InfectedFox]

Great photos! The scene from the movie after the Lover's Kiosk, when Oscar hugs Eli behind the building is one of my favorites so it's surreal to see actual photos of it. Nice to think a lot of these places haven't changed.

[Vampyr5000]

Great photos! The scene from the movie after the Lover's Kiosk, when Oscar hugs Eli behind the building is one of my favorites so it's surreal to see actual photos of it. Nice to think a lot of these places haven't changed.

Thanks InfectedFox! That is one of my favorite scenes as well, it really showcases Lina's acting. Eli looks so vulnerable and worried at the end of the scene, once they have asked Oskar if he'd still like them if they weren't a girl, and he asks why. I love it.

[InfectedFox]

Thanks InfectedFox! That is one of my favorite scenes as well, it really showcases Lina's acting. Eli looks so vulnerable and worried at the end of the scene, once they have asked Oskar if he'd still like them if they weren't a girl, and he asks why. I love it.

I think I appreciate that more, because this vulnerability is coming from a being that is truly an apex predator who can do unspeakable carnage.

[Vampyr5000]

I think I appreciate that more, because this vulnerability is coming from a being that is truly an apex predator who can do unspeakable carnage.

Yeah that is something that's easy to forget sometimes when watching the film, even when you know the story.