An Interesting Observation By A Reviewer

[moonvibe34]

Obviously there are similarities. What I was referring to was the degree of graphicness between the two movies. It has been a long time since I saw the Bela Lugosi version, but to the best of my memory, you had to use a lot of imagination with that movie. In the newer movie; extremely graphic and little, if anything, left to the imagination.

I still watch Lugosi's Dracula every year around Halloween as part of my celebration of the holiday. No music (which makes it even more creepy to me), no fangs and no blood yet I am always riveted by what it does and doesn't show. Don't get me wrong, special effects are great and used wisely can really add to a story. Modern films can now show us exactly what's in the mind of the film maker but I fear that gary may be right, too much of this can deaden our imaginations. The characters and their story should be what we're drawn to and the effects of their tale upon our imagination are what's truly special. Just my thoughts.

[gattoparde59]

The 1931 Dracula did leave much to the imagination. One example: I don't recall seeing any topless women in the 1931 version.

Another old time horror film that is really famous for not showing anything is Cat People from 1942. The horror in that one was implied with shadows, lighting and sound effects.

[lombano]

I find what a film makes you imagine can be far more powerful than what it shows outright, precisely because it is a visual medium. What you see only in your head can be more powerful than what you're shown, a good film usually strikes a certain balance between what it shows and what it suggests.

[danielma]

I tend to read a lot of reviews of this film, because every once in a while I find one that contains some interesting observation or or an enlightening thought. In this review I came across an excellent and well-written observation on the film:

The film is a masterpiece of modern horror and manages not to be everything it is. Although this sounds extremely illogical, Let The Right One In is a horror film without a great deal of horror, a coming-of-age movie in which the protagonists don't really come of age and a romance in which there isn't a great deal of romance.

I really wish I had said that.

This is probably very close to the heart of the genius of this film: while it doesn't show a lot of of horror, coming-of-age, or romance on the screen, it still manages to generate a lot of each one in our imaginations. Tomas described this as engaging the audience in a dialog by forcing them to imagine the things not shown. For the most part, Tomas had us create our own horror, had us make Oskar & Eli come of age, had us make them fall in love, in our own imaginations rather than in his film. The most horrific scene was the pool scene, which we watched but was never really shown on the screen. We are shown Oskar finally grabbing the reigns of his own life by leaving with Eli on the train, but it's just a train ride. What it really means for Oskar's life is left to our imaginations. And as for romance, the closest thing resembling an open expression of love is the bloody kiss, and the smile that they share at the pool (and only one half of that shared smile is shown to us - okay, maybe 3/4). But that kiss and those smiles speak volumes in our imaginations.

I think that reviewer was definitely on to something.

I'd disagree with that one statement. I think their are so many little details running throughout the film that always nod at a sense of their romance. Whether it be the way Oskar straightens his hair before going out into the court yard in hope of meeting her, or the hug they share after she vomits up the food, the way she tenderly takes his hand whilst lying in bed, or the way that after Hakan douses his face with acid we see Eli alone in the room almost putting her hand to the wall to write a message only to stop yet almost still longing to talk to Oskar (which is actually one of my favorite little moments in that film to be honest, I love that quiet little moment)...and to follow that one up the way how Eli is at the pool watching over Oskar as in a sense almost once agan longing to be with him...I think there is more than just that bloody kiss that hints or show the romance between them. Its a part of what I like about it though, its so subtle and its almost all a build to that bloody kiss they share that and the final scene where they finally catch each others eyes in a very much shared moment

So I'd disagree with that one statement, the romance shows through more than just that bloody kiss...its minimal, subtle and doesn't hit you in the face with it, but I think its there in all those little moments and its always hinting at it and kind of building towards those moments in the conclusion. I think within those quiet little moments, you can see a sense of their romance and friendship blossoming and its all a build to that Bloody Kiss and the shared moment after the pool scene.

At least that's how I saw it...other than that one statement I would agree with everything else written there, but I think the romance is definetly there in all those little moments, its just not smashing you in the face with it.

[TΛPETRVE]

I wholeheartedly concur. Nothing to add for me here.

[gattoparde59]

Danielma makes a good point. Its the little details and the quiet moments that make this a great picture.

[OUTSIDER]

The way how Eli is at the pool watching over Oskar as in a sense almost once again longing to be with him. I think the romance is there in all those little moments.

BRAVO! That was all so very well said, danielma! And ... a big compliment to my avatar.

[sauvin]

The way how Eli is at the pool watching over Oskar as in a sense almost once again longing to be with him. I think the romance is there in all those little moments.

BRAVO! That was all so very well said, danielma! And ... a big compliment to my avatar.

And mine :>

[OUTSIDER]

The way how Eli is at the pool watching over Oskar as in a sense almost once again longing to be with him. I think the romance is there in all those little moments.

BRAVO! That was all so very well said, danielma! And ... a big compliment to my avatar.

And mine :>

Eli alone in the room almost putting her hand to the wall to write a message only to stop yet almost still longing to talk to Oskar.

Ahh yes, sauvin ... Looks like you get avatar compliments - times 2!

[a_contemplative_life]

The 1931 Dracula did leave much to the imagination. One example: I don't recall seeing any topless women in the 1931 version.

Another old time horror film that is really famous for not showing anything is Cat People from 1942. The horror in that one was implied with shadows, lighting and sound effects.

Cat People is a great film. Especially the swimming pool scene.