I had not thought of Let Me In making an entry here on how the audience might have come with any of the LTROI story in hand. But it makes perfect sense. And so then their willingness to agree with the grooming theory.PeteMork wrote: ↑Wed Jun 28, 2023 6:44 pmMost of the audience behind and beside us were familiar with the original film, based on what we overheard. The family in front of us with several teenagers had no idea what it was about, but the kids (mostly girls) loved the love story as it unfolded. The meeting with staff afterwards was disappointing. because most had seen the American version and bought into the 'grooming' theory. Most disappointing of all, the staff made no attempt to dissuade them of that (IMO) ridiculous idea, at least with regards to the original film. Also, although it was a small group of around 30 or so, staff didn't repeat the questions individuals asked so it was hard to understand what was being talked about.
In rethinking the whole idea of Hakan being with Eli since he was twelve, I noticed that in this production, Eli was actually devastated by his death, much more so than in the film. In that case, I can see an interpretation where poor Eli has found true love, and lost it, many times. A much better interpretation than the grooming theory, but I still prefer believing Oskar was the first and last love of Eli's life.
As for whether Oskar would be Eli's first and last love, I have to agree with your sentiment. As novel Eli says to Oskar:
"This sounds a bit ... but ..." the corners of Eli's mouth twitched, "... I haven't had a ... normal friendship with anyone in two hundred years."
He looked at Oskar with a sorry-I'm-saying-such-silly-things smile.
»Det här låter ju ... men ...«, det ryckte till i Elis mungipor »... jag har inte haft nån ... vanlig vän på två hundra är.«
Han såg på Oskar med ett ursäktra-att-jag-säger-så-fåniga-saker-leende.
Which would not be true if it were that Eli had had a significant friendship earlier.