Why did Eli sleep in blood?

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ltroifanatic
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Re: Why did Eli sleep in blood?

Post by ltroifanatic » Sun Feb 04, 2018 1:20 am

The thing I couldn't really wrap my head around was that the movie and novel were so different (in that scene) and I couldn't figure out why Eli would need to immerse himself in blood (human or otherwise).Also the thought of Eli rising out of a blood bath would have been ghastly where as cuddling a little stuffed toy for comfort seems to speak to me of a poor little child clinging to her humanity.As usual I tend to go with the cute and romantic more than the monstrous,but that's just me. :wub: "Awww,isn't she" cute rather than " OMG I'm getting out of here ". :D
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OskarTheArsonist
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Re: Why did Eli sleep in blood?

Post by OskarTheArsonist » Sun Feb 04, 2018 3:13 am

ltroifanatic wrote:
Sun Feb 04, 2018 1:20 am
The thing I couldn't really wrap my head around was that the movie and novel were so different (in that scene) and I couldn't figure out why Eli would need to immerse himself in blood (human or otherwise).Also the thought of Eli rising out of a blood bath would have been ghastly where as cuddling a little stuffed toy for comfort seems to speak to me of a poor little child clinging to her humanity.As usual I tend to go with the cute and romantic more than the monstrous,but that's just me. :wub: "Awww,isn't she" cute rather than " OMG I'm getting out of here ". :D
Yes I also like the movie interpretation over the novel in this particular thing. The bathtub of blood seems like a inconsistency in a otherwise immersive world.
"the quieter you become, the more you are able to hear"

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SpartanAltego
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Re: Why did Eli sleep in blood?

Post by SpartanAltego » Sun Feb 04, 2018 5:44 am

I don't think it's coincidence that the blood bath doesn't appear in JAL's screenplay for the original adaptation. As striking and ghastly as the image of a blood-drenched Eli rising from the crimson depths is, the improbable logistics as well as other questions raised (how did Eli get his blood baths two hundred years ago? What purpose does it serve? Does animal blood work, and if so why does it work here but presumably not for direct consumption?) would be reason enough to omit it.

Plus, Film Eli is indeed focused on as a far more innocent and to an extent emotionally vulnerable individual than Novel Eli(as). Rising from a pit of blood would be so horrifying and monstrous as to threaten the film's intended image of Eli.

The tub is great for the imagery and Camilla reference as others pointed out to me, but ultimately it doesn't seem like something really thought out as part of the setting. More of a set-piece to convey a reference, serve the needs of a scene, and then be disregarded.

Something I think would've served a similar purpose (and been a nice tie-in to the climax) would be to have the tub be filled with water. Perhaps the tub acts as a (to stretch the definition a little) sensory deprivation tank that dulls Eli's senses so he can more easily sleep during the day. Plus, it makes for a decent womb metaphor, sleeping afloat in the waters of safety until you are born anew when the sun sets. Perhaps I'll make use of this little flash of inspiration...
"The dark is patient, and it always wins. But its weakness lies in its strength: a single candle is enough to hold it at bay. Love is more than a candle. Love can ignite the stars." - Matthew Stover

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metoo
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Re: Why did Eli sleep in blood?

Post by metoo » Sun Feb 04, 2018 6:16 am

SpartanAltego wrote:
Sun Feb 04, 2018 5:44 am
Plus, Film Eli is indeed focused on as a far more innocent and to an extent emotionally vulnerable individual than Novel Eli(as). Rising from a pit of blood would be so horrifying and monstrous as to threaten the film's intended image of Eli.
Hmm, yes. Maybe the film went too far in that direction, putting that rag doll in sleeping Eli’s arms. But I guess the real reason for omitting the blood is that it would have required a nude shot of Lina, which would have been out of the question for many reasons.
SpartanAltego wrote:
Sun Feb 04, 2018 5:44 am
The tub is great for the imagery and Camilla reference as others pointed out to me, but ultimately it doesn't seem like something really thought out as part of the setting. More of a set-piece to convey a reference, serve the needs of a scene, and then be disregarded.
I think JAL has admitted as much, too. But the scene in the book is very good — one In which Eli rested in a closet wrapped in blankets wouldn’t have been as strong.
But from the beginning Eli was just Eli. Nothing. Anything. And he is still a mystery to me. John Ajvide Lindqvist

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a_contemplative_life
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Re: Why did Eli sleep in blood?

Post by a_contemplative_life » Sun Feb 04, 2018 4:46 pm

If you read the end of Carmilla, you’ll find JAL’s inspiration for this.
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Pissball
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Re: Why did Eli sleep in blood?

Post by Pissball » Thu Feb 08, 2018 2:17 pm

Like many said is a hommage to Carmilla.
But, a re-interpretation, or re-imagination of that scene for those disliking it, could be that Eli was taking a bath/resting, in water, what Lacke sees then is the water mixed with blood.
Although this scene is after the basement econture so Eli isn't actually all bloody. Also can Eli sleep under water and not drowning ? Or "sleep" (vampire like) in that condition, I guess so.

Now im questioning if Eli can rest/sleep like a human, or if his body function is 100% vampire, and only sleeps in "vampire-mode" when is need.

I think blood has a healing power to vampire, they drink blood to live and gain strength after all, covering/washing scars with blood would have some similar effects, then.The problem is explain where did Eli got that blood from, and if it's convenient use such amount of blood for healing rather than feeding.

PS: How many bathrooms does these apartments have ? Do Eli (and hakan) take shower, etc in the same place which Eli rests ?

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metoo
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Re: Why did Eli sleep in blood?

Post by metoo » Thu Feb 08, 2018 10:31 pm

Pissball wrote:
Thu Feb 08, 2018 2:17 pm
Now im questioning if Eli can rest/sleep like a human, or if his body function is 100% vampire, and only sleeps in "vampire-mode" when is need.
The novel seems to indicate that Eliform vampires don't sleep (Swedish sova), but rest (Swedish vila). Resting involves the human brain being totally inactivated, therefore Eliform vampires don't dream while resting.
Pissball wrote:
Thu Feb 08, 2018 2:17 pm
PS: How many bathrooms does these apartments have ? Do Eli (and hakan) take shower, etc in the same place which Eli rests ?
There's one bathroom, and I wouldn't think they'd scoop the blood up and return it to the plastic jugs, so neither Håkan nor Eli would shower or bathe.
Here's a link to a posting I made where I show a plan I made of Eli's and Oskar's apartments.

Below is a youtube clip showing an apartment at Ibsengatan that as far as I can tell has an identical floor plan as Oskar's. The clip was uploaded as part of advertising the sale of the apartment a few years ago. Note that the apartment is renovated - it wouldn't have looked exactly this way in 1981. Especially the bathroom would be different (although just as small).
But from the beginning Eli was just Eli. Nothing. Anything. And he is still a mystery to me. John Ajvide Lindqvist

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Pissball
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Re: Why did Eli sleep in blood?

Post by Pissball » Fri Feb 09, 2018 1:09 am

But Eli does take a shower, i think twice, after Oskar complains about his smell,he was taking a shower too in that scene were he is standing naked before Hakan.

In the english translation Elis says "I took a shower"
In the spanish trasnlation he says "I've washed" (me he lavado)

And the other scene with Hakan sitting in the hall, it also reads about the water splashing inside the bathroom.

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metoo
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Re: Why did Eli sleep in blood?

Post by metoo » Fri Feb 09, 2018 6:28 am

Pissball wrote:
Fri Feb 09, 2018 1:09 am
But Eli does take a shower, i think twice, after Oskar complains about his smell,he was taking a shower too in that scene were he is standing naked before Hakan.

In the english translation Elis says "I took a shower"
In the spanish trasnlation he says "I've washed" (me he lavado)

And the other scene with Hakan sitting in the hall, it also reads about the water splashing inside the bathroom.
Yet another imprecise translation into English. The Swedish original text says:

"Vad har du gjort för nåt?"
"Tvättat mig."
"Brukar du inte göra."


"What have you done?"
"Washed myself."
"You don't, usually."


So, Eli didn't say that he had taken a shower. But he could have washed himself standing on the floor, using a wet cloth with water from the washbasin. That would have caused a lot of splashing (and a mess for Håkan to wipe up).
Last edited by metoo on Fri Feb 09, 2018 8:28 pm, edited 3 times in total.
But from the beginning Eli was just Eli. Nothing. Anything. And he is still a mystery to me. John Ajvide Lindqvist

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a_contemplative_life
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Re: Why did Eli sleep in blood?

Post by a_contemplative_life » Fri Feb 09, 2018 11:12 am

Hakan would just have to deal with the mess. We always pay a price for our obsessions...
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