What would you want a remake to be like?

[Aurora]

It seems that my views on the remake neatly coincide with cmfireflies post above which saves me from lots of typing

I should add that I don't have have any problems with the name changes, in fact I'd prefer it to be noticeably different from TA's film in lots of ways.

[FernandoAlonso7]

I'd like to be faithful to the book, as he had already said, I also hope to insert some scenes cut from the film by Tomas (When the bullies come in the bathroom). As someone said the forum is the scene of a woman with cancer would be really perfect together with that of Hakan undead.

[ked101]

I would have to disagree with N.R. Gasan. I don't think that the remake has to be as true to the book as possible and I don't think it will be.

Realistically I don't think the remake will include the circumstances of Eli's turning or even his real gender. Doing so would have to touch on pedophilia, child abuse and homosexuality the trifecta of taboo subjects in America (all that's missing is Eli cursing against God and LMI would be a professional troll magnet). Unless I vastly underestimate Reeve's talent as a filmmaker, he can't pull it off and still have the focus on the coming-of-age love story. Cloverfield, despite the shaky camera gimmick, played it very safe in terms of plot and characterizations, and furthermore, this might be the case where artistic purity has to sacrificed for marketability.

That said, here's what I want and realistically think can happen.
-I want the movie to show Eli as a killer, whatever else she/he might be. Please don't go the "she only kills bad people" route. That'll really cheapen the story
-I want Hakan's backstory to be ambiguous. I actually like the "evil Eli" theory, it adds depths the story. It shows that love can look crazy from the outside, and things are never 100% for sure.
-I can take or leave zombie Hakan. Adding that subplot won't satisfy the people looking for a gory/slasher film but if done well, can be horrifying and subversive too. I imagine that American audiences would expect a slick, cool zombie v. vampire fight scene, and would totally be caught off guard if Eli ran away and left Tommy to bash Hakan's brains out. This would make the ending even more unexpected, as Eli shows what he can really do.
-I want the police investigations to play out in the background. Doesn't have to be a main thing, maybe show the police on TV in the background or the radio saying that the killer has been caught. This can set up the "seen with love" scene and also drive home how vulnerable Eli really is.

Things that goes without saying:
-the bed scene, invite scene and ending were all perfect. Reeves doesn't deserve to remake it if he cuts any of them out/makes changes for American audiences.
-more Oskar/Eli! Although including all the scenes might push the movie into 3 hour territory
-I bet to properly convey that Oskar's dad is an alcoholic, LIM would have to have him host a impromptu drunken party with multiple guests

however the idea of pedophilia in the movie was vague - it could move in the same direction - I think the movie should portray Eli as the lonely, abused boy as does the book and movie. We need to reach out and develop sympathy for Eli - both movie and book made me weep frequently because you had a little child who was at the mercy of his thirst (to survive) and had to do things which he found terrible. However it will be an american production and they will make a movie for the US public - simple and happy - god forbid. This is why I like independent international films - none of that nonsense - I always refer to Martyrs now as a baseline for how a movie does not have to have an happy ending but leaves it open to interpretation.

Once Let me in arrives I'm sure we will be discussing and comparing it for weeks with the original - it might be good, but I expect we should just accept it as a film and not compare it to the original version. You cannot have a 3 hr film of course (the americans would shun it) but 2 hrs - yes

[lombano]

Realistically I don't think the remake will include the circumstances of Eli's turning or even his real gender. Doing so would have to touch on pedophilia, child abuse and homosexuality the trifecta of taboo subjects in America (all that's missing is Eli cursing against God and LMI would be a professional troll magnet). Unless I vastly underestimate Reeve's talent as a filmmaker, he can't pull it off and still have the focus on the coming-of-age love story. Cloverfield, despite the shaky camera gimmick, played it very safe in terms of plot and characterizations

I think a remake should either go into Eli's backstory and be clear about his gender, or make Eli a girl outright. The intermediate option has already been done, and was done well. I would prefer to have Eli's origins but I agree that Hollywood is extremely unlikely to do it.

I want Hakan's backstory to be ambiguous.

Someone on the imdb boards, speculating as to Hakan's motives for helping Eli (he had not read the book) suggested perhaps he was somehow responsible for Eli becoming a vampire, and thus was driven by guilt (and maybe, I suggested, also by fear of Eli's revenge if he was no longer useful). I thought it was a great idea, if done well. While Hakan's past was not elaborated on by TA, there were enough hints he was a pedophile. It wouldbe a refreshing change from the 'former Oskar' interpretation as well as different from TA's film.