Scenes you wish were included

[intrige]

Hi Burning in, welcome

Well. I also think it kind of ruind the flow. When I first saw that deleted scene, I hadn't read the book yet. And I didn't realy get why Oskar slapped Eli. And aren't the viewer at least going to understand why someone hits one another? I think that's why it was removed. It wasn't too clear why, for the unexpected viewer. Like i was.

[jonjon_z]

Well. I also think it kind of ruind the flow. When I first saw that deleted scene, I hadn't read the book yet. And I didn't realy get why Oskar slapped Eli. And aren't the viewer at least going to understand why someone hits one another? I think that's why it was removed. It wasn't too clear why, for the unexpected viewer. Like i was.

I was that unexpected viewer. I saw the film first before reading the book and then saw the deleted scene. Right away I thought, Why wasn't this scene included?! This shows Oskar manifesting all his pent-up anger and rage in an act of violence. The bullied becomes the bully. Then he realizes his anger is misdirected and comforts Eli and nature is in balance. Then I read the book and understood this was not the case and Oskar was still testing Eli, still wanting proof, when he dared her to enter his apartment without an invite.

[N.R. Gasan]

Except for the scene with Virginia vomiting (not a great visual), I wish the deleted scenes had been left in. The outside scene where they growl at each other playfully would have been a great prequel to the slap scene. The slap scene really shows how little Oskar really knows about the vampire side of Eli. Having never seen Eli in action -- unlike the audience, who's been privy at this point to what Eli is capable of -- Oskar doesn't realize that he's wrestling with someone who can overpower a man easily twice her size. He doesn't know that when he finally pins Eli to the floor, she's letting him do it. I think he believes that Eli is really trying her best to make him stay and that he has, with difficulty, managed to overpower her. And he's angry that she's trying to make him stay, so in a moment of anger he hits her. But then, of course, he realizes his folly and is overcome with regret. So he hugs her and apologizes. And that's when the playful hissing and growling Oskar initiates harkens back to a more pleasant moment when they were playing together. And by Eli hissing back, she says, "I forgive you, playmate of mine."

I'd also like to welcome you, Burning In.

[gattoparde59]

For most of the deleted scenes there were reasonable explanations given as to why they were not included. The slapping scene simply could not be fit in anywhere that made sense, which is a shame. The finite amount of time and money hurt them here I think.

The squeal like a pig scene was taken out in the interest of balance for Oskar's character.

Virginia vomiting is self-explanatory, although I can see the line of thinking in terms of people becoming animals.

The one I really don't understand is the deleted exterior scene. There is an obvious segue from the jungle gym scene where Eli tells Oskar to hit back and it is echoed later in Oskar's bedroom. They planned for this scene and then they yanked it.

[drakkar]

The squeal like a pig scene was taken out in the interest of balance for Oskar's character.

In the dvd comments TA also said a reason it had to go was it would be too much violence too early in the film.

[Wolfchild]

Well. I also think it kind of ruind the flow. When I first saw that deleted scene, I hadn't read the book yet. And I didn't realy get why Oskar slapped Eli. And aren't the viewer at least going to understand why someone hits one another? I think that's why it was removed. It wasn't too clear why, for the unexpected viewer. Like i was.

I was that unexpected viewer. I saw the film first before reading the book and then saw the deleted scene. Right away I thought, Why wasn't this scene included?! This shows Oskar manifesting all his pent-up anger and rage in an act of violence. The bullied becomes the bully. Then he realizes his anger is misdirected and comforts Eli and nature is in balance. Then I read the book and understood this was not the case and Oskar was still testing Eli, still wanting proof, when he dared her to enter his apartment without an invite.

This is pretty close to my interpretation. The slapping scene would have been the first time in the story that Oskar really gave rein to his anger. When he hit Conny, it seemed to be more of a deliberate act - not an act of rage. In the slapping scene, it seemed as though Oskar gave in to his anger a little bit and then didn't know how to stop. It was his first time of ever releasing his anger as anger (instead of passive aggression) and it took him over and carried him too far. He had never really been in the position before where his anger could cause harm to someone else and until he saw it happen, it hadn't occurred to him that it was even possible.

Then for the "You must invite me in" scene it was a similar situation, although I saw it as more of a power thing than an anger thing. At the door, Oskar sensed he had some power, so he was trying on the role of bully a little bit. It is typical for children to mimic behavior that has been modeled for them, and Oskar had certainly seen models of bullying. He was trying out this behavior that had been modeled for him without giving a thought to how it might affect Eli. Then he was horrified at the way his callous cruelty affected Eli, just as in the slap scene he was horrified at the way he let his anger affect Eli.

As good as the slap scene was, it certainly did not have any place in the structure of the film. As the film is, when Oskar left Eli's apartment there was a definite feeling of discord between them. Oskar was angry that he felt Eli was lying to him (and maybe he was a bit scared of her). This made it plausible that he could be mean to her and not invite her in. However, the place for the slap scene would have been in between the "Where did you get the money?" scene and the "You must invite me in" scene. If the slap scene had been included, then Oskar and Eli would have made up before Oskar left her apartment. In that case, his treatment of Eli when she came to his door would have been unconscionably cruel. As viewers, we would have had a hard time forgiving him for it - if we could have forgiven him at all.

[gkmoberg1]

... if we could have forgiven him at all.

Absolutely the case. It would have steered how we (the film audience) were experiencing the story and all that follows to its end - and it would thus be an ending whose experience for us that would apart from where JAL/TA wanted us to go.

[gattoparde59]

As good as the slap scene was, it certainly did not have any place in the structure of the film. As the film is, when Oskar left Eli's apartment there was a definite feeling of discord between them. Oskar was angry that he felt Eli was lying to him (and maybe he was a bit scared of her). This made it plausible that he could be mean to her and not invite her in. However, the place for the slap scene would have been in between the "Where did you get the money?" scene and the "You must invite me in" scene. If the slap scene had been included, then Oskar and Eli would have made up before Oskar left her apartment. In that case, his treatment of Eli when she came to his door would have been unconscionably cruel. As viewers, we would have had a hard time forgiving him for it - if we could have forgiven him at all.

This is only speculation, but it could be possible that Alfredson had the slapping scene in mind and leaving out the "you must invite me in" scene. My understanding was he was reluctant to do the latter scene and had to be talked into it. As you point out, both scenes play a similar role in the story.

[drakkar]

If the slap scene had been included, then Oskar and Eli would have made up before Oskar left her apartment. In that case, his treatment of Eli when she came to his door would have been unconscionably cruel. As viewers, we would have had a hard time forgiving him for it - if we could have forgiven him at all.

This is my take as well. It would have reduced the film significantly for me. Not only had I been angry with Oskar, as a consequence my view of their relationship also had suffered. It had become very different from the book.

This is only speculation, but it could be possible that Alfredson had the slapping scene in mind and leaving out the "you must invite me in" scene. My understanding was he was reluctant to do the latter scene and had to be talked into it. As you point out, both scenes play a similar role in the story.

From the top of my head, wasn't the reason TA was reluctant to to the bleeding scene because he had trouble making it work? They tried various ways, and only when they went for the "dry" "de-dramatized" way with closeups, only the sound of the blood popping out and no music, only then it worked.
THe immense drama of the scene contrasted in a totally dry, matter-of-factly cinematography (or what you call it ).

[lombano]

This is only speculation, but it could be possible that Alfredson had the slapping scene in mind and leaving out the "you must invite me in" scene. My understanding was he was reluctant to do the latter scene and had to be talked into it. As you point out, both scenes play a similar role in the story.

From the top of my head, wasn't the reason TA was reluctant to to the bleeding scene because he had trouble making it work? They tried various ways, and only when they went for the "dry" "de-dramatized" way with closeups, only the sound of the blood popping out and no music, only then it worked.
THe immense drama of the scene contrasted in a totally dry, matter-of-factly cinematography (or what you call it ).

In the commentary they say that JAL had to insist on it, TA didn't want to include it initially. So it's possible the slap scene was going to replace the bleeding scene.