Reelsolutions

It’s time to look again at Let the Right One In, the Swedish film from 2008 that perhaps has something to say about 2022. It offers a distinctive take on Bram Stoker’s Dracula story which itself appeared in 1897 at a time of migrations from Eastern Europe. Dracula has proved to be a popular story in both theatre and cinema with many adaptations. 2022 is the centenary of Nosferatu, perhaps the most celebrated film adaptation. The novel Låt den rätte komma in by John Ajvide Lindqvist was published in 2004. The story is set in the early 1980s with heightened tension caused by Russian submarines tracked in Swedish waters. It is a fantasy story but Lindqvist made use of some of his own experiences as a young teenager in developing the narrative. The film adaptation in 2008, directed by Tomas Alfredson, presents an almost social realist Stockholm suburb with a new resident, a girl of 12 named Eli, moving in next door to Oskar, an introverted boy of the same age. The 2008 film became an international hit, celebrated by popular audiences and critics alike and generating a Hollywood remake (not so successful) and several stage adaptations. Tagged a ‘romantic horror’, the film raises questions about ethnicity, gender and migration. There will be plenty to discuss. Let the Right One In is available on BBC iPlayer for the next two months. Detailed notes and a short video presentation will be available.