Let Me In: A Cross-Cultural Horror Film

In an industry typically terrified of subtitles and child actors “Let me in”, the 2010 remake of 2008’s hit Swedish film “Let the right one in”, performed surprisingly well, sticking to much of the films storyline quite admirably. However it is what has been left out and what has been exaggerated that ultimately brings a greater disparity between the interpretation and the original to light.

In “Let the right one in” there is a lot left ambiguous; particularly in relation the relationships between adults and the children whose stories make up the bulk of the film. In the remake it’s stated to all but a certainty at the beginning of the film that it was her father she was living with, while in the original the relationship is left unexplained beyond the fact that he most certainly was not her father. Whether he was a friend or partner is never explained, nor is it viewed as important but the possibility that such a relationship was less than wholesome clearly did not meet Matt Reeves’ (writer/director of “Let me in”) vision for a more accessible adaption. Despite the fact that it is later revealed that he was not her father, but rather another boy who met at the same age in years past (as the young female vampire at the centre of both films does not age) the fear of ambiguity is clear, and stifles the adaption significantly once noticed.

A frame from the original film

Similar ambiguities lie in the nature of Oskar’s (The lead young male in “Let the right one in”) parents and their relations ship with each other. Tomas Alfredson (Director) here clearly isn’t interested in explaining specifics, subscribing instead to the notion of “show, don’t tell” while the remakes approach seems to lean more towards a “show and explain” model; explicitly showing they are seperated. To me this sums up the attitude behind most remakes in general; to exert far greater control over the experience of the film; to eliminate all subtlety. In order to make a more palatable film Reeves removed many of the sinister possibilities and implications of the film to show a stricter, more tightly controlled and far more specific story.

Ultimately the point of this post is not to knock remakes. Some of them are great films in their own right, however there is a significant change of attitudes that accompanies shifts from a country of origin to another that must be acknowledged. So keep that in mind next time you see a film remade, and do yourself a favour and watch both before passing judgement on either.

Tim