Let the Right One In (Tomas Alfredson, 2008)

[Jeff]

Did I forget to post this here, that Amazon.uk is still distributing lossy audio blus of this in Dec 2009.

The switch must be starting to occur though, because I received a Blu from Amazon.uk today, and it has the corrected, lossless audio. Got it for the bargain price of £7.81 too!

[duck duck]

I guess I'll ask here because I don't want to start a new thread and get bitched at because the search doesn't work. Does the DVD of Let the Right One In have those annoying subtitles that bounce from top to bottom like the streaming does?

[mfunk9786]

FYI: You shouldn't start a new thread just to ask a question anyway

[Mr Sausage]

I guess I'll ask here because I don't want to start a new thread and get bitched at because the search doesn't work. Does the DVD of Let the Right One In have those annoying subtitles that bounce from top to bottom like the streaming does?

Nope.

[duck duck]

Thanks...

[dad1153]

Very late to the party but I finally watched both "Let The Right One In" (Blu-ray) as well as Matt Reeves' "Let Me In" (DVD). This hour-long 2010 podcast (recorded when the US remake came out in theaters) is a very good summary of the differences/similarities between both movies.

What can I say that hasn't been written already? The Swedish original is a fantastic, atmospheric and deeply moving/disturbing (not to mention violent and gory) coming-of-age horror movie that doesn't shy away from going places movies with/about children seldom do. Kåre Hedebrant's Oskar and Eli Lina Leandersson's Eli are neither innocents nor monsters, but imperfect creatures of the rather-depressing environment in which they meet (Sweeden circa 1980) that support each other and get something benefitial out of their odd-but-rather-sweet relationship. Ironically, even knowing what awaits him, I feel Oskar is better off at the end than his no-future path if he hadn't met Eli. The supporting adult/child performances present choices/alternatives that Oskar and Eli could follow rather than the paths they choose, which is why I like the secondary story/characters

Spoiler

(the woman that chooses death-by-fire over living like a vampire is making a moral choice that Eli has clearly rejected).

The film is smart not to sugar-coat the natural narcissism and passivity of the Stockholm natives as they deal with both the mundane (bullies) and the fantastic (vampires).

It's a small-scale intimate masterpiece, so naturally Matt Reeve's made-in-English-because-Americans-don't-like-readying-subtitles watered-down Hollywood remake dumbs the original Sweedish film down and spells things out (some more than others) that were better left to either the imagination or how they were originally presented. Only the slow-pace/atmosphere of the snow/cold weather along with the basic 'lonely boy (Kodi Smit-McPhee) meets vampire girl ("Kick-Ass'" Chloë Grace Moretz) under the care of a human guardian (Richard Jenkins)' narrative survived the transition, along with the bullies. The adult characters have been largely replaced by a detective (Elias Koteas) and generic neighbors that aren't as well-developed or symbolic as the adults in "Let The Right One In." If the original movie didn't exist "Let Me In" would be OK (except for Michael Giacchino's too-loud score), but anybody that picks this over the genuine article is choosing a Big Mac over seasoned Filet Mignon.

[gfxtwin]

As much as I want to see it, I've been avoiding this until I can find a version containing the original subtitles. Apparently the dvd/blu versions have a watered-down translation that harms the quality of the dialogue. Is this still the case with the current copies?

[Jeff]

As much as I want to see it, I've been avoiding this until I can find a version containing the original subtitles. Apparently the dvd/blu versions have a watered-down translation that harms the quality of the dialogue. Is this still the case with the current copies?

There is some discussion of that beginning on page three in this thread (beginning here). Magnet later issued a version with the corrected theatrical subtitles. Here is an article that explains how to locate the correct version, though I suppose you're taking your chances if you buy online. Your best bet is probably to order the region free UK version which has the correct subtitles and a commentary by Alfredson and the author of the source material.

[Mr Sausage]

As much as I want to see it, I've been avoiding this until I can find a version containing the original subtitles. Apparently the dvd/blu versions have a watered-down translation that harms the quality of the dialogue. Is this still the case with the current copies?

This Canadian edition has the original subtitles (as well as the inferior ones). Unlike the American version, every copy of this version has the subtitles, so you can safely order it online. It only has deleted scenes as extras, tho'.

[swo17]

It should also be mentioned that if you get the UK version, some copies include a brief video glitch late in the film. If your copy is like this you can get a replacement, though it's just one more hassle to have to deal with.

[dustybooks]

Sorry if this is irrelevant but scanning the conversation so far I didn't see it noted that the version on Netflix streaming has the correct subtitles, which is handy if one just wants to see the film... though of course it doesn't help as far as sorting out the editions on physical media.

[dad1153]

Are these the same subtitles that Showtime Women HD (I know!) is using when it shows the film? It's on rotation right now in various SHO channels and I did notice a slight (though not dramatic) difference between the English subs from the Blu-ray where I first saw the movie and the SHO version I saw just a couple of days ago. I'd assume any version of "Let The Right One In" streaming/showing on a cable channel or streaming service in 2012 would have the agreed-upon best translation to English.

[Roger Ryan]

I rented the Region 1 (U.S.) Blu-ray shortly after it came out...and still thought the film was terrific regardless of the subtitle translation (wasn't even aware of the controversy at the time). The U.S. remake is superb when compared to most American horror fare, but is disappointing when compared to the Swedish original. I also found it disingenuous that the Swedish version is not acknowledged as even existing according to the American version bonus features. Reeves gives the impression that his film was the first adaptation of the novel and that he came up with the idea of using snow in many of the scenes!