Let the right one in

'Let the right one in' is a swedish horror movie about a friendship between two twelve year old kids, Oskar is a normal twelve year old who is bullied and due to this his few friends. He then meets Eli who is also twelve but she's been that age for many years because she is a vampire.

Vladmir Propps theorys of the characters having roles are used in the movie, the main character Oskar is the 'hero' who is seeking revenge on the boys who are making his life a misery. Eli is the 'helper' she protects Oskar and gives him the confidence to stick up for himself against the bullies. The villians in the movie are Conny and his gang of friends who follow Oskar about calling him names and inflicting harm on him. There is a false hero in the film who is a class mate of Oskar, he tricks him into coming too the swimming pool as though he's helping him but when he comes Oskar finds himself with nowhere to run from the group of bullies he are intending on murdering him.

Todorovs theory that all stories begin with an equilibrium, this is then disrupted and then restored is relevant in the movie as Oskar starts off getting bullied and has a lack of self esteem before he meets Eli. She comes along and makes him stand up for giving him the confidence to face his fears, he starts going to after school weight lifting classes and one to one swimming lessions. After fighting back at Conny by whipping him round the face and causing him to go to hospital Todorovs theory that the equilibrium is restored as he is left for death unable to breath underwater until Eli saves him from the group.

Claude Levi Strauss theory that there are narrative structures that contain binary opposites is proves to be right as we see many opposites. Good vs Evil is the opposite that sticks out the most we see this in both Oskar and Eli, Oskar is kind to Eli he lends her his rubicks cube before he really knows her and as there friendship grows he becomes kind and caring but he also has a side to him that wants to hit back at the group he are picking on him and he carries a knife round with him at all times. Eli is a vampire who has been murdering people in the village to stay alive but you see a different side of her when she meets Oskar, she's protective and friendly. Eli makes Oskar stand up for himself against bullies and when he's in danger at the end of the movie shes there to save his life.

The director uses mise en scene very casually in the film due to the movie being set in the middle of winter in the 70s. Everything is dull from the houses to the school changing rooms that are a faided white colour, There's alot of snow on the streets and in the forest with most the scenes set at night. There is only a few streets used in the film with a cafe, school and hospital.

Overall i think the film is good it follows all the techniques described by Propp, Todorov and Levi-Strauss but with a twist. The film has the characters described by Levi Strauss but different to the usual theory this makes the film different to all the others and makes it one of a kind, i think this is what draws people to the film.