Halloween 2020: September 22nd

Let the Right One In (2008)

In the year 2009, the idea of a romantic take on the vampire genre centering around two young people could not sound less appealing, at least to horror fans. By that point, the “Twilight” phenomenon was gripping the globe. As a responsible horror-bro, I naturally despised Stephanie Meyer's bizarre de-fanging of the bloodsucking legend. Yet, as is often the case, an anecdote was already cooking in Europe long before the cinematic adaption of Meyer's story reached theater screens. I got to see “Let the Right One In” theaters during one of my few trips into Manhattan and happily embraced it as one of the best films of the year. Quickly, the film was accepted into the canon of great vampire movies. See, execution is much more important than content.

Shy, lonely, and fascinated with violent crime, twelve year old Oskar is frequently bullied at school. His home life, in an isolated apartment with his recently divorced mom, brings him little comfort. Things start to change when, while out on the playground on a winter's night, he meets Eli. Seemingly a little girl, Eli only comes out at night, lives next door with a strange man, and smells odd. After she moves in, people begin to die in the neighborhood, drained of their blood. As Oskar and Eli's bond grows, the boy has to eventually confront the fact that the girl he likes isn't human. 

“Let the Right One In” is a film concerned with loneliness. Oskar is introduced alone, his vulnerable form seen reflected in his frosty bedroom window. Tomas Alfredson's direction and Hoyte van Hoytema's gorgeous cinematography frequently emphasizes Oskar's isolation. The little boy is reduced to a small shape in the wide, snow-filled darkness of the landscape. That chilly alienation infects every frame of the movie. The boy is unable to connect with his disaffected parents, his clueless teachers, and even his fellow classmates, none of which seem to relate to him at all. No wonder he falls for Eli, once she comes into his life. She's the only source of connection, of compassion, he has at all. But that's how it feels sometimes, when you're that age.

Unlike the juvenile wish fulfillment of “Twilight,” or a lot of other far better stories, “Let the Right One In” adds more complexity to its central relationship. There are suggestions that Eli's interest in Oskar is not so innocent. It is implied – and John Ajvide Lindqvist's original novel confirms it – that Eli's Renfield-like caretaker is a pedophile that she's been manipulating and leading on for years. It's not too much of a leap to assume that Eli is grooming Oskar to be her next caretaker. Even overlooking their possible future, Oskar's fascination with violence is troublesome and Eli's willingness to encourage his darker impulses is concerning as well. This is far from a sweet love story. 

Even though there are plenty of hints that Oskar and Eli are not Bella and Edward, “Let the Right One In” is still an utterly touching love story. Acceptance, more than anything else, seems to drive the two further together. Eli doesn't think Oskar is weird and he's happy to overlook her quirks. Oskar doesn't even seems to care about Eli's ambiguous gender. (Another element of the story elaborated on in Lindqvist's text.) The quiet ways they express their feelings for one another, switching between barely-there touches to overly enthusiastic hugs, is utterly adorable. As are the way they use Morse code to communicate. As the stunning fantastic scene displays, Eli is there for the boy because he's there for her. While the film allows us to speculate on the darkness inherent in Eli and Oskar's relationship, it also allows us to be touched by the bond the two disaffected youths find with each other. 

The film also provides its own distinct take on the vampire genre. Eli is far from the traditionally charismatic vampire. She might be hundreds of years old but she still has a child-like sense of responsibility, being unable to take care of herself or dispose of her victims. That's why she needs a caretaker. She also stinks like a rotting corpse, an often overlooked side effect of being undead... Though whether the vampires in this universe are actually undead are left ambiguous as well. As the Morrissey quoting title indicates, the film also lets us see what happens when a vampire enters a home it's not invited into. It's one of the film's more overtly horrific moments and certainly makes an impression. 

Aside from a largely extraneous subplot involving a ragtag group of adults living in the village, and some janky CGI cats, “Let the Right One In” is an evocative and deeply empathetic entry in the vampire genre. There's been several attempts to follow up on the beautifully made original. Lindqvist wrote a short story sequel, which I've yet to read, as well as a stage adaptation. There was a respectful, if largely unnecessary, American remake that at least earns points for being a little darker than the original movie. There was also an attempt to adapt the novel to television, though it didn't get out of the pilot stage. Yet the original stands alone as one of the best vampire films in recent memories, a unique take on the genre with a ton of heart. [9/10]

Amityville 4: The Evil Escapes (1989)

“Amityville 3-D” concluded with the infamous Long Island house going up in flames. The movie didn't make that much money at the box office either, suggesting this franchise was ready to be shot in the middle of the night. Yet, less than a decade after it supposedly happened, the Amityville hoax had already ingrained itself in the pop culture consciousness. New “Amityville” books, that at least had the tact to admit they were entirely fictional and were mostly written by John G. Jones, had been coming out steadily throughout the eighties. So clearly the brand was still viable. Making the leap to television and taking its inspiration from Jones' third “Amityville” book, “Amityville 4: The Evil Escapes” would premiere on NBC on May 12th, 1989. If the strictly PG-rated horror didn't clue you in that this was a TV movie, that Patty Duke gets top-billing definitely should.

You'd think, with that title, “Amityville 4” would pick up after the house's destruction in the third movie. Instead, 112 Ocean Avenue is still standing at the beginning of this film. A group of Catholic priests raid the home to banish its evil presence once and for all. Father Kibbler successfully confines the demonic force to a weird old lamp before being knocked unconscious. The lamp is then sold at a yard sale soon afterwards. An old lady ships it off to her sister, Alice, in California as a gift. Nancy, Alice's recently widowed daughter, and her three kids move into the house with the old woman. Soon, Nancy's youngest daughter claims the ghost of her dead father is talking to her. Strange things happen around the house, seemingly centering around the lamp. Father Kibbler, aware of what's happening, heads off in hopes he can save the family before it's too late.

Yes, you read that plot synopsis correctly. Moths beware. This is a horror movie about a demonically possessed lamp. So, obviously, “Amityville 4” does not change the franchise's ridiculously overcooked treatment of unconvincing horrors. Black sludge sprays from a faucet once again. Later, a plumber is killed when that same sludge steamrolls his face. One of the most evil thing the lamp does is give an old lady tetanus, causing her to die weeks later. The sequel's most gruesome scene, where a random jock gets his hand ground off in a garbage disposal, is undone by the actor's over-the-top wails of anguish. The lamp's cord slithers around like a snake and even strangles an old lady to death. As you'd expect, a lamp is not an especially intimidating villain. This extremely ridiculous movie reaches a crescendo of goofiness during the climax, when the lamp is confronted and ends up sailing out the window and over a cliff. (Somehow, the pre-credit teaser almost tops this moment in sheer silliness.)

After it took most of the third movie off, “Amityville 4” returns to the series' obsession with Catholic mysticism. This is despite Father Kibbler spending the whole movie getting his ass kicked and needing a grandmother to save him at the very end. “The Evil Escapes” revives some of the original's subtext, about the expenses of owning a home, as grandma Alice complains about how much the new plumbing problems is going to cost her. However, “Amityville 4” is mostly a sub-”Poltergeist” story about the power of familial love. Nancy is terrified her youngest daughter is going crazy, with her obsession with her dead dad. At one point, the little girl even floats in the air and stabs the priest. The family coming back together and renewing their love for one another is ultimately what really saves them from the spooky lamp.

This is the intended moral of “Amityville 4” anyway. In execution, the sequel is far more interesting when suggesting everyone in the house secretly hates each other. There's a hilarious moment where Nancy's son and his hideous mullet looses control of a chainsaw. Afterwards, Nancy says her mother will never admit she's wrong. More than once, Grandma Alice rags on her daughter about the poor decisions she made regarding her deceased husband. Even though the man she married recently died, Nancy seems to greatly resent her youngest daughter's inability to let go of her father's death. The middle daughter – played by “Night of the Demons 2's” Zoe Trilling, credited as Geri Betzler for presumably union-related reasons – is annoyed she has to watch after the same girl. It's not the incestuous depravity of “Amityville II” but it's more interesting than buzzing flies and backed-up pipes.

The acting is pretty hammy, as you probably might've guessed. Director Sandor Stern previously made bizarre psychological horror flick “Pin,” which I really need to review someday. Stern has also directed a bunch of TV movies so, unsurprisingly, “Amityville 4” is largely a flat looking affair. “The Evil Escapes” has some moments of hysterical unintentional comedy, as you'd probably expect from a movie about a killer lamp. Long stretches of it are pretty boring too, making this far from a so-bad-it's-good affair. Still, sheer ridiculousness makes it a little more interesting than “Amityville 3-D.” And I'm curious what directions this slapdash, severely dumb franchise will mutate in next. [5/10]

Creepshow: The Companion / Lydia Layne's Better Half

Supernatural revenge emerges as the theme of “Creepshow's” fourth episode. In “The Companion,” Harold has run away from home due to the constant abuse from his bullying older brother. After his brother chases him, Harold hides in an abandoned farmhouse. He removes a pitchfork from the scarecrow outside, which then springs to life. Soon, the boy uncovers the story behind this frightening entity. In “Lydia Layne's Better Half,” a highly successful businesswoman – that would be the titular Miss Layne – passes up her lesbian girlfriend for a high-profile promotion. The two get into a fight and the girlfriend ends up dead after a grisly accident. While trying to discreetly dispose of the body, an earthquake occurs, trapping Layne in an elevator with the corpse. 

“The Companion” is, easily, my favorite “Creepshow” segment so far. It's based on a story by Joe R. Lansdale, who perfectly captures the E.C. Comics tone the serious is ostensibly adapting. The rapport we see between Harold and his best friend, Smitty, in the first scene is perfectly lovable. You like this kid and immediately relate to his plight, of being beaten by a big brother. David Bruckner, who previously handled episode three's “The Man in the Suitcase,” returns to direct. He provides some fantastically atmospheric visuals, the old farm being a beautifully moody location, which is occasionally splashed with some comic-book-style bright colors. The titular companion is a really cool monster, vines and branches growing out of its scarecrow body. The episode looses a little steam during the long flashback, that explains the monster's backstory, but the ending – predictable as it is – nevertheless strikes the perfect tone. 

Disappointingly, “Creepshow” follows up one of its best segments with one of its weakest. The narrative hook of the episode – a murderer trapped in an elevator with their victim's body – doesn't begin until the segment is halfway over. The suspense comes from wondering if something supernatural is happening or if Layne's guilt is causing her to imagine it all. However, Layne is so obviously horrible that you don't really care about that so much. Besides, the ambiguity of this premise, which makes it interesting, has to be spoiled eventually. Also, an immobile corpse is not inherently the most threatening villain. If nothing else, Roxanne Benjamin's direction is nicely moody but it's not enough to overcome the weak script. [The Companion: 8/10] [Lydia Layne's Better Half: 5/10]

Forever Knight: Outside the Lines

In the third episode of season three, “Forever Knight” continues to develop Detective Vetter, Nick's new partner. In “Outside the Lines,” we discover that she has a brother who operates as an undercover cop. He's also notorious for his strong-arm methods, often beating perps. While investigating a rape and murder inside the city's hard partying/bondage scene, Nick spots Vetter's brother drop a witness over the edge of a building. The conflict between Vetter wanting to protect her brother and uphold the law reminds Nick of something that happened during his time in Nazi-occupied France. 

“Outside the Lines” continues the show's attempt to make the audience interested in Tracy Vetter. She remains uptight and humorless where Schanke was funny and energetic. Yet at least she recognizes police brutality when she sees it. “Outside the Lines” concludes with her turning in her own brother and condemning his hyper-violent ways. The flashback scenes have Nick confronting his own feelings about situations like this, which at least provides some decent acting moments for Geraint Wyn Davis. (Though this comes off as pretty hypocritical, considering Nick has gone above the law many times before.) The murder mystery is totally forgettable this time, though the added element of hard drugs, bondage, and rough sex does add a certain edge to it. It's clear “Forever Knight” could get away with a little more on cable than it could on network TV. But it's a pretty lame episode otherwise. [5/10]