'Only Lovers Left Alive' SPOILERS
SPRING motherfuckers!
Oh, it just feels like it, even though it's a month early, but to be able to slink through Mother London and it to be bruise-bright and not raining? We take our gifts even as they cut our hearts.
Talking of which, Jim Jarmusch's new film, 'Only Lovers Left Alive', several weeks in the afterlife of vampires Eve (Tilda Swinton) and Adam (Tom Hiddleston). Times are tough for vampires, they can no longer hunt indiscriminately for the blood they need, as much because it's apparently difficult to take people who's disappearance won't be noticed as it is to find blood that can be guaranteed to be disease-free. Eve lives in Tangiers with Marlowe (a great turn from John Hurt) while Adam haunts Detroit, trying to have as little to do with humanity as possible while working on his one-man GY!BE/EitS/dMST compositions in his decaying house while preparing for the day he feels is coming when he won't want to go on.
The pacing of the story is deliberately languid and little happens, while everything happens. Adam and Eve have premonitory dreams of Eve's sister (or possibly 'sister') Ava coming to visit and soon she appears, Mia Wasikowska blowing in for an amazing turn as the dangerous and immature younger vampire who's a little lush for the Type O Neg. But this is really Adam and Eve's story. Details are left vague but they both seem to know everything and can identify plants and animals on sight (and by their taxonomic names) and materials by touch. With characters so sparingly defined it is a sign of the skill of Swinton and Hiddleston to make them so realised (down to Hiddleston moaning about being woken up so early (in the evening) and Swinton speed-reading in a variety of languages). They are so utterly at ease with one another that though we don't know exactly how old they are or much of their past beyond a relationship that has lasted at least several centuries they portray a couple able to call the other out on their bullshit, eager to show the other beautiful things they've found. But Jarmusch undercuts grandeur with subtle humour, Adam suggests that they could visit the Motown museum but instead drives Eve past the house where Jack White grew up. As below so above, there are hints that the natural order is askew, the world is rusting and decaying as Detroit is dying, Adam's dismissive term for humanity is 'zombies' (take that, 'Walking Dead' fans!) but of course, though they rarely rush, zombies are relentless in their pursuit and will catch up with their victims eventually. Adam despairs in the short-term while Eve is more positive in the long-term, yes, Detroit is a mess now, but eventually the southern states will become too hot and uninhabitable, so change is always possible. Adam is solitary, Eve is more gregarious, though careful due to their 'condition'. Feeding, and the restrictions it puts on the person is a constant theme, Adam is concerned by fans of his music driving out to his house on the edge of the city to try and contact him, not all the vampires have the sharp teeth and sunlight aversion.
The soundtrack, which is available here is also extraordinary, mixing Motown classics with a more modern wall of textured feedback and guitar sound. But you really should go and see this movie, it's just the thing for a cold winter's afternoon.
This entry was originally posted at http://blahflowers.dreamwidth.org/644924.html. Please comment there using OpenID.
Oh, it just feels like it, even though it's a month early, but to be able to slink through Mother London and it to be bruise-bright and not raining? We take our gifts even as they cut our hearts.
Talking of which, Jim Jarmusch's new film, 'Only Lovers Left Alive', several weeks in the afterlife of vampires Eve (Tilda Swinton) and Adam (Tom Hiddleston). Times are tough for vampires, they can no longer hunt indiscriminately for the blood they need, as much because it's apparently difficult to take people who's disappearance won't be noticed as it is to find blood that can be guaranteed to be disease-free. Eve lives in Tangiers with Marlowe (a great turn from John Hurt) while Adam haunts Detroit, trying to have as little to do with humanity as possible while working on his one-man GY!BE/EitS/dMST compositions in his decaying house while preparing for the day he feels is coming when he won't want to go on.
The pacing of the story is deliberately languid and little happens, while everything happens. Adam and Eve have premonitory dreams of Eve's sister (or possibly 'sister') Ava coming to visit and soon she appears, Mia Wasikowska blowing in for an amazing turn as the dangerous and immature younger vampire who's a little lush for the Type O Neg. But this is really Adam and Eve's story. Details are left vague but they both seem to know everything and can identify plants and animals on sight (and by their taxonomic names) and materials by touch. With characters so sparingly defined it is a sign of the skill of Swinton and Hiddleston to make them so realised (down to Hiddleston moaning about being woken up so early (in the evening) and Swinton speed-reading in a variety of languages). They are so utterly at ease with one another that though we don't know exactly how old they are or much of their past beyond a relationship that has lasted at least several centuries they portray a couple able to call the other out on their bullshit, eager to show the other beautiful things they've found. But Jarmusch undercuts grandeur with subtle humour, Adam suggests that they could visit the Motown museum but instead drives Eve past the house where Jack White grew up. As below so above, there are hints that the natural order is askew, the world is rusting and decaying as Detroit is dying, Adam's dismissive term for humanity is 'zombies' (take that, 'Walking Dead' fans!) but of course, though they rarely rush, zombies are relentless in their pursuit and will catch up with their victims eventually. Adam despairs in the short-term while Eve is more positive in the long-term, yes, Detroit is a mess now, but eventually the southern states will become too hot and uninhabitable, so change is always possible. Adam is solitary, Eve is more gregarious, though careful due to their 'condition'. Feeding, and the restrictions it puts on the person is a constant theme, Adam is concerned by fans of his music driving out to his house on the edge of the city to try and contact him, not all the vampires have the sharp teeth and sunlight aversion.
The soundtrack, which is available here is also extraordinary, mixing Motown classics with a more modern wall of textured feedback and guitar sound. But you really should go and see this movie, it's just the thing for a cold winter's afternoon.
This entry was originally posted at http://blahflowers.dreamwidth.org/644924.html. Please comment there using OpenID.