“Only Lovers Left Alive” -
Review
Vampires?
Vampires! “Vampires”. No matter how many films Hollywood makes,
one reliable source for material or should I say one reliable character to
certainly get at least one yearly turn at the movie theater box office is that
old bite in the neck, no mirror reflection, perpetual blood sucking, typically pale
skin and only comes out at night, frightening cinematic antagonist originally
known as “Nosferatu”. His more common and more popular name today is the
vampire “Dracula”.
Since I can remember as a
kid, Dracula movies are either always on TV or coming out in some form on the
big screen. Lately they have evolved substantively from simply well-dressed monsters
to now a variety of personalities ranging more mainstreaming – modernizing politically
relevant interpretations with the series “True Blood”. Also, others have been rooted
in more tongue and cheek story lines with “Angel and “Buff the Vampire Slayer”.
Some taking on the more sappy teenage romance approach with the “Twilight”
films. And finally others that have had cross appeal involving more of a modern
look with tight martial arts action sequences with a protagonist half human - half vampire dark hero as the lead (pardon the
pun) in ‘Blade”.
But in the end, the Vampire character
has been pretty much delved into from every way from its early interpretation from
the notable actors Christopher Lee and Bela Lugosi as your standard predatory Dracula
to the now more modern pedestrian, calculating and somewhat reasonable vampires
with the character names of “Bill” and “Eric”. Yes, the villain Dracula has
been pretty much covered story wise with the one exception that is currently now
in theaters in its latest twist-turn starring Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston (“Loki”
in Thor) in the dark, sophisticated, funny and romantic “Only Lovers Left Alive”.
Taking place today, we find
two vampires living miles apart but madly in love with each other as with “Eve”
who lives in Tangier and with her husband “Adam” who is living in Detroit. They
frequently talk to each other and while they live alone it appears it has not
been any obstacle in them maintaining their deep seeded love and affection for
each other. After all living apart for a period of time doesn’t seem to be a
big issue in a relationship where one is basically immortal and one have been
married for 300 plus years. It brings on a whole new meaning to couples taking separate
vacations.
From the offset this film
largely revolves around both couples having separate but similar broad aristocratic
tastes in culture and music. They also have evolved in that they find it demeaning
to simply prey on unsuspecting humans for blood, which as they described as “vulgar
and rude behavior” by modern vampire standards that is. No, today they simply buy
their daily requirement of nutritional blood, mostly from various underground sources
who routinely work with reputable hospitals and blood banks, but who are also equally
willing to sell some blood on the side to secure a tidy nest egg profit off the
books. Besides, Eve and Adam are cultured vampires and to make sure they get ‘the
good stuff” as they call it, preying on humans carries far too many risk now giving
their propensity to do all types of filthy drugs and to engage in risky
behavior that has over time sully their blood with all types of diseases and
infections.
“Only Lovers Left Alive” is
not going to be as entertaining for some of you as I found it. It is very
nuanced, high browed, introspective, dark (literally and figuratively) and modernly
funny. But above all it is very romantic to see two vampires who been passionately
together for almost 4 life times to still fawn and flirt with each other as young
human teenage lovers and yet have the maturity of a couple in their golden twilight
years. I also was frequently amused by their twist in the dialogue such as the occasions
they would have conversation about planning their night time schedules as would
human couples would do sitting around the breakfast table talking about their
plans for that day.
"Only Lovers Left
Alive “ is an acquired taste (pardon the pun again) of a film that ultimately
talks about an enduring and passionately strong love between two people who
just so happens to be vampires as well. And while they are both a bit weary of hiding
and minimally dealing with the unpredictable behavior of humans for so, so long,
they never have stopped loving each other and apparently never will.
3
- 3/4 Stars
