Låt den rätte komma in

How was the backstory handled?
Bits of the backstory were thrown in at several different points in the movie. Which is weird for me, because it makes me feel like I have to watch it again. And i remember Luke said something today like, "Movies are made to only watch once" or something along those lines. But when the backstory is dabbled in all over, it kinda makes me lose track of things, and watching it again clears things up for me usually. So I don't know if i agree with that. I think watching movies a second time is almost necessary in some cases, and this might be one of them.

How is camera movement used?
I think the camera movement was used in the same way that sound was. In order for an audience to detect silence, something must be heard that isn't normally heard. So in order for an audience to detect movement, the camera must be still as the slightest things/details in the picture move. It's far more effective and far more like you're watching something you're not supposed to. When the camera moves, it feels human almost. When it doesn't, it either feels like you're spying or it literally feels like a camera, in which case you feel outside of it but extremely drawn into it as well. Really cool.

How is camera distance used?
I haven't quite figured this out. But maybe going by what i said in the last question, perhaps close camera shots are made to see slight movements in detail and far camera shots are for seeing bodily movements in little detail. But i am not really sure why the director would want that.

How is character developed other than with dialog, or how does the director develop character visually?
Oskar's character developed through changes in decisions i guess. His decision to stand up to the bully showed a complete turnaround in his behavior. Also perhaps symbolism? Like when Oskar touches the window with his hand, it shows that he's longing and upset. I'm not entirely sure.

Sound is used to incredible effect in this movie--how do the filmmakers use sound?
Well we discussed the whole silence thing, which I thought was brilliant. But then i started thinking of other horror movies. And don't they all do that too? I'm not saying all horror films use sound they way this movie did, but don't most horror movies accentuate the silence in order to make those big surprising sounds that make people piss themselves?
I also feel like the music wasn't really that important. Most of it wasn't necessarily needed. Maybe it was, but the sounds other than the music--the blood dripping, Eli drinking the blood of her victims, the blood coming out of Eli's body--all that was the sound that toys with the emotions and stuff of the viewer. Although now that i think about it, what if the music was directed to make the viewer more connected to the love aspect of the film, and the purpose of the creepy sounds was to make the viewer more connected to the gross aspect. Causing cognitive dissonance in the viewer, intriguing them and luring them in even more.

Hakan - what's up with this guy?
Before knowing he was a pedophile, I thought he was some sort of vampire overseer of Eli or something. But after knowing that, which i think is very important, it changes the entire story. It changes what you get out of it. It changes the scene in the hospital right before he falls out of the window. I think that that would have been necessary backstory to provide.

What is behind the puzzles? What do they symbolize?
I think it symbolizes Eli's intelligence, intricacy, and uniqueness. It's a simple interpretation, but I don't know what else it could mean.

Is this a happy ending?
Yeah. I feel like neither of their lives in their entireties are very happy. Both characters are very alone. But in the end, they're with each other, and they have happyish moments together. And in the end, they get to be with each other, even though Eli's situation still sucks, and even though Oskar's situation still sucks. And right now, all we know is that they are happy together. Maybe Oskar will be used as Hakan was. But even with that in mind, I don't think it affects the happiness of the ending. Because I think viewers assume the best, because we like good news. So it's relative to who's watching it. but over all, i think this ending is happy to the majority of viewers.