Known for his interesting style of cinema with inspiring minimalism and upturning traditional genres, Jarmusch decides to tackle the vampire genre. Known mostly as a filmmaker in the 'Indie' world, Jarmusch has given us great films such as 'Dead Man', 'Coffee and Cigarettes' and 'Broken Flowers'.
This film 'Only Lovers Left Alive' is an unconditional love story between a man and a woman aptly named Adam and Eve, oh and they're vampires. They are mostly portrayed as archetypal outsiders, bohemians, extremely intelligent and sophisticated and in full possession of, well vampiric animal instincts. Cultured and well traveled, having experienced so many things, they chose to live in hiding, in the shadowed margins of society.
Adam and Eve, like most vampires need human blood to survive, but living in the 21st century, where scientific progress and forensics are everywhere attacking people proves to be too dangerous. They must be careful. Plus there's the fear of infected and ruined blood with drugs and diseases. So they need pure clean blood, the only place to get that is at the hospital. Adam often dresses up as a doctor and casually walks in to the nearest hospital where he pays a crooked lab worker for some bags of blood. It's easy and it doesn't draw attention. The scenes where they drink blood are stunning and well shot because they enter a state of divine pleasure and euphoria, the blood is like a drug for them. Blood being a metaphor for drugs.
Speaking of metaphors according to Jim Jarmusch vampires are metaphors for humans- being fragile and endangered.
They are very old, it's uncertain how old they are, maybe 200 or 300 years old. They have lived so long and traveled so much. It's as if this film is showing us how immortal life is becoming boring. Maybe it's the 21st century that's just not working for vampires.
In the film, the character of Adam, played perfectly by a very hot and emo Tom Hiddleston (I'm a Hiddlestoner all the way), is depressed. He sees humans as 'zombies' even calling them that way.
'It's the zombies- the way they treat the world,'
'It's the zombies I'm sick of, and their fear of their own fucking imaginations'
These are his words as he lives in Detroit and composes music.He hates the humans of today and in general, though he admires the famous scientists of history and their great achievements. His character is almost like a Hamlet/emo/tortured artist/recluse type. Which works so well because it's Tom Hiddleston and he's a vampire. Vampires like being lonely. He has a human boy Ian (Anton Yelchin) who helps him distribute his music and running errands for him. Adam has been living in Detroit for a long time away from Eve who's been living in Tangier.
The film alternates between these two fantastic cities. The city of Detroit represents a great city with a rich architecture and prosper industrial era, but now it's crumbling and abandoned.. Almost like the immortals, the vampires. It's nearly depopulated. The character and director couldn't have picked a more depressing city. Detroit represents a post-industrial America and now the decline of the American Empire.
Adam hides out in a very old and derelict house, Detroit is presented here as an urban America, with destitute and dilapidated buildings, showing that cops aren't doing anything and the government doesn't care. I see it more as a representation of America today facing the economy crisis.
Eve (the ethereal beautiful Tilda Swinton) however hides out in Tangier where the culture is very rich and there is a mix of traditions and breaking of traditions as well. As she walks through the streets at night she is constantly bothered by men who tell her 'I have what you need!' They obviously want to sell her drugs, if only they knew what could satisfy her. She meets up with the one and only Christopher Marlowe who is a vampire of course. Considering that his death was mysterious and never solved, him becoming a vampire is perfectly accepted. Portrayed wonderfully by the great John Hurt, he has strong and funny opinions about a certain Mister Shakespeare.
Eve longs for Adam and calls him, she decides to go and visit him. A couple of days later, her sister Ava (Mia Wasikowska) crashes at their place. She's a bad girl and like a teenager behaves badly, Adam can't stand her.
Between Adam and Eve there's a beautiful love story and representation of how opposites attract. For example Adam, being depressed, wears black that matches his black hair and Eve wears white that matches her white bleached hair. There's a ying yang, light dark approach here, the most beautiful love story is the one where lovers accept their counterpart for what they are do not wish to change them.
The film is a surreal stylish treat, with amazing hypnotic music and beautiful actors. When talking about cliches I have a little problem with the film taking place at night all the time, OK so we've established that they are sunlight sensitive or just sleep during the daytime. Like I've mentioned before this cliche becomes boring. However the scenes shot at night in Tangier are mesmerizing and beautiful compared to the depressingly bleak view of Detroit at night. There's a very interesting take on blood in this film where Eve gives Adam some popsicles made with blood, genius!
When I first heard of this film, I did a happy dance, Tom Hiddleston, who will forever be known as the best villain ever, Loki, is a vampire! And the beautiful Tilda Swinton who was a witch, an angel and has worked many times with Jarmusch is a vampire. I immediately expected romance and an erotic thriller much like Tony Scott's 'The Hunger' and that's exactly what I got.
Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton as Adam and Eve
A romantic night out in a bar
Anton Yelchin as the oblivious boy/human servant Ian.
Blood popsicle anyone?
For more info and reviews: Sight and Sound Magazine March 2014 Vol 24 Issue 3
