Is Hakan a vampire too? - Låt den rätte komma in (2008) Discussion

[–] Jameron 10 years ago

"When I first saw the movie I thought Hakan was also a vampire but someone corrected me and said he wasn't. Is he?" - ctrout

No, he wasn't. We see him out and about in daylight, that's a big no-no for vampires in this 'verse.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e3tGxnFKfE

http://tinyurl.com/LTROI-story

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[–] ctrout 10 years ago

Oh duh lol. Thank you!

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[–] woodylan 10 years ago

In the book he is a paedophile that is in love with Eli

"America - the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between."

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[–] drakkar 10 years ago

In the film too, however the clues are weak.

In Cod we trust.

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[–] dongregg-953-168798 10 years ago

That's what I think, too. There are several scenes where Håkan is pretty creepy, but not necessarily a pedophile. Creepy--he harvests blood for Eli. He watches boys playing basketball. He looks creepy when he is watching Eli and Oskar from his window. You get that he is jealous when he asks Eli not to see "that boy" the last evening he goes out. Is it just me, or is it creepy that he eats an apple as he is preparing to go on a blood run? And that he drinks milk at the Sun Palace? Okay, that's just me.

But anyway, I gather from reading people's comments that the explicit pedophilia is restricted to the novel. I think the hints in the film point somewhat in that direction, but that could be because it's hard to separate what I know about the book (I haven't read it) from what I see on the screen.

But beyond all of these considerations is the fact that Håkan loves Eli more than life itself. That he loves Eli as a person shows in that he is willing to die to protect Eli. To me, that is the love story within the love story. I'm not the only film fan who sees Håkan in a positive light. He loves Eli, he takes care of Eli, and he dies for Eli. I guess I would say that his love for Eli transcends his pedophilic attraction.

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[–] Old_Man_From_Scene_24 9 years ago

You're correct in saying that the paedophilia is restricted to the book, but you're wrong in your assumption that Håkan loves Eli. He does not. He only wants Eli's body, and saw him as a lifeline to redeem himself for a past of disgusting perversion. When that fails, he asks Eli to kill him. When that also fails (in the novel), he attempts to rape Eli in a basement as some form of undead creature, but ultimately fails. There is NO stable love between the two of them, no matter what. There is only a sick desire that Eli never let him satisfy, which led to the attempted rape.

"All these squares make a circle."

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[–] blakkdog 9 years ago

I didnt pick up on this in the film. I assumed he was Eli's current "care taker" and perhaps he had even been with Eli since he was a child (I create back history at the drop of a hat... I cant help it...). I assumed he was completely devoted to Eli but not in a sexual way. I thought he told Eli to stop hanging with Oskar for Eli's own safety. Not out of jealousy. Are we to assume he knew every little secret about Eli? Did he think Eli was a girl or did he like little boys?

---
Using words to describe art is like using a screw driver to cut roast beef.

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[–] drakkar 9 years ago

Only his horny look when Eli touches his cheek, his looks at the young boys (a hint that Eli also is a boy, from a paedophiles perspective), and his jealous gaze when Eli is together with Oskar.
Eli on his part, doesn't show any compassion when he hears Håkan is hospitalised.
There are also some clues in their dialogue, however since the subtexts are inaccurate, you are deprived of that if you don't understand Swedish.

In Cod we trust.

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[–] dongregg-953-168798 9 years ago

I thought he told Eli to stop hanging with Oskar for Eli's own safety. Not out of jealousy.

I think you and I are the only one's who realize that Håkan's actions can be accounted for as him doing his job of keeping Eli safe. I think the jealousy is also hinted at -- "Leave off meeting 'that boy' tonight, at least?" But I think his actions are all justified without bringing in paedophilia or jealousy. After all, no good could possibly come from others learning of a vampire's presence in their neighborhood!

As for your backstory, metoo has pointed out elsewhere that if you speak Swedish, there are clues that Håkan has only been with Eli for maybe a couple of months.

Apology: As a "film only" fan, I see Eli as so girly that I naturally refer to her as "she."

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[–] jidici 9 years ago

But how do you explain the closed eyes of his as she strokes his cheek like a man drinking water after being in the desert for a week? That immediately takes him off the "father/uncle" list immediately. I too think that Hakan had Elis best interests at heart but considering that seeming perverted look of his, being such an older gent on a young girl, the only explanation is he was where Oskar is now way back when and still loves her but is about to get dumped like a dirty sock. It also conveniently shows Oskars black future. Its just as black as the more positives take is bright. Genius.

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[–] 9 years ago

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[–] squiike 9 years ago

I thought he had fallen in love with Eli some 60 years ago, and been her caretaker ever since. He realized he was too old to continue successful blood harvesting, and had a hard time letting go of he's love. He gave her that stare when he saw she was looking for another love interest/caretaker.

If he was a pedophile in the book, that makes Oskar's future more bright in the movie :) But i got no pedo-vibes from him in the film.

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[–] 9 years ago

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[–] StaunchWoman 10 years ago

In the film it isn't shown, but he was turned in the book. That scene with him in the basement room, in the dark was so creepy! Especially when you consider most of his face was gone and it was nothing but cold, dripping cartilage.

We've met before, haven't we?

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[–] dongregg-953-168798 10 years ago

Yeah, as I understand it, a lot of creepy and icky stuff was left out of the film to make it more about Oskar and Eli. In the film, only Virginia gets turned, and there is no interaction between vampire Virginia and the kids. And she doesn't last. I think Virginia lets us fill in the straight line from Jocke's death to Lacke figuring out that it had to be the new people in apartment 15, you know? That was the kind of consequence that Eli knew could happen if she "lost control" and killed in a way that drew attention to the deaths. And so it came to pass. Too bad. It was a nice little apartment, and she and Oskar were just getting things sorted out, but such is the life of semi-feral predator like Eli.

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[–] StaunchWoman 10 years ago

Virginia turning was a VERY interesting part of the book. Although very internal, I wish they'd have lingered on her a bit more in the film. But you're right in saying that any changes made/what was left out, was to make the focus on Oskar and Eli more prevalent.

We've met before, haven't we?

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[–] Jameron 10 years ago

"I wish they'd have lingered on [Virginia] a bit more in the film." - Vatteanda

They were going to but it got consigned to the cutting room floor.

http://youtu.be/R4bcRfbUjYw?t=2m40s

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And you're right, the book gives us a great internal dialogue from Virginia.

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- - - - - - - - - - -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e3tGxnFKfE

http://tinyurl.com/LTROI-story

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[–] svalinanikola 8 years ago

Nope, he wasn't a vampire.

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