Review of Only Lovers Left Alive (2013) by Jack G — 16 Oct 2014

Only Tom Hiddleston can pull off both Loki and Morpheus from the Sandman. yeah yeah he's a vampire with musical cred, but he looks just like Gaimans creation. but I digress, this is moody, splendid work featuring Tilda Swinton as one of the sweetest vampires on screen to balance Hiddlestons bitter side. and being shot in Detroit, and featuring a main threat as "contaminated blood" (not to be confused with true blood), It's socially conscious and aware. the misanthropy is condusive to these folks being total outsiders looking on to a world full of "zombies". and sometimes, as with Mia Wasikowskas "sister" its very funny.

Of course it's full of Jarmuschs self conscious humor and nods to history - when hiddleston goes as a doctor to get blood he is Dr Faust, also Dr Strangelove and Dr Caligari - And where would a vampire story be without some winks to history (from the real author of Shakespeare's plays in John Hurt to who really added Schuberts addiagos). But if it feels a little cold and aimless, I suppose that's maybe the point, or part of it. these are people in a hermetically sealed world, but they're never uninteresting, they're cool and blackly stylish, and its all like a big fuck-You to twilight, which is never unwelcome. if it's not one of Jarmuschs best It's still a worthwhile subversion of genre (if you're looking also for something hardcore like lots of biting of necks look elsewhere too, these blood drinkers do just that). Oh, and lots of eerie rock music too, all shot at night, make this a unique diddy.