After Dark: DAY 1 - Let The Right One In

DAY 1

The Narrator (Justin Decloux) – He smells faintly of garlic. His hair isn’t combed. He’ll stare at you with a glazed expression and speak only references to pre-season 10 episodes of The Simpsons. Stay clear.

Christian Murdoch –A Fanatic Film Fan. He’s the narrator’s go-to guy for help assassinating zombies. He can crush a man’s skull into the form of a diamond. He would make an ideal husband.

Madison Parker- Festival Virgin and Female Perspective on Male Idiocy. She will woo you with her boundless charm.

Adam Lopez – Head Programmer, Manager and all around maestro of the After Dark Film Festival. The few who have felt his wrath have been stricken from history books. Mortal eyes shall wither and burn if they ever cross his form.

Dobblar the Gopher– An Evil Gopher who does Evil Things. Sneaky. Don't eat any of his candy.

“What if they figure out I’m a fraud?” I whispered to Chris, my partner in crime, as we shuffled closer to the table where I was going to pick up my press pass. I wasn’t press. I was just a guy who couldn’t differentiate you and you’re. I was a bozo that scribbled rants about films I onlt half remembered seeing through a haze of highly illegal narcotics at 4:00 AM in a stranger's (He had a beard. I think) basement. I’ve only seen twelve films in my entire life. Everything else I make up as I go along.

“You’ll be fine. I’m the one that’s sweating.” Chris said. He was a few years shy of the mandatory viewing age and his charade of appearing older wore him down to a jangle of nerves.

“Don’t worry! I don’t think anyone will realizes you’re actually s—“ I said loud enough for all 1104 people in line to hear.

Chris signaled me to be quiet down by punching me in the throat. The suits could be listening. The whole operation could be blown. And if he was going to miss out on After Dark, the only highlight in his barren high-school existence, he would have my head on a pike. Then he would kill me. Slowly.

It was my second time at Toronto After Dark (Now in its third incarnation) and the feeling of something exra-special was in the air. The films were high-class (Snagging the soon to be cult Repo: The Genetic Opera was a coup), the presentation slicker then ever (It’s all about the glossy full color programs) and more ticket sales then they ever imagined possible promised rowdy crowds. I had somehow tricked the management into letting me attend as a member of the Press this year. My human sacrifice had finally paid off.

The film of the night was ‘Let One Right In’, a Swedish film about a bullied twelve year old boy who befriends a 12 year old looking girl that happens to have a taste for the red stuff. Yup, she’s a vampire.

‘Let the Right One In’ was the perfect picture start off the fest: Dramatic, featured a hint of genre without ever going over the top with it, and a foreign filmness to add to make the audience think 'I'm seeing something different' . It’s the kind of film that is easier to talk about then watch again. I found the performances spot on, the mood perfect, and the direction restrained. I don’t know if I’d rush out to see it again, mostly because of a painfully slow pace, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

For the first time ever, an After Dark screening was completely sold out. Not only that, but due to a processing error, 100 ticket holders had to be turned away at the door due to the theater being packed to capacity. Adam Lopez was sincerely sorry about it all, but you could tell that on the inside, he was happy as blood gorged vampire.

***

I stepped out into the cool 3 AM night air and took a deep breath. My friend Madison giggled. Behind us, the After Party continued to rock on. Someone was beating up the strings on a Viola.
“I’ve never been this drunk” Madison slurred through her trade marked grin “Do festivals always rock this much?"

"Only time will tell." I said in my best wise-man voice "But I think you got lucky with this one."

She agreed by breaking into a dance. A homeless man wearing a top-hat glanced in our direction and I could almost read his thoughts.

"Crazy film people."

And proud of it!