The film “Only Lovers Will Alive” is proudly called “fantasy drama”, although it is rather difficult to define its genre with any specific phrase. You may like it or annoy you terribly, but it is unique in its own way and one of a kind, using a huge number of stamps and templates, but at the same time managing to turn out to be something fundamentally new. Presented at many film festivals and highly acclaimed by many critics.
The director of the film, Jim Jarmusch, is a very peculiar person and, in addition, widely known in the cinematic get-together. Moreover, he is known not for box-office films that break records in terms of sales, but for original, interesting, unusual films that deservedly receive prestigious independent awards. What is his one “Night on Earth”, or “Dead Man” with Johnny Depp in the title role.
The film “Only Lovers Left Alive” became one of his longest-running and long-suffering projects: in total, Jarmusch worked on it for eight years. The main reason for this delay was the lack of funding. And the fact that investors constantly asked him to add some new elements to the picture, which, on the contrary, he removed from it simply out of harm. And also because he wanted to make the film only the way he sees it.
Background vampire theme
This film project is one of those in which the theme of vampires, quenching thirst for blood and the like is so overshadowed by a sensual storyline that it becomes almost intangible. Every time Jim Jarmusch was asked why he was not afraid to make a film on such a hackneyed topic, he stated that he did not even really think about the overcrowding of the corresponding niche of modern cinema. It is understandable: very few people will remember this picture of “Twilight” or “Van Helsing”.
Tilda Swinton as Bohemian Eve
Jarmusch once mentioned that if modern society suddenly became matriarchal, then Tilda Swinton would become one of its irreplaceable leaders. Many directors are fascinated by the charisma and peculiar appearance of this actress, her ability to transform into anyone, and we can only thank them for inviting her to more and more new projects.
Eva lives in Tangier for a reason: the director himself visited there and was fascinated by how much mysterious ancient culture and catchy modernity are mixed in this place. For Eve, whose life story begins from time immemorial, but who sensitively assimilates the changing human culture, there is simply no better place to find.
Tom Hiddleston as dark Adam
Tom Hiddleston’s talent became known to the general public not so long ago, and in the case of him, Jim Jarmusch can be called a kind of pioneer: he was one of the first to offer the actor a really bright, characteristic, juicy role. Before that, Hiddleston was so memorable, perhaps, only in the role of Loki.
Adam is a romantic, opposed to Eve and, at the same time, harmoniously complementing her. He thinks about the meaning of life, about the state of his immortal soul, he wants to seem indifferent, but he is very worried about, at least, his work. But it also brings him suffering rather than happiness. With a dark palette of colors, constant twilight and hopelessness, Detroit is the perfect place for it.
Will anyone but lovers survive?
This movie can be called the most romantic and gentle vampire movie ever made. We are shown a relationship that lasts more than one hundred years. People who have seen everything that can be seen in principle in their lives. And love is like an unbreakable bond, like an unbreakable thread that unites these two, regardless of how far they are physically from each other.
All the rest do not matter: not even Ian and Ava, not even an innocent couple of mortals in love. The love of Adam and Eve, as the life-giving connection of their biblical namesakes, is higher, more important and stronger than all that exists, everything that we can see, hear and feel in any other way.
Calling Jarmusch the discoverer of Hidleston after his role as Loki is not even a stretch, author. In addition to Marvel, there was a beautiful Empty Crown, a dramatic Deep Blue Sea, and various exquisite little things like Coriolanus. It’s another matter that you discovered it for yourself here. Jarmursh took the most fashionable stars for this mess of his. But it didn’t help. Precisely because the meaning of the film is not as much as we would like, you cannot go on aesthetics alone.
