• Romantic
• Weird

‘Only Lovers Left Alive’

A few years before he made the decidedly untraditional zombie movie The Dead Don’t Die, director/auteur Jim Jarmusch made the decidedly untraditional vampire movie Only Lovers Left Alive. Adam (Tom Hiddleston) and Eve (Tilda Swinton) play the titular lovers, two centuries-old vampires who have managed to keep a very low-profile in Detroit and Tangier, respectively. They behave less like the thirsty bloodsuckers of your typical vamp fright fest and more like strung-out heroin addicts, lounging about contemplating suicide and making experimental art rock in-between feedings. Recalling other indie vampire entries like The Addiction and Nadja, this entire film feels woozy and dream-like, especially when the two leads take extended nighttime drives through the spooky, desolate remains of Detroit; I get the sense that Jarmusch got the idea for this movie from watching the mysterious Jack White (of White Stripes fame) perform. Kids today would describe this film as a “mood,” or perhaps even a “vibe,” and I sincerely hope that Jarmusch sets his sights on making more decidedly untraditional monster movies. Werewolves next, perhaps?