Tilda Swinton as a Vampire!

Jim Jarmusch, known for consistently portraying outsiders in films like "Stranger Than Paradise" (1984) and "Broken Flowers" (2005), is hailed as a master of independent cinema. His new film introduces a new kind of outsider: vampires who have lived in hiding for centuries.



A stellar cast, both new and familiar, has gathered for Jarmusch's film. Tilda Swinton, who had eagerly awaited the film's realization, plays the heroine, Eve. Adam, a legendary musician, is portrayed by British actor Tom Hiddleston. The supporting cast includes rising actress Mia Wasikowska and veteran John Hurt, a frequent collaborator with Jarmusch.

An Uninvited Guest Disrupts Their Serene Pleasures

Detroit, USA. Adam lives a secluded life in a dilapidated apartment. He is a vampire who has lived for centuries, concealing his true nature while enjoying legendary status as a musician in the underground scene.


One night, he receives a familiar call. It's from Eve, his "eternal lover," also a vampire. She was in Morocco but travels to Detroit to visit Adam, and they are reunited after a long time. They then spend their days indulging in decadent pleasures.


However, their tranquil time is short-lived. Their destinies begin to shift subtly when Eve's wild sister, Eva, suddenly arrives to visit them.



Their love story has unfolded over centuries. As the modern world crumbles, can these intelligent and ephemeral outsiders survive? This film, hailed as a masterpiece by Jarmusch, has also greatly influenced fashion and art.

"If you love someone, you don't need to understand them completely."

—This is your third film with director Jim Jarmusch, and your first since "Limits of Control" in 2008. What is it about him that makes you want to work with him again?


Jim and I have a long history. It's been about 15 years. I love his way of working. He always decides what to shoot on the day of filming, which heightens my concentration. I don't know what we'll be shooting until the day before. I really like that approach, and it seems to suit me. It means I don't have to prepare too much.


Relationships with directors vary, but with Jim, it's about sharing emotions and gaining energy. He makes actors think by throwing everything at them. Ultimately, it turns out the way Jim wants it. But at first, you just have to surrender yourself to him. It's like jumping without a parachute. It's a wonderful thing.


—This project was something the director had been nurturing for a long time, wasn't it?


Yes, about seven or eight years. I've been talking with the director about this film since its very early stages, so I'm truly happy it has taken shape. What's strange, though, is that even after discussing it for so long, every day on set felt like the first day. There was a peculiar sense of fulfillment.



—You've played non-human characters many times before, Tilda. Was playing a vampire for the first time a unique experience?


Vampires. Why are we so fascinated by them? They live long, long... perhaps endless lives. And we are so afraid to contemplate our mortality that it draws us into the idea of immortality. Perhaps their way of life, even amidst stagnation, is to move through life like birds, without clinging to things.


What I like about this film is the concept of an invisible lifespan. It's a perfect theme for Jim. When he first said, "Let's make a vampire movie," I wasn't surprised at all. I felt like saying, "You've been making vampire movies for years" (laughs). It felt very natural for him to depict such an invisible, immortal world.


—Indeed, this film has something that sets it apart from previous "vampire movies."


What we wanted to depict in this film was the effort of a couple trying to stay together over a long period. There's a line in the movie that says, "This is part of a 500-year conversation," and that idea really intrigued me. They seem destined to be together, yet they interact with a subtle formality, needing to explain their relationship to each other. This complex structure was fascinating to portray.


—Listening to you, the title "Only Lovers Left Alive" starts to sound very profound.



—What about the music? Adam's setting as a legendary musician, and the carefully curated soundtrack featuring songs like Wanda Jackson's "Funnel of Love" and Denis LaSalle's "Trapped by a Thing Called Love," seem to reflect the director's meticulous attention to detail.


Music is essential for Jim. When you're with him, you gradually absorb that. In this film, Eve seems to fully support Adam's music at first glance, but in reality, she doesn't fully understand it. That's also a good thing... If you love someone, I don't think you need to understand them completely. Even if you don't understand, you can just say, "It's wonderful." If the person you love likes something, you should listen to them. "I believe in you" – isn't that nice?

Only Lovers Left Alive

Opens nationwide on Friday, December 20th, at TOHO Cinemas Chanter and other theaters.

Directed and Written by Jim Jarmusch

Starring: Tom Hiddleston, Tilda Swinton, Mia Wasikowska, John Hurt

Distribution: Longride

2013 / USA, UK, Germany / 123 minutes

http://www.onlylovers.jp


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