History Film / OnlyLoversLeftAlive

* CreativeSterility: Averted. Marlowe continued to write after his death (writing most of the plays attributed to Shakespeare), and is even mentoring Bilal, and Adam is a talented musician.

* TheRenfield: Averted:
** Ian gets paid pretty well by Adam as he goes buys a CoolCar with the money from the guitars and doesn't want to get paid for the wooden bullet. He also seems unaware that his "boss" is a vampire.
** Bilal know Kit is a vampire and houses him in his home, but he's Marlowe's protege and student (and possibly his lover) rather than his servant.

* Really700YearsOld: While no exact ages are ever divulged, Adam is over 200 years old, while Eve - as well as her sister Ava - clearly has several centuries on him.

A 2013 film directed by Creator/JimJarmusch. Eve (Creator/TildaSwinton) and Adam (Creator/TomHiddleston) are two ancient vampires who have been married for centuries. Eve is a lover of literature and knowledge living in Tangiers, while Adam is a tortured musician and amateur scientist in dilapidated Detroit. Eve undertakes a difficult journey to console Adam when she notices that ennui and boredom are starting to overwhelm him. They're interrupted by Eve's sister, played by Creator/MiaWasikowska, whose appetite for blood -- a foodstuff to vampires -- seems more like a drug addiction. While they do their best to make Ava welcome, things go downhill rapidly, and soon their comfortable world starts falling apart.

* MayDecemberRomance: It's mentioned very quickly that Eve is much, ''much'' older than Adam. Of course, by now it's a December-December romance, since the two are hundreds of years old now.

* {{Hipster}}: Adam and Eve are essentially bohemian vampires who spend their time appreciating beauty in a variety of artforms. Notably, they don't limit themselves to outdated artforms. Adam is very interested in science, and they both love Creator/JackWhite.

** Adam and Eve pass by Creator/JackWhite's home.

* BeethovenWasAnAlienSpy: Creator/ChristopherMarlowe is rather keen on not letting people know that he is an immortal vampire, and doesn't seem to care that much that Shakespeare took credit for plays he wrote (it's implied that he ''let'' Shakespeare take the credit in order to stay out of the spotlight).

* BrattyTeenageDaughter: Ava is actually Eve's "sister", but she acts like this. The scene where she climbs into bed with Adam and Eve is very reminiscent of a young child interacting with exhausted parents.

* CentralTheme: Love and beauty. The two main characters are "lovers" who are entangled with each other no matter where they go or how long they stay apart. They are characterized by their love of beauty, which they find in music, literature, science and even downtown Detroit. They refer to humans as "zombies" because they are "dead" inside and no longer appreciate the beauty around them. One of the reasons Adam likes Ian is that Ian truly appreciates the instruments he finds for him on a deep level.

* CreativeSterility: Averted. Marlowe continued to write after his death (writing most of the plays attributed to Shakespeare) and Adam is a talented musician.

* DisposingOfABody, HollywoodAcid variant. What happens to [[spoiler:Ian]].

* EternalLove: Adam and Eve married for the third time in 1868, and are still madly in love with each other.

* HumansAreBastards: Adam believes this.

* InThePastEveryoneWillBeFamous: All artists, at least. Apparently Christopher Marlowe was a vampire, and between him, Adam, and Eve, they knew practically every famous writer or musician in the past 500 years. Byron is name-dropped, and portraits on a wall include Shakespeare, Poe, and Mark Twain. Also included are famous film-makers, especially Jarmusch's former teacher, Creator/NicholasRay, director of ''Film/InALonelyPlace'' and ''Film/RebelWithoutACause.''
* LackOfEmpathy: When Ava [[spoiler:drinks Ian]], she doesn't seem to think it's a big deal that she [[spoiler:just committed murder.]] Adam & Eve's reactions are somewhat [[TheStoic muted,]] which is [[JustifiedTrope justified]] because it's implied that this tragedy is something they have lived through time and again but can do nothing about. Nonetheless, Adam & Eve seem to realize the gravity of the situation, unlike Ava. Eve does her best to [[spoiler:console her husband after losing his only friend and while Adam tries to deflect by grumbling about his guitar, he's [[NotSoStoic clearly]] upset.]]

** The Paris thing with Ava. It's implied that she killed someone, but that's about it.

* ObnoxiousInLaws: Played for drama. Adam ''hates'' his sister-in-law Ava. It seems petty [[spoiler: before she feeds off of and kills his only human companion. Worse, it's implied that this is a reoccurring problem whenever they get together.]]

** Marlowe implies in one scene that he based the character of Hamlet (yes, that ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'') on Adam, which would mean that Adam would have to be at least 410 years old.

* TheRenfield:
** Ian. Not actually a slave; Adam pays him pretty well, it would appear, as he goes around and buys up vintage instruments and other musical gear. He also seems unaware that his "boss" is a vampire.
** Kit gets one in Bilal, who does know Kit is a vampire, but seems to be Marlowe's protege (and possibly his lover) rather than his servant.

** Adam and Eve view Creator/JackWhite's home.

* SlidingScaleOfPlotVersusCharacters: The film is all the way on the side of characters, since the plot is basically "Adam is depressed, Eve comes to cheer him up". Most of the film is a character study and a brooding on art appreciation.

* VegetarianVampire: They prefer to buy blood from the hospital because the blood is cleaner and it is more humane. Though they can feed on humans if they are desperate.

* PsychopathicWomanchild: Eva, a centuries-old vampire who kills remorselessly, behaves like a thrill-seeking, spoiled, insatiable teenager.

* LackOfEmpathy: When Ava [[spoiler:drinks Ian]], she doesn't seem to think it's a big deal that she [[spoiler:just committed murder.]] Adam & Eve's reactions are somewhat [[TheStoic muted,]] which is [[JustifiedTrope justified]] because it's implied that this tragedy is something Adam and Eve have lived through time and again but can do nothing about. Nonetheless, they seem to realize the gravity of the situation, unlike Ava. Eve does her best to [[spoiler:console her husband after losing his only friend and while Adam tries to deflect by grumbling about his guitar, he's [[NotSoStoic clearly]] upset.]]

* LackOfEmpathy: When Ava [[spoiler:drinks Ian]], she doesn't seem to think it's a big deal that she [[spoiler:just committed murder.]] Adam & Eve's reactions are somewhat [[TheStoic muted,]] which is [[JustifiedTrope justified]] because it's implied that this tragedy is something Adam and Eve have lived through time and again, and can do nothing about. Nonetheless, they seem to realize the gravity of the situation, unlike Ava. Eve does her best to [[spoiler:console her husband after losing his only friend and while Adam tries to deflect by grumbling about his guitar, he's [[NotSoStoic clearly]] upset.]]

* LackOfEmpathy: When Ava [[spoiler:drinks Ian]], she doesn't seem to think it's a big deal that she [[spoiler:just committed murder.]] Adam & Eve's reactions are somewhat [[TheStoic muted,]] which is [[JustifiedTrope justified]] because it's implied that this tragedy is something Adam and Eve have lived through time and again, and can do nothing about. Nonetheless, they seem to realize the gravity of the situation, unlike Ava. Eve does her best to [[spoiler:console her husband after losing his only friend and while Adam [[CopeByPretending tries to deflect by grumbling about his guitar,]] he's clearly upset.]]

* LackOfEmpathy: When Ava [[spoiler:drinks Ian]], she doesn't seem to think it's a big deal that she [[spoiler:just committed murder.]] Adam & Eve's reactions are somewhat [[TheStoic muted]] which is justified because it's implied that this tragedy is something Adam and Eve have lived through time and again, and can do nothing about. Nonetheless, they seem to realize the gravity of the situation, unlike Ava. Eve does her best to [[spoiler:console her husband after losing his only friend and while Adam [[CopeByPretending tries to deflect by grumbling about his guitar,]] he's clearly upset.]]

* LackOfEmpathy: When Ava [[spoiler:drinks Ian]], she doesn't seem to think it's a big deal. [[spoiler:just committed murder.]] Adam & Eve's reactions are somewhat [[TheStoic muted]] which is justified because it's implied that this tragedy is something Adam and Eve have lived through time and again, and can do nothing about. Nonetheless, they seem to realize the gravity of the situation, unlike Ava. Eve does her best to [[spoiler:console her husband after losing his only friend and while Adam [[CopeByPretending tries to deflect by grumbling about his guitar,]] he's clearly upset.]]

* LackOfEmpathy: When Ava [[spoiler:drinks Ian]], she doesn't seem to think it's a big deal. [[spoiler:just committed murder.]] Adam & Eve's reactions are somewhat[[TheStoic muted]] which is justified because it's implied that this tragedy is something Adam and Eve have lived through time and again, and can do nothing about. Nonetheless, they seem to realize the gravity of the situation. Eve does her best to [[spoiler:console her husband after losing his only friend and while Adam tries to deflect by [[CopeByPretending grumbling]] about his guitar, he's clearly upset.]]

* LackOfEmpathy: Downplayed quite effectively. When Ava [[spoiler:drinks Ian]], Eve is more irritated that she'd brought unwanted hassle upon them than morally outraged that [[spoiler:her sister had just committed murder.]] Even Adam, who [[spoiler:liked and seemed close with the “zombie”, brushes his death off]] with disturbingly little mourning and is hurt more by his broken guitar. The implication is that this tragedy is something Adam and Eve have lived through time and again, and become numb to. That said, Adam and Eve seem to have a rule that you turn the humans you drink rather than kill them.

** Adam's fake nametags include [[{{Faust}} Dr. Faust]] and [[Film/TheCabinetOfDrCaligari Dr. Caligari]]. His contact is named [[Literature/SherlockHolmes Dr. Watson]] and calls Adam [[Film/DrStrangelove Dr. Strangelove]].

* DramaticDrop: [[spoiler: When Eve discovers that Ava has drained and killed Ian she drops the flask she'd been holding, spilling blood across the carpet.]]

* BlatantLies: Adam repeatedly claims that he doesn't have any heroes. This is in spite of having a large wall covered in portraits of artists and scientists who are clearly his heroes, and idolizes one of his friends (Marlowe).

* IllBoy: [[spoiler:While hunger takes its toll on both of them, Adam deteriorates far faster than Eve after they lose access to their food supply. By the time they get to Tangiers he's almost too weak to walk, and Eve frantically slaps him awake when she's unable to wake him, fearful that he's died or slipped into a coma.]]

** Kit gets one in Bilal, who does know Kit is a vampire, but seems to be Marlowe's protege rather than his servant.

** Adam and Even name-drop various famous people they've known or like, including Percy Shelley, Lord Byron, Nikola Tesla, Fibonacci, etc.

* AntiHero: Adam and Eve are very lovely people, but [[spoiler:they are willing to feed on the couple in Tangir out of desperation once they lose access to their blood supply. However, they do agree to turn the couple rather than outright killing them.]]

* ObnoxiousInLaws: Played for drama. Adam does ''not'' get along with his sister-in-law Ava. It seems petty [[spoiler: before she feeds off of and kills his only human companion. Worse, it's implied that this is a reoccurring problem whenever they get together.]]

* OurVampiresAreDifferent: These vampires [[VegetarianVampire avoid feeding directly on humans]], in part because it is inhumane and attracts undue attention, but mostly because they have an extremely low tolerance for contaminants like drugs (prescription or not) and other toxins prevalent in the blood of present day humans. [[spoiler:Kit becomes very ill and dies after drinking contaminated blood.]] They don't need to eat in large volumes, but they do need to eat very frequently, and starvation rapidly sets in if they don't feed for more than a day. Hunger turns their eyes reddish-gold, causing them to wear sunglasses in public, even at night. Blood seems to be intoxicating to them, and while most view it only as a foodstuff, Ava's hunger seems more like an addiction. Also, they can move supernaturally fast if need be, and at least some can send prophetic dreams and have the power of {{psychometry}}. Like traditional vampires, they are nocturnal and vulnerable to sunlight and being pierced through the heart with wood, but unlike traditional vampires, who can't cast reflections and are not visible on film, they can appear on TV cameras and in photos. Eve warns Ava that it's very bad luck to cross a threshold without being invited, but Ava dismisses this as superstition and teasingly asks if she's "still afraid of garlic," suggesting that these things may be taboo if not necessarily harmful.

* ViewersAreGeniuses: The many references to artists and scientists go unexplained. You just have to get them yourself.

* AntiHero: Adam and Eve are very lovely people, but [[spoiler:they are willing to feed on the couple in Tangir out of desperation once they lose access to their blood supply. However they do agree to turn the couple rather than outright killing them.]]

* AdamAndOrEve: Adam and Eve, obviously. Could also apply to Ava, whose name is a variation of "Eve".

* BrattyTeenageDaughter: Ava is actually Eve's "sister", but she acts like this. The scene where she tries to wake up Adam and Eve in bed is very reminiscent of a young child interacting with exhausted parents.

* NoSenseOfPersonalSpace: Ava, who cheerfully cuddles people (mostly Adam) who definitely do ''not'' want to be cuddled.
* ObnoxiousInLaws: Played for drama. Adam does ''not'' get along with his sister-in-law Ava. At first it seems petty [[spoiler: before she feeds off of and kills his only human companion. Worse, it's implied that this is a reoccurring problem whenever they get together.]]

* OurVampiresAreDifferent: They can appear on TV cameras, unlike traditional takes on vampires that have them not able to cast reflections or appear on film. They also [[VegetarianVampire dislike feeding on human hosts]], in part because it attracts undue attention but mostly because blood from living people tends to be too full of things that are toxic to vampires, like drugs (both prescription and not) and various toxins absorbed from the environment. [[spoiler:Kit becomes very ill and dies]]after drinking toxic blood. [[spoiler: Ava]] commits a serious ''faux pas'' by draining a living person. They also have the power of {{psychometry}} and wear gloves to contain it in public, and can give people psychic dreams. Their eyes turn reddish-gold when they need to feed, causing them to wear sunglasses at night. They can also move supernaturally fast if need be. They cannot go out into the light, and can be killed by being pierced by very dense woods.

* PetTheDog: [[spoiler: Eve says to Adam that they won't kill the couple they're about to feed on at the end.]]

** Kit also gets one in Bilal, who does know Kit is a vampire

* VegetarianVampire: They prefer to buy blood from the hospital because the blood is cleaner and it is more humane. though they can feed on humans if they are desperate.

** [[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1714915/trivia?item=tr2123729 Word of God]] says that Adam is ~500-600 years old and Eve is around 2,000 years old. A deleted scene also mentions that she's originally from the Bructeri tribe that lived in modern-day Germany in Roman times.

* NoSenseOfPersonalSpace: Ava, who cheerfully cuddles people who definitely do ''not'' want to be cuddled.

* DeadpanSnarker: ''Adam.''

* AntiHero: Adam and Eve are very lovely people, but [[spoiler:they show a notable lack of empathy over Ian's death. Adam is at least annoyed that someone who appreciates vintage instruments as much as he does, and was one of the only humans he could trust was no longer available.]]

* CentralTheme: Love and beauty. The two main characters are "lovers" who are entangled with each other no matter where they go or how long they stay apart. They are characterized by their love of beauty, which they find in music, literature, science and even downtown Detroit. They refer to humans as "zombies" because they are "dead" inside and no longer appreciate the beauty around them.