"The girl with the dragon tattoo" (Daniel Craig)

[tones]

I can't see any mention of this, so I'll start. Having read the books and seen the three Swedish films (in both short and extended forms), I was unhappy when I saw that Hollywood was going to remake them, even with Daniel Craig as Blomqvist (I could imagine him in the role). I confess to being agreeably surprised by the whole thing. The Swedish atmosphere is nicely captured (I was glad they didn't try to transplant it to California, or somewhere like that). In general, it sticks faithfully to the book, gory bits, rape scenes and all (I thought it would be toned down for US audiences), although it does modify the plot somewhat for no good reason (Blomqvist acquires a teenage daughter). Rooney Mara makes a reasonable fist of Lisbeth Salander, a role that Noomi Rapace made her own. So, while I stil prefer the Swedish film, this was still worth seeing, and I look forward to the rest of the trilogy. Part of me hopes that they will modify the plot of the second book/film, so that it is somewhat more believeable.

[mosfet]

I’ve avoided the remake thinking it would inevitably be a sanitised version of the fine original film. I’ll give it a go now.

The upcoming remake of the Norwegian film Hodejegerne (Headhunters) will also be of interest.

[scott]

generally avoid hollywood remakes myself , just watched the wicker man the other night at the girlfriends - shocking
but dragon was almost as good as the orginal

[i_should_coco]

Saw it last weekend, it's decent but doesn't add anything over the Swedish version...

[Leonard Smalls]

I don't see the point of remaking a decent film just for the hard-of-thinking who don't like subtitles!
Well I do, it's to cash in on the terminally stupid, but still, I don't see the point.

[tones]

I don't see the point of remaking a decent film just for the hard-of-thinking who don't like subtitles!
Well I do, it's to cash in on the terminally stupid, but still, I don't see the point.

You don't even need subtitles - the English dubbed version is fine. I suspect that it's more to get in names that the US audience will recognise and therefore pay for. Neither Michael Nyquist nor Noomi Rapace will be known to the vast majority of cinema-going/DVD-watching US public, but of course Daniel Craig will. It has to be said that they all do fine jobs (including Christopher Plummer as Henrik Vanger), but, as i_should_coco says, it adds nothing to the original Swedish film.

[musicbox]

Got to disagree... The Swedish (made for TV) version is flat, dull and just not that good. The US remake is far better, much more suspenseful and atmospheric and better acting too.

Noomi Rapace is too big and too mature looking for the part, she should look like a 12 year old boy.

Btw, Blomqvist does have a teenage daughter in the books.

[Leonard Smalls]

I don't get on with English dubbed movies...
Admittedly most US movied are post-sync dubbed anyway, but at least it's in the same language by the same person and so words match mouth movements.
I know it's the norm on the continent to dub English language stuff into French/German whatever but it just reminds me of bad kung-fu movies!

[Corruption]

Having neither read the books or seen the original Swedish films, I enjoyed the recent US version all the way up until the ending. The "Hollywood" ending (which I assume must be fairly close to the original text) where ............................................ completely ruined the whole experience for me. For what was an intelligent and well-paced story to resort to such a cliche left me feeling short-changed.

Speaking of original Scandinavian efforts being better than US remakes, "Let me in" is also worthy of watching, an excellent film in my opinion.

[myrman]

I enjoyed the remake too. I love 'world' movies but I'd far rather Hollywood remade a decent non US film than ploughed money in to a continual stream of crap sequels of movies that were shit in the first place.

[meninblack]

What is it with Hollywood studios at the moment? A constant stream of re-makes, re-imaginings, reboots, sequels, prequels, copies and derivative shite. Are original scripts now considered too risky?

[i_should_coco]

Since when has Hollywood done original?

[tones]

Btw, Blomqvist does have a teenage daughter in the books.

Thanks, Alan, a detail I have clearly forgotten, probably because she plays no part in the story (or have I forgotten that too?)

[i_should_coco]

Thanks, Alan, a detail I have clearly forgotten, probably because she plays no part in the story (or have I forgotten that too?)

Pit did seem rather pointless.

[musicbox]

Thanks, Alan, a detail I have clearly forgotten, probably because she plays no part in the story (or have I forgotten that too?)

TBH I think there's quite a bit of pointless detail in the novels because the author died before he got a chance to properly edit them.... another example is Lisbeth's twin sister Camilla.... she is mentioned a few times in the 2nd and 3rd novels in relation to Lisbeth's upbringing and relationship with her father several times, and I kept thinking she's going to make an appearance, or we'll find out she's actually the other half of Lisbeth's split personality.... but she is forgotten about in the end.

However, the teenage daughter does play a part I think - its her who suggests that the coded numbers might be bible references.

[tones]

However, the teenage daughter does play a part I think - its her who suggests that the coded numbers might be bible references.

Aha, perhaps that's where I'm getting confused between the book and the Swedish film - I read the book a long time before I saw the film. In the film (in which Blomqvist's daughter appears not at all), it's Lisbeth who cracks the Biblical code.

[pure sound]

What is it with Hollywood studios at the moment? A constant stream of re-makes, re-imaginings, reboots, sequels, prequels, copies and derivative shite. Are original scripts now considered too risky?

I watched the Descendents last night. Taken from a novel, well acted, interesting storyline & not too schmaltzy. Not what I expected and I enjoyed it. Cloud Atlas is on its way too although I'm apprehensive because Tom Hanks is in it.

[Leonard Smalls]

I watched the final swedish movie last night - The Hornet's Nest lady...
And it was most excellent again. I can't imagine Hollywood producing anything as understated and intelligent.

[tones]

I watched the final swedish movie last night - The Hornet's Nest lady...
And it was most excellent again. I can't imagine Hollywood producing anything as understated and intelligent.

Agreed that it was especially well done. The trial scenes, where the smug prosecution is totally upended, is especially good. It will be hard to equal (and perhaps impossible to better).

[Supersimo0]

I watched the final swedish movie last night - The Hornet's Nest lady...
And it was most excellent again. I can't imagine Hollywood producing anything as understated and intelligent.

I watched the 3rd Swedish film directly after reading the book last week and was disappointed. It all seemed to happen too quickly especially the Erika Berger harassment sub-plot which seemed contrived in the film.