Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Swedish vs US version?

[Susan]

I just saw the US version yesterday. I liked the actors and the acting was fine, but in some places it seemed rushed, and the ending was not clear at all (regarding Harriet). Any thoughts?

[Susan]

Not to worry. Why do you think my photo is in BxW? 

[Cammy May Hunnicutt]

I figured you were a noir freak.

[Susan]

Yeah, that too. 

[Mari Sloan]

I've given this a lot of thought, having read the entire series of books and seen both versions of the movie. I like the Swedish version better, based on the car crash scene alone. To me that is more in character with Salander's nature.

[Cammy May Hunnicutt]

I probably shouldn't say anything since I haven't seen the new version, but I probably won't see it based on the trailer and casting alone.

The girl was the whole story in the Swede version.  And she was just perfect.  The male actor was supposed to be bland and forgettable.  That's who he was.  "The media" or "society" or something.  Casting some rugged action star into that role and getting a more "American-style" female lead  does violence to the whole way it worked, I would say.  The focus is on her completely, not on him.  He could have been any journalist, really.  But she's a unique combination 

[Susan]

Mari, I agree, tho I haven't read the third book in the series yet. The Swedish version was better for a lot of reasons. Much tighter in some respects, but allowed to breath in others. The US version felt very rushed to me in places.

[Susan]

Cammy, I agree with your take also. The focus should remain on Lizbeth, not the journalist. But you know Hollywood ... better than I, probably. If they see a successful foreign movie, they want in on the action. Remember Femme Nikita?  That remake wasn't bad, Point of No Return with Bridget Fonda and Gabriel Byrne, but it was very different from the original in many respects. Much more emphasis on the sex appeal of Bridget Fonda. So-mo action scenes with guns blazing ...

[Cammy May Hunnicutt]

More attention to sex appeal of Bridget Fonda than Anne Parillaud?????  Shows their messed-up right there.

Did you see Innocent Blood? 

[Susan]

Very messed up. She was great in Public Enemy ... I think that was her, right?

No, didn't see Innocent Blood ... tell me about it ... I like blood :)

[Cammy May Hunnicutt]

It's really the only vampire movie I'd really recommend.  She's a vampire that only feeds on bad guys.

But vamping mobsters leads to complications and she runs into a cop who falls in love with her.  Some GREAT bed scenes with Parllaud, just wonderful.

And it's a good combination of tough/violent and funny.

My favorite line, the cop is trying to hook up with her LTR but she can't see it.  Says,  "But I have to drink people's blood to surive."

He says, "If you were perfect, you wouldn't still be single."

My other fave, she needs to feed and is browsing the news for assholes to puncture and sees a thing about mob slayings, says,  "Hmm, how about Italian?"

[Susan]

I love the quote, Cammy, but I'm allergic to vampire books and fantasy books and books set 20 years hence. Make me break out in hives. "How about Italian?" great quote though. I might try that on my mafia buddies down in RI.

[Cammy May Hunnicutt]

I hate vampire stuff, too, Susan. But this one isn't like that.  For one thing, nobody flies or glows in the dark.