The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo--the movie

[IceAlisa]

Who wants to see it? It opens widely in April, I believe.

I finished the book a few weeks ago and wouldn't mind seeing it on the big screen.

The trailer.

[my little pony]

I'm seeing it Friday.

[IceAlisa]

I'm seeing it Friday.

Cool! Let us know what you think.

[genevieve]

I saw it on Saturday. Odd mix of slavishly following the book and then weird departures for the sake of condensing the story. And it's still about 2 hr 45 minutes long.

Best thing about the film is the 2 lead performances, especially the actress who plays Lisbeth. And the scenery is amazing. But as so often happens with adaptations of books, I came away feeling like they assumed 99% of the film audience would have read the book, so they hinted at things from the book and figure our brains will just fill in the rest.

Some changes (spoilered for those haven't read the book):

Spoiler

They eliminated Mikael's affairs with Erika Berger and Cecelia Vanger, which I can understand, but both are completely sidelined as characters. Erika is barely in the film and comes across as a desperate, clingy simpering woman, which couldn't be further from her book character.

Salander's history in mental institutions is brought up several times, but her character isn't given the depth and nuance as in the book.

The scenes with Salander and Nils Bjurman are....a bit mishandled IMO. First one is ok, but when she goes to his apartment, there are some changes in the way it's handled. Not as brutal as in the book (which was ok with me as I didn't really want to see that depicted). We see her going home and that the events had an effect on her, but nothing like the book. When she returns, it's depicted as her showing up uninvited to his home and he's angry; in the book he demanded that she show up again, which made her next actions all the more intense. Overall effect was that what she did to him was worse than what he did to her... perhaps that was the desired effect - people in the audience cheered when she tattooed him - but it felt a bit off.

Timelines in the film are also compartmentalized. Once the big scene happens with Bjurman, we never see or hear about him again, done deal. Also, Blomkvist's jail time happens at the end of the film instead of in the middle, and Salander visits her mother at the end too (in the film Lisbeth has never visited her mom in the hospital; in the book she goes every year on her birthday).

The Millenium part of the story is largely ignored. Nothing about the book that comes out in the end. Brief nod to Wennerstrom's comeuppance but due to a new article rather than the book. Nothing about Millenium's $$ woes or H. Vanger joining the board.

There's a key scene from salander's childhood from the 2nd book that plays out throughout the film - definitely a setup for a 2nd film.

Overall I enjoyed the film and am glad I saw it. I know a US version is in process and I shudder to think about how awful it will be, mostly because you know it will have name stars in it.

[shells]

I saw it on Saturday. Odd mix of slavishly following the book and then weird departures for the sake of condensing the story. And it's still about 2 hr 45 minutes long.

Best thing about the film is the 2 lead performances, especially the actress who plays Lisbeth. And the scenery is amazing. But as so often happens with adaptations of books, I came away feeling like they assumed 99% of the film audience would have read the book, so they hinted at things from the book and figure our brains will just fill in the rest.

Some changes (spoilered for those haven't read the book):

Spoiler

They eliminated Mikael's affairs with Erika Berger and Cecelia Vanger, which I can understand, but both are completely sidelined as characters. Erika is barely in the film and comes across as a desperate, clingy simpering woman, which couldn't be further from her book character.

Salander's history in mental institutions is brought up several times, but her character isn't given the depth and nuance as in the book.

The scenes with Salander and Nils Bjurman are....a bit mishandled IMO. First one is ok, but when she goes to his apartment, there are some changes in the way it's handled. Not as brutal as in the book (which was ok with me as I didn't really want to see that depicted). We see her going home and that the events had an effect on her, but nothing like the book. When she returns, it's depicted as her showing up uninvited to his home and he's angry; in the book he demanded that she show up again, which made her next actions all the more intense. Overall effect was that what she did to him was worse than what he did to her... perhaps that was the desired effect - people in the audience cheered when she tattooed him - but it felt a bit off.

Timelines in the film are also compartmentalized. Once the big scene happens with Bjurman, we never see or hear about him again, done deal. Also, Blomkvist's jail time happens at the end of the film instead of in the middle, and Salander visits her mother at the end too (in the film Lisbeth has never visited her mom in the hospital; in the book she goes every year on her birthday).

The Millenium part of the story is largely ignored. Nothing about the book that comes out in the end. Brief nod to Wennerstrom's comeuppance but due to a new article rather than the book. Nothing about Millenium's $$ woes or H. Vanger joining the board.

There's a key scene from salander's childhood from the 2nd book that plays out throughout the film - definitely a setup for a 2nd film.

Overall I enjoyed the film and am glad I saw it. I know a US version is in process and I shudder to think about how awful it will be, mostly because you know it will have name stars in it.

Thanks for sharing

I wondered how they'd fit everything in. And also how they'd handle the scenes with Bjurman. For some reason I thought those would be the scenes they left out. But that would make a movie of The Girl Who Played With Fire a little confusing, so I guess they couldn't.

[IceAlisa]

Thanks, genevieve. There is a US production in process? That makes me gag in anticipation.

[genevieve]

yep...I'm trying to block the idea of Kristen Stewart in the lead role.

(I don't think the roles have been cast yet, just imagining the horror)

[IceAlisa]

yep...I'm trying to block the idea of Kristen Stewart in the lead role.

(I don't think the roles have been cast yet, just imagining the horror)

Ugh.

[smurfy]

I saw the movie a couple of weeks ago. I belong to a film club that sees movies before release, with a college prof and discussion after. It is held Sunday am, so most folks are older. I loved the movie and the club as a whole seemed to love it - applause at the end, which rarely happens. Also due to some graphic scenes, suprising as sometimes someone is upset and complains.
I have not read the book, but plan to. I understand certain things were left out. I found the movie to be a great thriller.
Bummed to hear about an American remake, rumor is Brad Pitt or George Clooney - NO!
Wish people would just see the original and read the subtitles.

[IceAlisa]

Dragged hubby to see it today after work ("Is this a chick flick?"--"You'll see.") Now he can't stop talking about it. He hadn't read the book and had a lot of questions. Most of them were answered by the book. So ITA that the makers of the movie assume you've read the book because on their own some things really don't add up.

For instance:

Spoiler

when Lisbeth walks away in the final shot all blonde and glamorous, hubby thought that she used Winnerstrom's money to clean up her Goth look and start a new life. I had to explain that was just a disguise to look presentable to the bankers and to get the out.

But the good news is that the casting was perfect.

[kosjenka]

I've seen to movie & liked it a lot.
I am as well scared of US production.
I read somewhere that Tarantion wants to direct, Brad Pitt to produce and play the lead character.

[Nan]

Wish people would just see the original and read the subtitles.

I wish it was possible for me to do that, too!

[Icetalavista]

It's telling that no woman seems to be a front-runner for the female protagonist in the US remake of TGWTDT. She HAS to be fierce - really fierce - or it won't work. And how many younger American women actors fit that bill? One movie reviewer I heard interviewed questioned whether the egos of the actors being considered would permit the female lead to be as strong as she was in the book. I can see them rewriting it to make him the savior of her. *sigh*.

I'll have to sit down and figure out if US remakes of ANYTHING have ever been better than the original...

[IceAlisa]

It's telling that no woman seems to be a front-runner for the female protagonist in the US remake of TGWTDT. She HAS to be fierce - really fierce - or it won't work. And how many younger American women actors fit that bill?

What? Kristen Stewart is not fierce enough? Kidding.

I'll have to sit down and figure out if US remakes of ANYTHING have ever been better than the original...

I think that The Point Of No Return with Bridget Fonda, Gabriel Byrne, Anne Bancroft and Harvey Keitel was better than the original French La Femme Nikita. That's the only one I can think of though.

BTW, Bridget Fonda at the age when she did The Point would have been perfect for the role of Lisbeth.

[mrinalini]

Ooh, I'm reading the book now and was coincidentally thinking it would make a great movie. Then I happened to catch Run, Lola, Run last night and it occurred to me that Franka Potente would make a great Lisbeth Salander.

Didn't know it had already been made into a movie - thanks for the heads-up!

[shells]

I can't find any trace of it here, I'm hoping I might get lucky when I'm visiting my mom next week and we'll be able to find it somewhere. She has read the book too, so I don't think I'd have a hard time talking her into going.

[Jimena]

I really want to watch it but I don't think it's going to show here ever. So, it will be on my Netflix que soon.

I loved the books, and can't wait until the third one comes out in a month or so.

[my little pony]

What? Kristen Stewart is not fierce enough? Kidding.

I think that The Point Of No Return with Bridget Fonda, Gabriel Byrne, Anne Bancroft and Harvey Keitel was better than the original French La Femme Nikita. That's the only one I can think of though.

I'm pretending you didnt type that

Spoiler

the scene where Lisbeth goes after Martin's SUV with a golf club reminded people of Elin Woods, most of the theater burst out laughing. I heard some people say, oh it's a Swedish thing, lol.

[shells]

I'm pretending you didnt type that

Spoiler

the scene where Lisbeth goes after Martin's SUV with a golf club reminded people of Elin Woods, most of the theater burst out laughing. I heard some people say, oh it's a Swedish thing, lol.

Spoiler

She went after his SUV? Didn't she go after HIM with the golf club in the book or am I mis-remembering?

[my little pony]

Spoiler

after she hit him in the head with the club in the house, he ran out of the house and got in his SUV. she chased him and hit the windows with the club, then chased him on her motorcycle