The news about the supposedly great Hollywood remake of The Girl With the Dragoon Tattoo keep pouring in. And I have to admit that I am interested. I actually seek them out. But don’t get me wrong – I am interested but not the least excited.
Yesterday I read in PopcornBiz (how appropriate) that David Fincher would sacrifice “Pawn” for “Dragon Tattoo”. That is, instead of his planned movie about the mad chess genius Bobby Fischer he will first make the movie about That Girl With the Dragoon Tattoo. I am not able to see how Fight Club and Benjamin Button, or for that matter Bobby Fischer-plans should make me feel confident he can make a Scandinavian thriller? Rather the opposite!
Then, today, I read in VG that Kristen Stewart is a distinct possibility for the role of Lisbeth Salander (see picture). Do you already understand why I am interested by not excited? Does she look like a Goth? A hacker?
Well. A couple of weeks ago I watched another Hollywood movie about another superb Scandinavian crime fiction book. One of the best ever, 
There was nothing Sjöwall and Wahlöö at all. Filmed in San Francisco, with American houses and streets, and big American cars. And with Walther Matthau chewing gum as only Matthau can, instead of Martin Beck. Made by producers with no sense of Sweden, directed by a guy with seemingly no sense of cultural differences, played by actors looking American and probably having not a single clue about how Swedes behave, dress and speak. All sense of time and place was completely gone. And the movie totally violated the book!
So, I am interested but not at all excited. Rather the opposite. I feel more or less as I would have felt if it had been Bollywood that had bought the rights and would make the movie in New Dehli starring a local Indian-version Goth.
I assume that I will continue to read the news. And wait for the Hollywood destruction of yet another foreign book. But I will not be excited. While we all wait, I recommend that you go and watch the Swedish version. It is Swedish. It feels right.
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via our links.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Hollywood? Remake? Great? These words do not belong in the same sentence.
do not compare with kristen premiere pictures! you should compare the look when she play as joan jett
compare this picture in link
http://kristenstewartonline.info/2009/12/rumored-kristen-to-play-hacker-lisbeth-salander-in-swedish-millenium-remake/
i think the girl who played lizbeth salander look like joan jett…just my thought…so do you?
Even if Kristen Stewart did look like Lisbeth Salander (which she doesn’t) it wouldn’t matter. Comparing ‘Bella’ to Noomi Rapace is useless. They’re not remaking the film, they’re adapting a new film from the same book. The Salander character is smaller than 5ft is 24 years old but easily mistaken for a 14 year old boy due to her boyish figure. Rapace was ace but she didn’t fit the description very well. Joan Jett and Salander aren’t alike at all. Anyhow, portraying a character as complex as Salander is a lot more than successfully recreating a look.
“I am not able to see how Fight Club and Benjamin Button, or for that matter Bobby Fischer-plans should make me feel confident he can make a Scandinavian thriller?”
Don’t forget that Fincher also made Seven, Zodiac, and The Game. I think he’d be the best fit if a remake just had to be made. The Salander actors on the other hand makes me cringe. And Clooney too. I like some of Clooney’s work, but I don’t think this would be his role…
Just leave it! Can never measure up to the Swedish version which was perfectly cast and executed. And as much as I love Clooney ……… To suggest Brad Pitt is just a joke. As for Salander, I can’t think of anyone in the age group who could master a character of this complexity. Anyone who has seen the original will be asking why???? Because they can?