Differences

[misanthropicsob]

I watched the first half of original The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Extended Edition (which is two 90 minute episodes), and...whoa...There are a LOT of changes. Not just the usual plot condensation changes, but actual personality changes.

It's a lot of fairly minor things: Lisbeth is more cold and more professional in the original, but in the

Comments

[tonethbone]

I have seen this whole series...the Swedish version, and though I expect Hollywood to make changes...I have high hopes for the movie

[misanthropicsob]

Since I'm doing it kind of backwards, Fincher then original Swedish, my comments are in the reverse, obviously. Unlike some remakes, the changes make sense from a storytelling point of view, and don't change the actual story much at all, unless you have your heart set on how a character is supposed to be (which is generally a valid point of view held by readers of original books). And, unlike a lot other remakes, I didn't leave the movie thinking I had watched something watered down or completely different where you could see the original's glory peeking around the corners.

There was one more major unnecessary changes that changed the character of Lisbeth and actually felt kind of odd, and I liked the original's take on the scenario a lot lot more. When you see the remake, we will have to talk.

saw the remake finally

[a2andy]

You're correct that pinchers camera work is better, but he neutered Lizabeth's character. She came across as being "innocent" which is not something the feral Lizabeth from the Swedish movie or the cool sociopathic lizabeth from the books. Seeing her pining after Blounquist at the end was just sad.

I'm also amused at how they simplify things for the american audience (although some of this in the swedish movie). New drinking game, drink everyone Lizabeth who has a photographic memory does something (like take photos of cables) she shouldn't need to do, so the audience can see what she's thinking.

Re: saw the remake finally

[misanthropicsob]

I agree that Lisbeth's part got completely neutered, but I didn't see her character as neutered or even as innocent. It kind of became the Blomkvist story in the American version. But, I really really like the American version better. I think Mara's Lisbeth was a lot edgier. I think Mara's Lisbeth felt like a girl who created a shell around her pain, didn't understand her emotions and was primed to explode...sort of like a soft fruit explosion with a metallic finish barely wrapped around it. I think Rapace's Lisbeth was a lot colder. She felt more dead inside and a bit more robotic. Its like they came out of two different worlds. Watching the American version made me think how happy I would be if Fincher directed a Gibson novel, like Pattern Recognition. But, really, Rapace's Lisbeth felt like she was out of Pattern Recognition, while Mara's felt straight out of Neuromancer

Re: saw the remake finally

[a2andy]

You realize you saying you like the "hollywood" ending better.

One of my female friends HATED the book / movie because every main female character ends of sleeping with Blomkvist.

I think the american version is watching, but I think the title character really is the focus of the book / movie and it's sad to her made so weak. While you're point about her character in the remake are valid, I think the total comparison of her to a teenage girl like that is just LAME.

Re: saw the remake finally

[misanthropicsob]

Yeah, I realize that I'm saying I like the Hollywoodized ending better. It fit the Hollywoodized characters better, actually.

Also, I wasn't comparing her to a teenage girl. Ever. I've known many people like her that were over 21 and going to goth bars. I mean, Lisbeth is only 23, which is about the same age as when I was going to Shitty Club. And, most of the people there wore their edginess like an armor (including me).