Books on the Big Screen: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Posted by Dana on 05.03.2010 at 2:15 pm

Most of the time when I write about a book being made into a movie I am comparing Hollywood’s interpretation to the author’s.  This time it’s a little different.  THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO has been made into a movie, but not in Hollywood.  The movie, which is in theaters now, is Swedish (as of course was the book) and it’s a whole different ballgame than the Hollywood razzle dazzle.

The movie is long and a bit graphic, but that’s not the part that’s so un-Hollywood. It’s the casting that was really different from how Hollywood does it. The characters actually look the way they are described in the book. Like real people. They’re not Hollywood buff. No one appeared to have any Botox in their foreheads and there were attractive women that were actually over 40 and looked it. Yay for Sweden. Hollywood should take a lesson.

In addition to that, it’s a really good movie. Very true to the book, wonderfully acted and directed. Of course, Hollywood also has the rights so it should be interesting to see how the American version differs not just from the book, but from this Swedish film adaptation. Stay tuned… Read more…

6 Comments » | Tagged Books on the Big Screen, Dear John, eat pray love, The Blind Side, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Last Song

Listen: Eat, Pray, Love

Posted by admin on 02.20.2008 at 9:45 am

Over at Slate, one of my favorite online magazines, the audio book club took on Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love.  Listen to the podcast.  This book is one that is much talked about from people arguing that it’s an “original work excellently written in a real woman’s voice” to people who see her writing as bordering on  “petty, conceited and fickle.”

Decide for yourself at www.betterworld.com

Have your say » | Tagged Book Reviews, book reviews, eat pray love, elizabeth gilbert, slate