The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo--Movie Review
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The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
If you like complicated mysteries and don't mind a couple of graphic, kinky rape scenes you'll like "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" based on the first book of a trilogy by Swedish writer Stieg Larsson. I haven't read Larsson's book but I'm told that the movie follows its main and sub-plots faithfully. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Lisbeth Salander, played by Noomi Rapace, is an improbable character--a 24-year-old skilled computer hacker, investigator, practitioner of martial arts, motorcycle rider, rebel who helps middle aged reporter, Mikael Blomqvist, solve a 40-year mysterious disappearance of a retired Swedish industrialist Henrik Vanger's favorite niece. She also helps Blomqvist turn the tables on another industrialist who set him up for a libel conviction which got him a jail term. She has been likened to Pippi Longstocking.
Henrik Vanger, played convincingly by Sven-Bertil Taube, is the 80-year-old patriarch of the Vanger family and retired CEO of the Vanger Corporation. Henrik and several other members of the Vanger family live on an island not far from Stockholm. Henrik is a sympathetic character, but his brother and nephew are fans of Hitler. Vanger believes that his favorite niece was murdered by another member of the family although her body was never found. Before she disappeared mysteriously at age 18, Henrik's niece, Harriet Vanger gave him a gift of pressed flowers on his birthday every year. After her disappearance or murder Henrik continued to receive pressed flowers on his birthday every year mailed from various places around the world. Vanger believes the flowers are being sent by Harriet's murderer in order to taunt and torture him. He hires Mikael Blomqvist to unravel the mystery of Harriet's murder or disappearance. Blomqvist convinces the Girl with the Dragon tattoo to help him solve the mystery.
The movie is in Swedish with English subtitles. It broke all attendance records in Sweden and is expected to win prizes at the Cannes Film Festival.
NOTE: The videos on this hub below can be watched by clicking on the arrow, and then clicking on the underlined message "Watch on YouTube."
Who is the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
6-22-11NYTimes--The Girl Who Cast a Viking Spell
- Eva Gabrielssons Memoir of Her Life With Stieg Larsson - NYTimes.com
The longtime companion of Stieg Larsson, the posthumously best-selling author of the Millennium trilogy, has resorted to unusual means to win control of Larssons literary legacy.
Noomi Rapace Wikibio
- Noomi Rapace - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Noomi Rapace (ne Norn, born 28 December, 1979 in Hudiksvall) is a Swedish actress. Her father was Rogelio Durn, a Spanish cantaor (Flamenco singer) from Badajoz; her mother is Nina Norn, a Swedish actress.[1]
Michael Nyqvist Wikibio
- Michael Nyqvist - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Michael Nyqvist (born 1960 in Stockholm) is a Swedish actor. Educated at the School of Drama in Malm, he had his breakthrough as police officer Banck in the first series of Beck movies made in 1997. As a baby, he was adopted from an orphanage.
Sven-Bertil Taube--Henrik Vanger
- Sven-Bertil Taube - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sven-Bertil Taube (born November 24, 1934) is a Swedish singer and actor. He is the son of the songwriter Evert Taube. Taube graduated in 1954 from Cherry Lawn School in Darien, Connecticut.
3-20 NY Times--The Afterlife of Stieg Larsson
- Afterlife of Stieg Larsson
Larsson died in 2004 at age 50 before any of the novels were published and with little clue to just how successful they would be. Like Blomkvist, he was a journalist, well known in certain circles for his campaign against right-wing extremism.
Pippi Longstocking with a Dragon Tattoo, Pat Ryan in the NY Times 5-22-10
- Pippi Longstocking with a Dragon Tattoo
For the bloodline of Lisabeth Salander, Larsson fans need only read the tales of Pippi Longstocking, the fiercely independent and cheerfully kooky 9-year-old who has been a soulmate to generations of children longing to color outside the lines.
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It's been playing for three weeks or a month in Detroit. It premiered in the U.S. March 6, 2010 at the Miami Film Festival. Thanks for your comment. (I wouldn't recommend it to my grandmother or the preacher's wife because of its graphic, violent sex scenes.)
I am going to have to see this movie. I don't mind some graphic content and the plot seems riveting. I do write screenplays and I love to go and see good movies and how they are crafted. Thanks for the heads up. Another great hub, Mr. Ralph.
I love complicated mysteries, and this looks like a good one, never mind the rape scenes. Looks like the acting will be great. Probably will watch it. Do you think I can get it at Netflix?
Interesting article, think I will have to see this movie thank you for the review.
I have read a lot about this movie and I am planning on seeing it. Thanks Ralph..
nyqvist looks like journalists i have known, a balance of idealistic enthusiasm and burn-out. i'd like to see it.
One to watch out for then Ralph
I've been noticing this one at the local San Antonio art-film house and decided not to see it. But your review changed my mind, so I will chance it.
Thanks for the good review.....
H. Ralph
Larsson builds his characters beautifully
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so cute
I watched this movie on the internet and enjoyed it quite a lot. Particularly liked the performance of Noomi Rapace.
I enjoyed this movie as well and I just wanted to give you all a heads up on a film that I thought was even more fascinating and enjoyable. It won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film this past year, but it was far better than any movie I've seen in the last five years. The plot and story is so well written and executed that I can't praise it enough.
Here is a link:
We saw "The Secret is in Their Eyes" last week. I agree with your reaction. I've been meaning to do a HubReview but haven't had time due to other commitments (three days of racing on Lake St. Clair with two of my kids).
Thanks for your comment. You should do a HubReview.
Saw this just yesterday and thought it was a pretty good whodunit. I hope Hollywood doesn't mess up their version.
This movie is amazing!
You did a fantastic job no your hub! I did one on the book and the movie, but nothing as good as yours! I have read all three books and have seen all three movies.The movies were awesome!The two movies, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and The Girl who played with fire are out on dvds. The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest, is still showing at theaters.Noomi Rapace did an outstanding job playing Lisbeth Salander. In the last two movies she got top billing, which is good because of all the stuffs she had to do to make her character so believable.And yes the movies are a lot different then the books!
Alisha, thanks for your kind comment. Hubpages may be the best publishing medium for movie reviews, much better than newspapers and magazines because it offers the opportunity to pull together live videos, a variety of photos and links to other reviews and sources of information about the movie and the actors.
nice and I haven't seen this yet. I think I will have to wait for it to be on a DVD. Thank you. Maita
I read all three books and wrote a review on both The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played With Fire. I am gearing up for my last review of the trilogy. I have not seen the movies though. Are there two different sets of movies? I hear different things which lead me to believe this?
I believe there are three movies made in Sweden and one or more coming this year from Hollywood. Thanks for you comment.
The longtime companion of Stieg Larsson, the posthumously best-selling author of the Millennium trilogy, has resorted to unusual means to win control of Larssons literary legacy.
I read the book and found it interesting and thought the Swedish movie version was good too. I hear a US version is coming out soon. I hope it's as good as the Swedish one!
Great review. Wanna watch this movie.
Ah, like a good review. The wife has read the trilogy and will be wanting to see this soon. I really liked your explanation of the main character "Noomi Rapace, is an improbable character--a 24-year-old skilled computer hacker, investigator, practitioner of martial art..." Glad to know this so I can shut the mind off and just go with it :) Great review, thank you!
Thanks for your comment. A comment from your wife would be welcome as well.
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FCEtier 2 years ago
You got my attention. May have to check this one out. Did you mention the release date for the movie -- or did I miss it?