One of the best cinematic gifts I will probably get this Christmas will be sitting in a theatre watching David Fincher’s book to screen adaptation of the first book in Stieg Larsson’s wildly successful Millennium Trilogy, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.”
Yeah, yeah…I know I’ve posted about this film before, but I just couldn’t resist another post. This is just one of those films for me, one where all the right elements are in place to make one hell of a movie. David Fincher directing, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross handling the music, and the cast! Oh my goodness, the cast! Daniel Craig as Mikael Blomkvist, Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander, Christopher Plummer as Henrik Vanger, Stellan Skarsgard as Martin Vanger, Robin Wright as Erika Vanger and Joely Richardson as Anita Vanger.
Larsson’s first book is a labyrinth of lies, murder, corruption, family secrets and inner demons that surround the 40 year-old mysterious disappearance of a young girl. Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) is a financial reporter who is left broken and shamed after being convicted in a court of law of libel. Hired by a wealthy industrialist, Henrik Vanger (Academy Award® nominee Christopher Plummer), to get to the bottom of the long-ago disappearance of his beloved niece, Harriet, Blomkvist heads to a remote island on the frozen Swedish coast, unaware of what awaits him.
At the same time, Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara), an unusual but ingenious investigator with Milton Security, is hired to do a background check on Blomkvist, a job that ultimately leads to her joining him in his investigation. Lisbeth is a young woman who has gone to great lengths to shield herself from a world that has repeatedly betrayed her, but her computer hacking skills and single-minded focus become an invaluable resource to Blomkvist. Salander and Blomkvist form a fragile strand of trust as they are pulled into the center of a brutal crime world.
In all three books, Larsson pulls from his background in investigative journalism to create a fictional, yet all too real world of social and political corruption and moral ambiguity. The original title of Larsson’s “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” was “Men Who Hate Women,” but was later scrapped for a more “publishing friendly” title. The book is not only an exploration of crimes committed against women and those that commit those crimes, but also of what it means to be victimized, versus living as a victim….and the seething need to be avenged.
While you probably will not have time to finish off the first book before the film opens in theaters next week, I highly recommend you set aside some time to read all three. So, while we wait for the film to hit theatres, I’m leaving you with a gallery of “eye candy.” Just a little something to tide you over until opening day, which by the way, is now one day earlier than anticipated! Instead of having to wait until December 21, you’ll be able to see the film in theatres on December 20! Keep in mind, this film is definitely “Rated R.”
Happy Holidays to all you Bookend Babes out there! My wish for you is that your holidays are filled with lots of fun, family, friends…and hopefully, time for you to enjoy a great book, or a movie on the big screen!
