Tag Archives: Stieg Larsson

Books to Screen: One of the most anticipated films of 2011, David Fincher’s “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”

Posted on by
3

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!

The Tatooed Girl – Dan Burstein, Arne De Keijzer and John-Henri Holmberg

Posted on by
4

Like many readers, I was absolutely sucked into Stieg Larsson’s Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played with Fire. (I haven’t made it onto the third book yet). I came across The Tatooed Girl: The Enigma of Stieg Larsson and the Secrets Behind the Most Compelling Thrillers of Our Time at my local Target and immediately threw it into my cart. I’m glad I did.

It’s a bit of a slower read and one of the most challenging reads I’ve completed since my days as an English major, but it proved rewarding. The information provided to me makes me want to reread the series immediately and watch for the things I learned and the new themes that I missed the first time around because I was so enthralled in the plot.

While I found the commentaries of Swedish political movements and historical backgrounds to be quite interesting, especially when it pertained to how Larsson developed his characters, the tidbits of unknown information were what stuck out to me most.

How many of you knew the original title of the first book was Men Who Hate Women? Had Larsson not died, these books would have been known by very different titles. The Girl themed titles were the creation of the Larsson’s publisher.

Another intriguing factoid I discovered is that Larsson based Lisbeth off of Pippi Longstocking, paying homage to that in the name listed on her mailbox in her new home in The Girl Who Played with Fire.

The chapter containing the errors that may have been made by the translators may be one of my favorites of the book. I almost want to learn Swedish to read the book in it’s original format. The meaning of some sentences has been lost in translation and has made some areas of the book drier than the original.

Larsson lived a most intriguing life, with many of his experiences and beliefs reflected in his characters and in the situations in which they find themselves. The authors do a nice job of providing insight into Larsson via his life partner, Eva Gabrielsson, his friends and his colleagues.

I recommend this book to anyone who is in love with Larsson’s trilogy. It’s filled with insight into Larsson and his characters, the politics of Sweden, the publishing world and a bit of conspiracy.  As I mentioned earlier, it is not an easy read and can be dry at some points but it’s worth taking the time to better understand the intriguing characters Larsson has created.

Books to Screen: Random Thoughts on My Latest Book Obsessions

Posted on by
8

It is no secret that I’m a little Bohemian in nature, a little obsessive when it comes to the things I like…so why should books be any different. I have been burning up my Twitter and Facebook feeds lately with my current obsession, Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games.  Book one, Hunger Games, done, in one night.  Book two, Catching Fire, finished over this past Saturday/Sunday.  Book 3, Mockingjay, yeah, knocked out 1/2 of it into the wee hours this morning.  I am reading it at stoplights, in the bathroom, even taking little quick breaks from my desk to walk around the hallway and take a five minute computer break and read it on my cell phone!  (Told you, obsessive…)

I know, I know, I’m late to the Hunger Games party.  But that is only because at the time Mockingjay came out, I was neck deep in another literary obsession, Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy.  So, what made me finally pick up Hunger Games?  Recent casting announcements for the first of four films!  And what a cast it is…

Jennifer Lawrence ("Winter's Bone," "X-Men: First Class") as Katniss Everdeen

Liam Hemsworth ("The Last Song") as Gale Hawthorne

Josh Hutcherson ("The Kids Are All Right") as Peeta Mellark

Woody Harrelson as Haymitch Abernathy

Lenny Kravitz as Cinna

Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket

Wes Bentley as Seneca Crane

Stanely Tucci as Caesar Flickerman

Donald Sutherland as the evil President Snow




Okay, so what do you think about the casting choices? I would LOVE to hear your thoughts! For more information on others cast in the upcoming film, click HERE!

Have you read the books? If not, get on it, NOW, because you are going to love them! Just don’t get too angry with me when you find yourself up reading in the middle of the night when you probably should be sleeping! Now….keep scrolling, because I’m leaving you with a video that you are definitely going to want to see….



Remember that other literary obsession I was so wrapped up in when “Mockingjay” was published. Yeah, about that book…“The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.” New trailer just came out last week for the film starring Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara. Lisbeth Salander is coming to theaters this December, and boy, does she look pissed! Check it out below!

Oh no! I’m hooked! The Millenium Trilogy, Daniel Craig and an 11 month wait!

Posted on by
8

I knew I would have some downtime on a recent trip to NYC and wanted to make sure I had a good book with me and I figured that there was no better time to catch-up on the book that all my book-loving friends have been raving about.  I downloaded a copy Stieg Larsson’s highly acclaimed book, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” onto my Kindle, and could barely wait to start reading.

Once I made it through airport security, I sat at the gate and began reading, and of course, you know what happened next.  I was instantly hooked!  So much so that I found myself more than a little irritated that I had to turn off my handy-dandy “electronic reading device” for take-off.  I couldn’t wait to hear the flight crew give the all-clear to turn all approved electronic devices back on so that I could dive right back into the work of Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist.

I have not yet seen the Swedish version of the film, and instead have chosen to wait to see any version of the film until I’ve completed the books.  I am just weird that way I guess.  I want to see how the book translates on film.  I want to read the book first, then see the movie second.

If you are a huge fan of the Millennium Trilogy from Larsson, then you probably have heard that an American remake of the film is underway, with a scheduled release date of December 21, 2011.  The film boasts a fantastic director, David Fincher, and an all-star cast including the following:

Daniel Craig as Martin Blomkvist

Mara Rooney as Lisbeth Salander

Christopher Plummer as Henrik Vanger

Stellan Skarsgard as Martin Vanger

Robin Wright as Erika Berger

Joely Richardson as Anita Vanger

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo tells the story of Mikael Blomkvist, a disgraced journalist in the middle of personal and professional crisis, who receives an offer to redeem his career and reputation.  When approached by Henrik Vanger, an elderly titan of Swedish industry, Blomkvist hesitantly takes an offer he can’t refuse.  Blomkvist agrees to spend a year researching a cold case, a mysterious death of a young girl that has haunted the elder Vanger for four decades.   Using a cover story of writing a Henrik Vanger’s biography, Blomkvist pours through boxes of research and police reports, and embarks on interviewing remaining Vanger family members.  With his leads going nowhere, Blomkvist enlists the help of an unconventional investigator,  Lisbeth Salander, an incredibly misunderstood young woman with a ton of authority issues. This page turner will keep you up at night, because in Larsson’s tale, nothing is as it seems.

So now, I will have to sit and wait another 11 months.  I’ll eagerly be waiting for the release of Fincher’s film adaptation of this fantastic book!  And I’m sure I’ll be having my own private movie marathon at some point to watch the Swedish films.

So dear reader, tell me…have you read Larsson’s Millenium Trilogy?  If so, which was your favorite book?  Have you seen the Swedish films?  What do you think of the casting choices for Fincher’s film?  Will anyone else be ticking off the days on the calendar waiting to see this upcoming film?  I think I see a Bookette get-together coming in December!  Who’s with me?