The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

[GeneChing]

Often times, when we do reviews, there's an embargo relative to the release date. I feel for the New Yorker here as the timing of print vs. web publication is tricky. As a print magazine, it's difficult to meet embargo requirements. This is why we've moved almost all of our film reviews to our website.

[GeneChing]

I caught Rooney on Letterman the other night (coincidentally the same night as Robert Downey Jr.) I heard Charlie Rose did an interview with Fincher this week too.

“THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO”
TO BE RELEASED DECEMBER 20 AT 7 P.M. NATIONWIDE

CULVER CITY, Calif., December 13, 2011 * Moviegoers will get a jump on one of the most highly-anticipated films of the season as The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo opens one day early beginning on December 20 at 7 p.m. nationwide, it was announced today by Jeff Blake, chairman, Worldwide Marketing and Distribution for Sony Pictures.

Commenting on the announcement, Blake said, “This is one of the busiest times of the year for moviegoing and we can't wait to share this outstanding thriller with audiences all over the world. We feel that by opening for night-time shows on December 20th, fans of the book will be given the perfect opportunity to get a jump start on the release of an exceptional film.”

In The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Academy Award®-nominated director David Fincher (The Social Network) uncoils the world of Stieg Larsson’s global blockbuster thriller on the screen. Within the story’s labyrinth lie murder, corruption, family secrets and the inner demons of the two unexpected partners chasing the truth of a 40-year-old mystery. Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) is a financial reporter determined to restore his honor after being convicted of libel. Engaged by one of Sweden’s wealthiest industrialists, Henrik Vanger (Academy Award® nominee Christopher Plummer), to get to the bottom of the long-ago disappearance of his beloved niece, Harriet * murdered, Vanger believes, by a member of his large family * the journalist 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 Mikael in his investigation of who killed Harriet Vanger. Though Lisbeth shields herself from a world that has repeatedly betrayed her, her hacking skills and single-minded focus become invaluable. While Mikael goes face-to-face with the tight-lipped Vangers, Lisbeth plies the wired shadows. They begin to trace a chain of homicides from the past into the present, forging a fragile strand of trust even as they are pulled into the most savage currents of modern crime. The screenplay is by Steven Zaillian, based on the book by Stieg Larsson originally published by Norstedts. The producers are Scott Rudin, Ole Søndberg, Søren Stærmose, and Ceán Chaffin. The film is presented by Columbia Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures.

About Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE’s global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition and distribution; television production, acquisition and distribution; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; worldwide television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of entertainment in more than 142 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com<http://www.sonypictures.com/> <http://www.sonypictures.com/> .

About Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Inc
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. is actively engaged in the worldwide production and distribution of motion pictures, television programming, home video, interactive media, music, and licensed merchandise. The company owns the world's largest library of modern films, comprising around 4,100 titles. Operating units include Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc., United Artists Films Inc., MGM Television Entertainment Inc., MGM Networks Inc., MGM Distribution Co., MGM International Television Distribution Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Home Entertainment LLC, MGM ON STAGE, MGM Music, MGM Consumer Products and MGM Interactive. In addition, MGM has ownership interests in domestic and international TV channels reaching over 130 countries. For more information, visit www.mgm.com<http://www.mgm.com/>.

[GeneChing]

The reviews are rolling in. Mine will be up tomorrow.

DECEMBER 20, 2011
A Piercing Performance
By ALEXANDRA CHENEY

To play the role of Lisbeth Salander in "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," Rooney Mara had her hair dyed black and chopped short and asymmetrical, her eyebrows bleached blonde, and her eyebrow, ears and nipple pierced. And that was only the beginning of her transformation.

A scion of football royalty—her great-grandfathers, Timothy Mara and Art Rooney Sr., founded the New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers, respectively—Ms. Mara parlayed a popular (if small) part in David Fincher's "The Social Network" (as Mark Zuckerberg's jilted girlfriend) into consideration for the central role of Lisbeth in Mr. Fincher's new adaptation of Stieg Larsson's best-selling novel.


Rooney Mara, as Lisbeth Salander in 'The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,' needed more than a haircut for the role.

To win the role, Ms. Mara, who was born and raised in Westchester County, endured a two-month audition process that included being asked to get drunk and then do a screen test while hung over. The Journal recently sat down with the 26-year-old actor, who was dressed in black from head-to-toe, at the Crosby Street Hotel in SoHo.

A goth haircut is one thing, but were you nervous about getting all those piercings for the role of Lisbeth?

I wasn't really fazed by it at all. I was auditioning for two and a half months at that point, so I was already getting into character and anxious to get started. They cut and dyed the hair and bleached the eyebrows all in one afternoon here at the Crosby Street Hotel. Then we went to Brooklyn and got the piercings. We walked in, we knew what we were going to do. It was me and David [Fincher] and Trish [Summerville, the costume designer], and she got me some orange juice and we got the piercings. David didn't want to stay in the room—he is really squeamish about those kinds of things, which is really funny considering the movies he makes. And it was really easy. It hurts for a second but I wasn't very scared.

Were you concerned about the amount of nudity required?

No. I wouldn't have been able to fight as hard as I did for the job—it's such a huge part of the story. And the character is incredibly comfortable with her sexuality. I had to go into it with the same mindset.

Are there talks of sequels or are you done with Lisbeth?

I'm not done with her at all. I think we have to wait and see if there is an audience for it. I think certainly there should be an audience for it; I think adults have been starved for a movie like this. I kept one piercing and obviously these [motioning to ears] are still pierced. If we do the sequels I don't want to have to get everything re-pierced.

What do you mean by adults being starved?

There are a lot of movies with adult themes that are made at an independent level, but I don't think there are movies on this kind of large scale that are catered to adults. No one wants to put the money into an R-rated film because it is harder to make the money back. I think adults have been left out.

Did you have a history with Lisbeth before you got the role?

I saw the Swedish film a couple of months before I auditioned for the American one. And then I had my first audition for the American film and I knew I would be screen-testing a few months later and knew I had a pretty good shot at it, so then I read the books. But I didn't want to read them—knowing myself and how obsessed I get with things, I didn't want it to be all the more devastating if I didn't get the part, so I waited to read them until I had a good shot.

What's different about your Lisbeth?

That's hard to answer. I spent so much time with the character, it's hard to remember what things you brought, what things are from the books. When you spend so much time that gets very foggy. People who read the books, our version is very close to the books. Larsson colored [Lisbeth] with so many facets and so much back story. You don't usually have that as an actor.

You're originally from Bedford, in Westchester County. Do you feel like a product of where you grew up?

I feel like its an incredible place to live, Westchester, but it can definitely be a bit removed from the rest of the world, and I don't feel like a product of that. Maybe growing up in a place like that has made me drawn to things that are much different than that. Like Salander—she certainly didn't grow up in Westchester, New York.

[GeneChing]

My 'official KFM' review:

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO Subscribes to Kung Fu Tai Chi Magazine!

[MightyB]

My 'official KFM' review:

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO Subscribes to Kung Fu Tai Chi Magazine!

Just read your review - hope you didn't over sell it. This one will be tough for me to watch. I read the Series before I watched the Swedish version and, although they made a couple of "artistic" choices with plot, the cast and mood were perfect. I was especially fond of Noomi Rapace in the original. If you read the books, you'd realize that she was absolutely perfect in that role. Lisbeth never let herself be a "victim" even though she was raped - plus, I was really impressed with her genuine ability to convey an Aspergers like persona without it being insulting or contrived.

There was just so much to like about the originals, anyway...

The books are definitely not action packed. This makes me question Fincher and Craig. This is not and should not be "Hollywood" material with big explosions and lengthy action sequences jarringly cut to a techno beat.

[doug maverick]

Just read your review - hope you didn't over sell it. This one will be tough for me to watch. I read the Series before I watched the Swedish version and, although they made a couple of "artistic" choices with plot, the cast and mood were perfect. I was especially fond of Noomi Rapace in the original. If you read the books, you'd realize that she was absolutely perfect in that role. Lisbeth never let herself be a "victim" even though she was raped - plus, I was really impressed with her genuine ability to convey an Aspergers like persona without it being insulting or contrived.

There was just so much to like about the originals, anyway...

The books are definitely not action packed. This makes me question Fincher and Craig. This is not and should not be "Hollywood" material with big explosions and lengthy action sequences jarringly cut to a techno beat.

why does it make you question either? david fincher is NOT an action director...and craig just has 3 to his credit.

[GeneChing]

I'm fairly attached to the original Swedish series too. The more I think about it, the more I still like Noomi's portrayal of Lisbeth better. However, Rooney's take on the character shouldn't be ruled out by any means. Just because Craig is in it, it doesn't become an action flick. Like Harrison Ford, Craig can do action as well as thrillers. The new version is very entertaining, and the critics are just fawning over Fincher, making this a good candidate for many awards. I think the Swedish version is hipper, for those of us in the know. Nevertheless, this new version is still very enjoyable. I was more entertained by the new version. I was more moved by the original, but it was all new to me then, so the emotional impact of the story arc had a much more profound effect.

Anyway, I look forward to all your opinions on it. It's great fodder for film buff chats, and that's just what this forum is all about. That and, as they say in A Clockwork Orange, a little of the ol' ultravi.