The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

[Your Mom]

I'm sure theres a topic for this movie somewhere but I dont want to be spoiled if we do end up watching it. Ok it comes out on DVD tomorrow and we were going to watch it but I keep hearing about how graphic and traumatizing it is.

I understand there are rape type elements to the story and thats not exactly a deal breaker if it's a good story. What I'm asking I guess is do you think it's too much for me? I feel like after so many years a lot of you guys know me pretty well. Am I going to be disgusted forever? Or is this a well told story with some unpleasant elements to it?

[Josh]

It's certainly graphic and does deal with disturbing subject matter off and on throughout. I think there's two things that separates this film from many other graphic films:

1. It's graphic about a specific combination of sex and violence. Not simply one or the other. Thematically, there's nothing here you won't find in an episode of Law & Order, but the film doesn't just elude to the brutality. It intentionally makes you very uncomfortable.

2. In the film's defense, it is not at all asking or telling you to enjoy this brutality. With a lot of horror, action, and thriller films these days, I think there's an unspoken understanding that it's kind of cool to see the violence, whatever form it may come in. To me, that's the sick thing. That's what's hard to watch. And that's not the case here. You're being shown these events and asked, "Isn't this awful?", and all the while it absolutely matters in terms of developing the plot and the characters.

Hope that helps some. I was trying to avoid specifics, as to avoid spoilers.

[Downward Spiral]

Yeah, I'd absolutely agree with that. There are two or three scenes in particular which are utterly disturbing - those parts are an extremely uncomfortable viewing experience but which make the film very powerful. I am completely squeamish about violence, but I really enjoyed the film.

[Kaney]

Again, without spoiling too much of the film for Srar, is the remake actually as harsh and full-on with the disturbing and violent scenes as the original Swedish film was?

I've seen the Swedish version, and thought it was OK, the nasty parts did make me uncomfortable watching them but I got the point of them. I just assumed the remake would be toned down slightly, but how much, if any?

[Josh]

I feel like we need LL on this. I haven't seen the original, but some friends have. They tend to prefer the Swedish version, but that doesn't seem to be connected to either being more or less tame or disturbing.

On it's own, the US version is certainly brutal to watch at times.

[Your Mom]

I think we all know I prefer the US version of everything

[Lint]

I saw the Swedish version as well as the American version. I felt like the American version was on paar with the Swedish version as far as the big rape scene goes.

[Your Mom]

I think I may try this. To be honest though I am still hesitant

[C-MIL]

It's a very, very, very depressing movie.

The sexual abuse stuff is actually redeemed within the story (well, sort of... enough for a movie anyway), but there's a LOT of other general horribleness that absolutely isn't.

The story IMO is sorely lacking and there's a very good reason it's "that movie with the graphic rape scene" and not "that neat-o murder mystery" or anything else.

[Jimmy]

It was probably my favourite film of the year, I really did think it was fantastic. The scenes are very uncomfortable to watch, but I was kind of prepared for them having seen the original. I can understand why you're hesitant and the film certainly doesn't shy away from the brutality of the scenes - but it really is a great film.

[Vamp]

The Swedish version tends to be overrated anyway. Although I say that because all it needed was one line from the books to actually give Blomkvist the driving force he's meant to have. And they kinda screw around with the placing of things for reasons I'm not really sure of. At least any screwing around with thep lot that the American version does is done to set up the sequel. In terms of brutality they're on a pretty even level. There's far worse out there but if you're not used to seeing it in films I suppose it'd be quite difficult to watch in places. I think its pretty important that it is though, glossing over the brutal aspects of it is irresponsible, you need to show the brutality of such things. Otherwise you cheapen them.

[TheSqauredCircleMessiah]

I would not watch this film with a woman. My fiance' was sexually abused and could watch the first part where Rooney Mara's character was abused and left the theater crying hysterically at the first hint of the second one. If you can get past those parts, its a really good movie.

[Your Mom]

Here I was thinking I was going to watch it and then that. Wow now I'm not sure again

[TKz]

Watch it Srar! So I can know if I should watch it! Take one for the team.

[LL!]

My LL sense was tingling.

Yes, the American version's sexual abuse scene is rather uncomfortable to watch, but it should not sway you from watching the film. The movie is totally worth your time and you should power through the scene. In my opinion, it wasn't as disturbing as the Swedish version. I watched the Swedish version with a friend who was sexually abused just about 2 years before the film and she was able to tolerate it.

[hot rod]

Don't know exactly where else to put this, but has anybody picked up the movie on blu ray and DVD? In an awesome touch, the DVD actually looks like it was illegally downloaded, with "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" actually hand written on the disc. Thought it was awesome, and it seems that in David Fincher DVD's he always finds a way to mind fuck you, I remember in Fight Club the start menu went straight to "Never Been Kissed" or some Drew Barrymoore movie.

[Josh]

Maybe you just shouldn't buy DVDs from the back of a Chinese man's van?

[Lint]

Maybe you just shouldn't buy DVDs from the back of a Chinese man's van?

No..he's right. The DVD version is a cool looking replica of a pirated movie..think its a nice touch

[TKz]

I'd love to know how many people tried to return it once they saw that.

[Lint]

I'd love to know how many people tried to return it once they saw that.

Funny you should mention..

A clever packaging ploy for Sony Pictures’ Girl With the Dragon Tattoo DVD release has sowed enough confusion among consumers to prompt Amazon and Redbox to clarify that the DVDs are not actually bootlegs.

As displayed in the photo above, the DVD is designed to look like an amateur copy, a sly reference to Lisbeth Salander, the hacker protagonist of the film. Since it’s hard to distinguish the packaging from an illegal copy, Amazon thought it had to step in with the following bolded message: “It has come to our attention that there has been some confusion on the DVD disc art as it appears to look like a bootlegged copy. Please note that the disc art is in fact the final approved disc art provided to us by the filmmakers.”

According to Creativity Online, Redbox also put a warning label on its site addressing the issue, though the warning was not on Redbox.com on Thursday.