The Girl with the Delayed Reaction

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, film version, came out in December of 2011. Technically, it came out in 2009, but that was the original version, and this blog mostly concerns the version that is spoken in my first language.  The film was directed by David Fincher and stars Rooney Mara, whom he had just directed in The Social Network. Yes, she is the conventionally pretty college girlfriend in the beginning. Who knew? David Fincher is one of my top favorite directors. Upon reading film reviews for Dragon Tattoo, I kept running into the words "violent" and "graphic", and kept brushing these words off. Fincher is known for works such as the Fight Club, and serial killer thriller Seven. With this guy, "violent and graphic", is pretty much a given.

Maybe this is why I like him. Maybe I consider the words "violent" and "graphic" to be substitutes for "cathartic".  This is arguably, why I go to the movies. We live in a high-stress society in which we are continually and ironically being instructed, not to freak out. If I don't get an A grade, I am told not to freak out. When there is no money in my bank account, even I am sometimes guilty of commanding myself not to freak out. We have even gone so far as to adopt that pinnacle of design, the wartime logo and slogan of England, "KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON." Ours is a twee society that reeks of cupcakes and lip gloss and ribbon and whipped cream-flavored vodka. What happened to blood and guts and glory? When I am watching Lisbeth literally sew the male protagonist's skin back together, no one can violate the sanctity of a dark theater by turning to me, and telling me to calm down. As much as I wanted to throw up my Alamo Drafthouse pizza during the rape scene, nothing could quell my sick smirk when she raped him right back. As it turns out, Lisbeth herself is graphic and violent. And good for her. She is one of the most awesome female characters that I can ever remember. I have always loved Scarlett in Gone with the Wind, and Marla Singer in Fight Club, but there has never been such a vicious heroin as Lisbeth Salander.

I am ready for the sequels, and may just have to brave the original Swedish versions in the meantime. Who knows, maybe I'll somehow find some spare time and just read the books. Either way,  I appreciate the darkest of fiction. I don't necessarily need everything sugarcoated like an M&M. Because what always happens with the sugar coating of M&Ms? It always gets messy. Sometimes, I just need to revel in directors such as Fincher and Aronfosky who skip straight to the mess. Sometimes I just need to be allowed to freak out.

"No, it's okay. You can nod because it's true. I am insane." - Lisbeth

The Perks of Being a Blockbuster.

There are very few material items I've possessed in my life that I've actually ever missed. No matter how many times I've gotten drunk and lost my entire wallet, I will always miss misplaced novels far more. The neo-classic coming of age novel The Perks of Being a Wallflower is probably one of the books to which I was most emotionally attached. Its reminiscent of The Catcher in the Rye, and as much as I value The Catcher in the Rye, its like Kurt Cobain to me. I love it, but its not of my time. I wasn't aware enough of the world to cry when Kurt Cobain died. My sympathy and sorrow surrounding Kurt is mainly retrospective. But Heath Ledger was mine. Was ours. The Perks of Being a Wallflower was ours.

When I was in high school, I took the IB classes. IB was described, "like AP on crack". World lit, British Lit.... and the books we read (or at least quasi-read, yet wrote awesome & original analytical papers on) were awesome. One year, I remember the normal English class (not that we IB kids were abnormal, but still) got to read The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Jealousy, I am. That book is touching haunting, and hopeful. It isn't difficult to relate to the adorable and naive narrator, Charlie. His group performed The Rocky Horror Picture Show and went to Bob's Big Boy after everything. I was in theater in high school and our post-performance spot was Denny's, for cheap midnight breakfasts. Splitting the check between around twenty kids was always a harrowing, but laughable ordeal. Also Charlie pines away for his beautiful best friend Sam, and if you've never done that, then you're probably lying. Mostly I love Charlie because his teacher tells him that he writes kind of likes he talks. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a love story, and a life story, and one of the very few things that I am proud to claim ownership of, as a generation. Angry birds and Jersey Shore? No thanks!

So now they're making a movie out of it.  I'm not sure how I feel. I love books. But the book-to-film transition is always a little uncomfortable. Its like going to a new school where you don't know anyone. Actually, no, its like going to a school where you know a few people, but you have an odd past with them, and you spend every moment praying you don't run into each other. Regardless of the genre, every viewing  of a book-turned-film feels like suspense, like a psychological thriller. At moments you may find yourself on the edge of your seat, biting your nails in trepidation, hoping they didn't leave anything out. The author, Steven Chboksy is a goddam heartbreaking wordsmith. I hope they include all, or almost all, of the quotes that I've been doodling in my notebook margins since the age of fifteen. Quotes such as, "You accept the love you think you deserve", or "Not everyone has a sob story, Charlie, and even if they do, its no excuse". In my totally biased opinion, the best book-to-film adaption, is Fight Club. I love David Fincher,  I love Chuck Palahniuk. The fact that they worked together on the film, however,  is what guaranteed its success. This time, the author himself will be directing. I have my fingers crossed for awesomeness. I hope its excellent. Even if its not excellent, it will be important. Because it belongs to us. And also because Emma Watson plays Sam.



"It’s like looking at all the students and wondering who’s had their heart broken that day, and how they are able to cope with having three quizzes and a book report on top of that. Or wondering who did the heart breaking. And wondering why."