On the 20th December 2011 a new Hollywood film was released throughout North America. It was a remake, a film based on another one, starring Hollywood stars such as Daniel Craig and Christopher Plummer and attracting a bit more medial attention than usual. The reason was that the film was released quite soon after its predecessor. More specifically, only two years had passed since the global success of the original Swedish film "Män Som Hatar Kvinnor", directed by Niels Arden Oplev, which was released in 2009.
As a result, ever since its announcement the remake with the title "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" triggered many discussions. People wondered why the world needed another American remake of a successful and critically acclaimed movie so quickly after its original release. Looking back, remakes have always been an integral part of the Hollywood film industry, which has been copying ideas from other film industries ever since its emergence in the beginning of the last century. European, Asian or even previous American films were remade whenever it seemed to be profitable and in this case it seemed very promising, given the great success of the movie outside the US. Basically, from the American perspective several reasons exist to justify a remake of a film, for example the updating of an old movie to present it to younger generations or the fact, like in this case, that a remake is allegedly “necessary” because people in the US do not like reading subtitles or listening to synchronized non-English movies. However, some people simply accuse Hollywood of desperately trying to show the world how to do it in a better way and hiding their lack of new ideas.
Such transnational remakes are still in progress and have been going on for decades, not only in the US but also worldwide. Bollywood copies American films, Hollywood borrows narratives from Europe and European film makers get their inspiration from American productions. It is evident that such contemporary transnational remakes are a worldwide phenomena increased by the globalization which enables people to share and trade cultural goods and ideas all over the globe.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Definitions
2.1 Transnationalism
2.2 The Remake
2.3 Contemporary Transnational Remake
2.4 What is Gender?
3. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo – A Transnational Remake
4. Characterization
4.1 Lisbeth Salander
4.2 Mikael Blomkvist
5. Comparison of the Character Constellation
5.1 Character Constellation in Män Som Hatar Kvinnor
5.2 Character Constellation in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
6. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary objective of this thesis is to examine how the characters in David Fincher's remake, "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo," differ from their counterparts in the original Swedish film "Män Som Hatar Kvinnor" regarding behavior, appearance, and character representation. The study investigates how these changes influence the viewer's perception of gender roles and the overall character constellation.
- The theoretical foundation of contemporary transnational remakes.
- Comparative analysis of Lisbeth Salander's characterization across both films.
- Comparative analysis of Mikael Blomkvist's characterization across both films.
- Investigation into how altered gender roles affect the power dynamics within the narrative.
- The impact of casting and performance on the perception of masculine and feminine ideals.
Excerpt from the Book
4.1 Lisbeth Salander
The main protagonist Lisbeth Salander is the most important character in both films. Her personality and appearance are exceptional and she is one of the reasons why the films are so interesting and successful. As Bokkenheuser points out “[t]he charisma of the Salander character is ultimately the reason for the extraordinary success of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo [...]”. One can hardly find another heroine who is so unique and therefore, both actresses had a big challenge, performing this role.
A positive aspect is that the actresses Noomi Rapace (original) and Rooney Mara (remake) have both succeeded in portraying Salander and were celebrated by critics all over the world. For Rapace it was the final breakthrough in the international film industry, resulting in main roles in other Hollywood productions. Mara on the other hand, even received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress, underlining her outstanding performance in the film.
Thus, both have been successful, but to do so they performed the role individually and portrayed different characteristics. Rapace´s prior performance set the expectations extremely high and Rooney Mara had a difficult challenge to avoid a negative comparison.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the topic of transnational remakes, focusing on the rapid American adaptation of the Swedish film "Män Som Hatar Kvinnor" and outlines the thesis goal of analyzing character and gender role modifications.
2. Definitions: Explains key academic terms including transnationalism, the definition of a filmic remake, contemporary transnational remakes, and theoretical concepts of gender, masculinity, and femininity.
3. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo – A Transnational Remake: Discusses why the film qualifies as a transnational remake by comparing production contexts, narrative similarities, and stylistic choices while highlighting initial evidence of character differences.
4. Characterization: Analyzes the individual portrayals of Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist, focusing on their physical appearance, body language, and behavioral traits in both film versions.
5. Comparison of the Character Constellation: Explores how the interaction and power dynamics between Lisbeth and Mikael shift between the original and the remake, specifically focusing on how these constellations reinforce or subvert gender roles.
6. Conclusion: Summarizes the findings, confirming that the American remake significantly alters the gender dynamics and character perception compared to the Swedish original, ultimately resulting in a more conventional portrayal of gender.
Keywords
Transnationalism, Remake, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Män Som Hatar Kvinnor, Gender Roles, Masculinity, Femininity, Lisbeth Salander, Mikael Blomkvist, Character Constellation, David Fincher, Film Analysis, Globalization, Hollywood, Narrative Adaptation
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental subject of this academic work?
This thesis examines the differences in character depiction and gender role representation between the Swedish original film "Män Som Hatar Kvinnor" and its American remake "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo."
What are the primary thematic fields covered in the research?
The research covers transnational film studies, the theory of remakes, character analysis, and the sociological and media-based construction of gender, masculinity, and femininity.
What is the central research question?
The study aims to determine how the characters in David Fincher's remake are substantially different in behavior and appearance, and how these changes fundamentally alter the viewer's perception of gender roles and character constellations.
Which scientific methods are employed in the analysis?
The work uses a comparative film analysis approach, focusing on scene-by-scene comparisons of character behavior, body language, and mis-en-scène, supported by cultural studies theory.
What does the main part of the thesis address?
The main part provides an in-depth characterization of the two protagonists, Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist, followed by a comparative analysis of their relationship and interactions throughout the narratives.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms include transnationalism, remake, character constellation, gender roles, Lisbeth Salander, Mikael Blomkvist, and filmic adaptation.
How does the remake change the portrayal of Lisbeth Salander compared to the original?
The remake portrays Lisbeth as more vulnerable, youthful, and shy, contrasting with the tough, aggressive, and highly independent character seen in the Swedish original.
In what way is Mikael Blomkvist's gender role portrayed differently in the remake?
In the remake, Mikael is depicted as a more traditional, dominant masculine figure who takes charge of the narrative, whereas in the original, he displays more feminine-coded traits such as emotionality and dependency.
What is the significance of the "character constellation" in this thesis?
The character constellation serves as a framework to analyze how the power dynamics between the two protagonists are flipped; the study shows that while the original features a "gender-swapped" dynamic, the remake reverts to more conventional societal gender norms.
- Quote paper
- Tom Keller (Author), 2012, Contemporary Transnational Remakes. The Swedish "Män Som Hatar Kvinnor" (2009) and the Hollywood Production "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" (2011), Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/319486
