After last year’s David Fincher's most expensive and longest commercial ever: The Social Network. A two hour long movie about a dude that moves to Silicon Valley with a kind of a social media website called facebook, that end up turning him into billionaire at the age of 22. A Fifty million dollar movie, about a triumphal nerd that and which it's questioned even by the title of its own making of documentary included in the DVD; "How Did They Ever Make a Facebook Movie?". the question shouldn't be how but why. Probably there are many reasons, facebook is in everyones mouth, it's just another piece of hollywood enterteinment, it's an exercise on filmmaking, why no?... but I got another one: Done in California, with money that comes from California and returns to California. The message is clear, if you have a good idea, just come to Silicon Valley. This is the place to be. Don't get me wrong, the movie is great, Fincher at his best. But, the propaganda message infused on the film it's undeniable, as happens in many other occasions.
This Christmas, we have to get ready for kind of a different move. I was thinking on it since the moment I knew Fincher was directing an adaptation of Stieg Larsson's Millennium best-seller trilogy. The films were adapted few years ago by a Swedish director. Then, why are Hollywood studios interested on remaking them? It's true that people where hooked with the stories, and US audiences prefer to watching English language movies, but I had some funny ideas in my head, and when I read this interview with the director, I believe all my fear were confirmed.
I'm considered as an expert in perversion but Larsson raised the bar very high with his trilogyMy movie's not pretty, it's brutal. And its violence totally makes sense in Sweden's immaculate landscapeSwedish society seems to be very tolerant and calm. But as soon as you dig beneath it, you find the dark side of the country. Dragon Tattoo succeeds in showing in what way fascism moved from the political sphere toward finance's.- David Fincher
This is going to be probably the feel bad movie of the year that will make you put the Swedish socialist society in no high esteem. I haven't seen the movie, of course. I'm desiring to do so; Fincher is one of my all time favorite directors and one of the bests in his field. I guess the message once again is going to be straight to the head of the spectator: Sweden, a beautiful country; they mannage their money in aproper way, they have big international companies, they are powerful but what you didn't know and we are gonna learn in this movie is that beneath all that everything is rotten. Again, a movie made in California, with money from California. Why the hell are they going to show Sweden as a paradise. America is a much better place. For sure.
I have been once in California, just for ten days, and I would love to go to back. I like the US, I like how they work and I like how they think and do things, from movies to hamburgers. I guess, at the end of the day the propaganda works. We, the people believe it. And if you believe a lot in something then it's just a matter of time before it becomes a reality.
I have been in Sweden too; Twice. Another great place, people is kind and everything is so organized and clean. Winter id too harsh for me, maybe. I have a couple of good friends there and I hope to go back soon to visit them back. But I don't think the movie will show that Sweden I know.
P.S.: While I was writing this, a satirical video from The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, broadcasted on April 2009 came to my mind. Make your own conclusions. All the same, the video is very funny. Here both parts.
