accuracy

Swedish theatrical poster for "Män som hatar kvinnor". The English poster reminds me of Aeon Flux... Count yourself lucky if you didn't see Aeon Flux.

I saw an excellent film a few days ago. "Män som hatar kvinnor." It is one of those films that I actually don't "see" in the cinema listings because of its theatrical poster- I had assumed it was just another bland north-american sci-fi "thriller". I was proved wrong. Although the genre is not one I usually enjoy I was very pleasantly surprised at the well developed script as well as the technical execution of the film. Although polished and slick it still managed to somehow maintain an air of authenticity and reality, despite the obviously professional production. The film is based on a book, a trilogy actually. It was so good that I've already made up my mind to buy the books and see the next two films. I recommend it.

"Låt den rätte komma in" is another Swedish film I saw earlier this year and was absolutely captivated by. It's etheral, unique visuals perfectly complement an unusual and intriguing story. The actors are fascinating to watch and the result of all of this carefully executed work is a wonderful meditation on life, loss and oh yeah, vampires. It's great.

These two excellent swedish films, I have read, are to be "remade" by North American studios. I can't even express how much this angers, saddens and irritates me. I find it insulting, frustrating and pathetic that, although the entire non-anglophone world is expected to watch subtitled/dubbed films from the US, it is absolutely out of the question for anglophones to watch a film in a foreign language. The mind, truly, boggles. The masses refuse to watch films that aren't in English. I just, can't even comprehend that. I really can't. I don't speak Swedish. But the two films I have mentioned above are incredible. And they are among the best films I have seen in recent times. And yet, due to their success and popularity, Americans want, not to show them in their country, but to remake them? Why? They are already beautiful, complete and perfect pieces of art. Why wrench them out of their context, out of their culture and out of their language? I don't have a problem with the reinterpretation of a film, in fact it can be flattering if done well- a tribute. Nor do I dislike or dissaprove of an accurate filmic and linguistic translation. What I do have a problem with is when americans render foreign language films insipid, palatable and bland-all in the name of sheltering North Americans from, you know, other cultures. That, is not imitation, nor is it art. It is filmic genocide.

One more amazing film I recommend-"Naissance des pieuvres" is a stunning piece on teenage insecurity, lust and learning.

In other news.

Human beings have an incredible capacity to learn, develop, grow, mature, evolve and change.
It fascinates me. It spurs me on. It inspires me. But it is the fact that some people, many people, do not recognise that they possess this capacity and consequently do not take advantage of it that depresses and frustrates me.

Staying put. Growing up.

Identity is a fascinating, burning topic for me. In an academic context and in a personal sense.
I am extremely defensive of my own identity. It is something which I feel I contantly need to restablish, redefine and even reassure myself of , often in an erratic and excessive manner. This stems from my origin. I never felt culturally, socially or intelectually comfortable living in Northern Ireland. I didn't fit in and it bothered me, not that I felt aimless in the social landscape, but rather that I did not want to fit into it, that I did not identify with those around me and that I could not find solace in the cultural identity of my birthplace. I feel and felt like an observer. My current place of residence, my previous experiences, everything that I have seen and done, that is me. All of it. Not just one place, one people, one culture. It really comes down to a myriad of little, but incredibly significant things. Like this. It is a complex topic...