If the name of author Steig Larsson isn’t familiar, the cover of his globally best-selling book may provide instant recognition, considering the book is reaching Harry Potter-level ubiquity.
The film adaptation follows suit, blowing box office records all over Europe for it’s roundly praised, faithful rendition of the story of two detectives, of sorts, who uncover family scandals in search of a woman who has been missing for 40 years.
We sat down with director Niels Arden Oplev to chat about the film.
Q. Considering The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is such a point of pride for the Swedes, were you met with resistance when, being a Danish filmmaker, you were signed on to direct?
A. Since I’ve done really successful stuff for both movies and television, my record would I guess satisfy the directors to open up their wallet. Because they came and asked me to do this, I could put up some really tough terms. When you have something that’s so popular, I would rather take the whole responsibility and then if it fails, it’s my fault, my responsibility.
Q. The shooting schedule ran for eight months. What was that process like?
A. I had enormous goodwill from everybody, even though they thought I was half-crazy when we started shooting and I said that they should go home and say goodbye to their kids and wives and husbands because they weren’t going to see them for a really long time.
Q. Hollywood is planning another adaptation of Dragon Tattoo – how do you think they will change the story?
A. I think it’s fine to do an American remake. I would be surprised if they stick to the controversial-ness of Lisbeth’s past, her problem with her legal guardian.
In our film, it takes 74 minutes before the two main characters meet.
I don’t think a Hollywood producer would be able to comprehend that.
