Thursday, 28 January 2016

Thursday Movie Picks: Movies Adapted from Movies of a Different Language

It's Thursday! Time for Movie Picks. I'm so gutted I missed last week's theme, especially as I had only recently watched Flightplan! Anyway, Thursday Movie Picks is a fantastic series hosted by Wanderer at Wandering Through the Shelves, where each week she picks a theme and we all choose 3 movies that we feel fit.

I really love taking part in this series, but every now and again there will be a theme that just sits right outside of my comfort zone, and I back out. This week’s theme in Movies Adapted from Movies of a Different Language. This is well out of my comfort zone. Firstly, I can count on one hand the number of foreign language movies I’ve seen, and I don’t need to use many fingers, either.

In fact, there are only 3 movies I can think of that I’ve seen that were adapted from a movie in another language, so this is not a ‘best of’ or a ‘hidden gem’ list in the slightest! They’re also all English language movies. So, please forgive me this week, but I’m looking forward to learning a lot from everyone else taking part.

brothers-movie-adapted-foreign-language

Brothers (2009) is adapted from the Danish-language movie, Brødre (2004). It’s actually a fantastic movie in my opinion, but hard to watch for sure. Jake Gyllenhaal’s character is left to comfort his brother’s sister after he goes missing at war in Afghanistan. This is heartbreaking enough, but when his brother, played by Tobey Maguire, is found and returned home, tensions run high.

delivery-man-movie-adapted-foreign-language

Delivery Man (2013) is adapted from the French-Canadian movie, Starbuck (2011). I’m a big fan of Vince Vaughn, but this was a bit of a let down. I didn’t actually realise until this week that it was a remake, and I’m curious to see the original now. Surely it wouldn’t have been re-made if it was terrible? Anyway, Delivery Man is based on a real-life situation where a man in the US came to realise that due to his donations, he was the father of 150 children.

girl-with-dragon-tattoo-movie-adapted-foreign-language

And now I’m breaking an unspoken rule by picking a movie I’ve already chosen for another theme. Sorry! The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) is adapted from the Swedish-language movie, Män som hatar kvinnor (2009). Now say that 5 times quick. This is also based on a book of the same name, which I’m sure you knew already. It’s a great read, if you’re on the hunt for something new to start. It’s the story of a journalist who hunts down a woman who has been missing for over 40 years, with the help of a young computer hacker. It’s compelling, and gritty, and I highly recommend it!
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19 comments:

  1. Brittani Burnham28 January 2016 at 12:55

    I love that you chose Brothers. I really enjoyed that film and I'd like to see the Danish version. I haven't seen Delivery Man, and Dragon Tattoo is a good one too, even though I wasn't crazy about the film itself. I can't deny Rooney Mara was awesome.

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    1. Unknown28 January 2016 at 14:27

      I'd love to see the Danish version of Brothers. I've been trying to track it down for a while now with no luck!
      - Allie

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    2. Anonymous28 January 2016 at 20:14

      The Danish version of Brothers is remarkable. I LOVE THAT MOVIE SO MUCH!!! So much so that I refused to see the remake.

      You must track it down!

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  2. Sonia Cerca28 January 2016 at 14:23

    Damn, why didn't I think of Brothers? It was absolutely fantastic! I haven't seen Delivery Man, but The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is great and I also enjoyed the book.

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    1. Unknown28 January 2016 at 14:28

      I want to re-read the book, it's been years and I've forgotten all but the main plot :(
      Skip Delivery Man! It's okay, but nothing more sadly.
      - Allie

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  3. joel6591328 January 2016 at 17:17

    I liked both Brothers and Girl with the Dragon Tattoo but haven't seen the originals. Delivery Man is new to me.

    I'll offer mine up which I've seen both the originals and remakes of, maybe some will sound interesting to you. I'd recommend both versions of them all.

    Sorcerer (1977)-Four desperate men agree to transport a volatile shipment of nitro-glycerin over rugged terrain in the hopes of earning enough money to escape their present state. William Friedkin directed remake of the French classic Wages of Fear wasn’t a big success on its initial release but is a taut gritty drama. An international cast headed by Roy Scheider give intense performances. Perhaps not the equal of the original but on its own a solid suspenser.

    Human Desire (1954)-Fritz Lang helmed redo of Jean Renoir’s La Bête Humaine is hampered a trifle by the Hayes Code but his great cast, in particular Broderick Crawford and Gloria Grahame, and solid direction fill in the code demanded blanks. Loaded with sexual undertones.

    Intermezzo (1939)-American remake of identically named Swedish film also starring Ingrid Bergman served as her introduction to Hollywood. A world famous concert violinist becomes enamored with his daughter’s piano instructor. Feeling restless he invites her to tour with him, eventually they become involved and he leaves his family for her but soon realizes what he had originally. It’s a weepie loaded with beautiful music that’s worth catching for Ingrid’s stateside debut.

    Honorable Mention-Point of No Return (1993)-Stylish, glossy remake of Luc Besson’s La Femme Nikita with Bridget Fonda at the height of her brief heyday as the druggie turned government assassin. Not quite as sleek as the original but a propulsive engrossing thriller with Anne Bancroft a standout in her brief role as an etiquette teacher with an underlying fierceness.

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    1. Unknown29 January 2016 at 10:16

      Thanks Joel! I wouldn't bother watching Delivery Man but others here recommend the original, Starbuck, so that might be worth a watch!
      Sorcerer definitely sounds like something I'd like to watch! I haven't heard of any of them before though so thanks for putting them on my radar :)
      - Allie

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  4. Kevin Powers28 January 2016 at 21:39

    I really need to see Brothers. I really dug Bier's film In a Better World, which I watched for Fisti's Four Ways a Best Picture. Would love to see her original version and this remake. I love that cast. Delivery Man, and anything Vince Vaughn lately that is not True Detective, has really just seemed unappealing to me. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a terrific film, though it never would've occurred to me as a remake, as I consider it a better adaptation of the book itself than the Swedish original.

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    1. Unknown29 January 2016 at 10:17

      That's a very good point about The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo!
      It's a shame about Vince Vaughn though. I loved his early 00's comedies :)
      - Allie

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  5. Daniel29 January 2016 at 00:13

    I was really sad when I heard Vince Vaughn was doing a remake of Starbuck, since I heard the original was really good. But the second that casting was announced I pretty much knew the American version would suck. And pretty much every review confirmed it.

    I MUCH prefer the Swedish ...Dragon Tattoo to the American version, mostly because of Noomi Rapace who is really just perfection as Lisbeth.

    I still haven't seen either version of Brothers and I really need to.

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    1. Unknown29 January 2016 at 10:20

      Yeah what a shame! I was expecting Delivery Man to be decent at least! I might have to check out Starbuck though now.
      And THANK YOU! I prefer the Swedish version too, it's just much grittier and truer to the book I think.
      - Allie

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  6. Big Screen Small Words29 January 2016 at 03:16

    I haven't seen Brothers, and I'm interested to watch the original version of Delivery Man, I heard it was good. Both Dragon Tattoo films were good, though I have yet to watch the sequels.

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    1. Unknown29 January 2016 at 10:21

      I can't even remember if I've seen the sequels, which makes me think I haven't!
      I'm going to have to check out Starbuck I think :)
      - Allie

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  7. Birgit29 January 2016 at 15:09

    Brothers was so fast here and then gone-it sounds like a good movie. I should have seen the original version of Delivery man...but I didn't. This movie sounds ...ok but nothing special. I really like the last movie. I haven't seen the original but I thought this film was excellent

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    1. Unknown1 February 2016 at 11:12

      I nearly dropped Delivery Man from this list all together and sadly post just 2 movies, but I'm so glad I left it in now! There's a lot of interest in the original, Starbuck, and I want to see it now :)
      - Allie

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  8. Katie Hogan31 January 2016 at 22:19

    I loved both versiona of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, they are both brilliant in their own way. I'm not a huge Vince Vaughn fan so that was a miss for me, but I do have Starbuck to enjoy at some point.

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    1. Unknown1 February 2016 at 11:13

      I miss early 00's Vince Vaughn, he was great back then :(
      I'd love to know your thoughts on Starbuck once you've seen it!
      - Allie

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  9. Wanderer3 February 2016 at 18:27

    I've seen Brothers - definitely a difficult watch. Oh and Delivery Man too which I knew was based on a real person, but I didn't there was also a French-Canadian movie.

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    1. Unknown4 February 2016 at 09:07

      I know, right? I did have to cheat this week and actively look for adaptations to see if I'd seen any by pure chance, which is when I came across that :)
      - Allie

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