Subject: Watching both versions I'm an American who found out about this via the Guardian. I've watched the AMC version and bought the UK DVD and there's no comparison. For those who've never seen the original, the AMC version is pretty good though the characters are a bit different. The partner is much more irritating(grungy) and the US Lundt can't seem to get the silent but intriguing part down. Finally, the music is too overpowering. The best part about the original is it didn't tell you how to feel about a particular character-the story had to play out.
Just wish I had more hours in the day to watch all 20 episodes at once.
Wish someone else I knew liked this but mention the word "subtitles" and most people tune out. I remember going to the theater to see the German film "Downfall". Soon after the movie started several couples left complaining they didn't know they'd have to read subtitles! Their loss.
Sorry, I only just saw your message about The Killing! It didn't hit my lj page, only my yahoo mail and I'm crap at keeping up with yahoo!
I managed to watch the first two episodes but I've since given up completely on the AMC version. I keep getting this urge to run into discussion forums shouting "They're doing it all wrong! Watch the original!" especially when people are claiming that the remake is a "shot for shot" version of the Danish...
I was just chatting with an American friend about it, she's enjoying the AMC one and I couldn't really get across all the things I hated about it. It's difficult when that form of drama is ingrained within a culture - the heightened emotions, signposted characterisation, moppet-cute kids, overwrought music (even though it's similar to that used in Forbrydelsen it can't help but wrench it up a few more notches), the complete lack of subtlety in the dialogue.
I think in the UK we're so over-exposed to US TV that it's only when you then see something that's different that you realise how lovely that difference is. After the Crime Scene Porn of CSI and all its ilk, something that's quiet, understated, thoughtful and so beautifully acted is something that's really worth treasuring. I've read a few responses to the AMC show saying how different it feels, how they love Sarah's "stillness" and the focus on the family but I don't see it really. I still see a typically American show with all that that entails. The lead actress on AMC is useless as well. Impossible task for her to live up to Sofie Grabol, but still, she's pretty dreadful.
We're very lucky over here to have BBC4. It's a tiny arts channel that very few people watch but it seems to have the remit to air shows with subtitles! Don't be fooled, they're anathema for pretty much the majority of the population over here as well. Fortunately, BBC4 doesn't seem to give a damn and started the trend with the original Swedish series Wallander and then Spiral (French), carving a niche out for itself by digging up decent Euro-dramas that no other channels would touch with a barge-pole. Forbrydelsen was a natural addition to this stable and received a lot of attention from certain quarters of the press (The Guardian and The Radio Times were massive advocates for the show) and a lot of very enthusiastic fans!
Hopefully once Forbrydelsen II rolls around, The Guardian won't leave it till it's nearly finished to sort out a discussion blog (they were a little late to jump on the bandwagon!) The rice pudding recipe that was posted on there was absolutely delicious ;-)
Lastly, LOL to the people leaving the cinema. We're so incredibly lazy with languages over here, just arrogantly assuming that people will speak English. I can just about get by in German and marginally in French but I wish I was multi-lingual like most of Europe, they put us to shame. Listening to Danish was brilliant. The language is utterly lovely and half the pleasure of the show was hearing the original dialogue. You can't help but fear that if the original was ever shown in the States, it would probably be a dubbed version...
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Re: Watching both versions
Date: 2011-04-28 10:57 am (UTC)I'm an American who found out about this via the Guardian. I've watched the AMC version and bought the UK DVD and there's no comparison. For those who've never seen the original, the AMC version is pretty good though the characters are a bit different. The partner is much more irritating(grungy) and the US Lundt can't seem to get the silent but intriguing part down. Finally, the music is too overpowering. The best part about the original is it didn't tell you how to feel about a particular character-the story had to play out.
Just wish I had more hours in the day to watch all 20 episodes at once.
Wish someone else I knew liked this but mention the word "subtitles" and most people tune out. I remember going to the theater to see the German film "Downfall". Soon after the movie started several couples left complaining they didn't know they'd have to read subtitles! Their loss.
Sorry, I only just saw your message about The Killing! It didn't hit my lj page, only my yahoo mail and I'm crap at keeping up with yahoo!
I managed to watch the first two episodes but I've since given up completely on the AMC version. I keep getting this urge to run into discussion forums shouting "They're doing it all wrong! Watch the original!" especially when people are claiming that the remake is a "shot for shot" version of the Danish...
I was just chatting with an American friend about it, she's enjoying the AMC one and I couldn't really get across all the things I hated about it. It's difficult when that form of drama is ingrained within a culture - the heightened emotions, signposted characterisation, moppet-cute kids, overwrought music (even though it's similar to that used in Forbrydelsen it can't help but wrench it up a few more notches), the complete lack of subtlety in the dialogue.
I think in the UK we're so over-exposed to US TV that it's only when you then see something that's different that you realise how lovely that difference is. After the Crime Scene Porn of CSI and all its ilk, something that's quiet, understated, thoughtful and so beautifully acted is something that's really worth treasuring. I've read a few responses to the AMC show saying how different it feels, how they love Sarah's "stillness" and the focus on the family but I don't see it really. I still see a typically American show with all that that entails. The lead actress on AMC is useless as well. Impossible task for her to live up to Sofie Grabol, but still, she's pretty dreadful.
We're very lucky over here to have BBC4. It's a tiny arts channel that very few people watch but it seems to have the remit to air shows with subtitles! Don't be fooled, they're anathema for pretty much the majority of the population over here as well. Fortunately, BBC4 doesn't seem to give a damn and started the trend with the original Swedish series Wallander and then Spiral (French), carving a niche out for itself by digging up decent Euro-dramas that no other channels would touch with a barge-pole. Forbrydelsen was a natural addition to this stable and received a lot of attention from certain quarters of the press (The Guardian and The Radio Times were massive advocates for the show) and a lot of very enthusiastic fans!
Hopefully once Forbrydelsen II rolls around, The Guardian won't leave it till it's nearly finished to sort out a discussion blog (they were a little late to jump on the bandwagon!) The rice pudding recipe that was posted on there was absolutely delicious ;-)
Lastly, LOL to the people leaving the cinema. We're so incredibly lazy with languages over here, just arrogantly assuming that people will speak English. I can just about get by in German and marginally in French but I wish I was multi-lingual like most of Europe, they put us to shame. Listening to Danish was brilliant. The language is utterly lovely and half the pleasure of the show was hearing the original dialogue. You can't help but fear that if the original was ever shown in the States, it would probably be a dubbed version...
Thanks for writing.