I've now seen both the Swedish and American versions of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Which is better? I can't say. More than a year passed between viewings. Whose portrayal was better, Noomi Rapaci's or Rooney Mara's? Both were excellent, but I lean to Rapaci's, perhaps because it was my introduction to Stieg Laarsen's great protagonist, Lisabeth Stander. What I don't understand is why the second film was made at all. It doesn't bring much that is new to the story. I wonder if the producers considered bringing the action to the states instead of keeping it in Sweden. Were they restricted by the estate of Laarsen, who passed away from a massive heart attack in his early 50's? Strange. Speaking of strange, the opening credits were bizarre, backed with a cover of Led Zeppelin's Immigrant Song. I thought they were ridiculous. A couple of online reviewers deemed them ingenious. Fortunately, the second film ended in the black, and it was a wonderful showcase for Mara's talent.

Whenever immigration is argued, the Genius Visa is mentioned. The government recently awarded one to Canadian Shera Bechard, who was Playmate of the Month in November 2010. She qualified as a result of a photo sharing web site she developed, Frisky Friday. All red-blooded American males welcome her to these shores. Here's a pic:

Sad news out of Hollywood: Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes have filed for divorce. No word if Cruise was jumping up and down for joy on his couch. The matinee idol is now a three-time loser. He gets an A for effort, though. His first wife, Mimi Rodgers, was/is a lot older than him. His second, Nicole Kidman, is about his age. Holmes is considerably younger. What's next? Perhaps Betty White. I really enjoy Cruise's work, which I think is unfairly criticized, but I sense he is not easy to live with. Perhaps he has a genius IQ that makes him domineering. I wonder if Scientology has anything to do with it, although it doesn't seem to affect John Travolta and Kelly Preston. Then again, given the recent accusations against Travolta, who knows what's what. Hollywood types live in a different world.

It was a tough day for the floating book shop. I guess it was unreasonable to expect people to visit during such heat. I thank the elderly gentleman who purchased a series of God Understands pamphlets.

Visit Vic’s sites:
Vic’s Third Novel (Print or Kindle): http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic’s Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic’s Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic’s 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic’s 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic’s Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3f