|
|
|
April 4th, 2011
02:28 pm - AMC's 'The Killing'
I urge US viewers who get the chance to see the original Danish version of The Killing. Apparently the original will never be shown on American television. I think that's an example of the TV stations underestimating their audience; I'm sure US viewers could enjoy a show with subtitles. Anyway, in the meantime AMC are screening their own remake. A double episode (Pilot + Episode 1 or something) was shown last night. I'll call it 'AMC's The Killing' for clarity.
My impression is good. This first episode seems to be a shot for shot remake of the first two episodes of the original. Seattle for Copenhagen. It's not quite as rough and gritty as the original, but it is well made, and it doesn't pretty up the female lead, although she hasn't got the intense hard-faced charisma and boiling energy of Sarah Lund. But who could? The cinematography is good - pale opalescent rather than dark, and there's a marked difference in the use of music, which is loud and signals emotion very strongly in this (I don't really remember much use of music in the original at all).
They say there is a different killer and motive from the original (unless that's a double bluff). The exigencies of avoiding two different spoilers for two different murder plots might make it difficult to comment on this show in anything but the vaguest terms. If I speculate on anyone as the murderer in this one, I am ruling them out in the other, and it all gets very complicated.
Guardian TV Review
PS - AMC how come you anticipate my tastes? It's kind of spooky. We've never even met.
|
![[User Picture]](https://l-userpic.livejournal.com/79525392/399125) | | From: |  ajr |
|---|
| Date: | April 4th, 2011 10:30 pm (UTC) |
|---|
| | | (Link) |
|
Seattle for Copenhagen
With, I understand, Vancouver standing in for Seattle.
it doesn't pretty up the female lead, although she hasn't got the intense hard-faced charisma and boiling energy of Sarah Lund.
Heh. My first thought when I saw the trailer, more or less, was actually "She's too pretty." Or to put it another way, it appeared to me that the American remake had make a bunch of characters about ten years younger, which I found slightly annoying.
(I don't really remember much use of music in the original at all).
They did use a bit, but it was very much background atmosphere music. I thought it worked well, but it does probably fall into the category of "If you notice it, it's not doing its job." I must admit that halfway through watching it, I did try Googling to see if I could find a soundtrack album.
They say there is a different killer and motive from the original (unless that's a double bluff)
Given that the show has been cut down from 20 episodes to 13, and the length of the episodes are down from ~55 minutes to ~43 minutes, I can believe they've changed it. The problem I have is, I'm not sure that's enough to get me to watch it. It will have to be my Forbrydelsen methadone until they show season 2 on BBC4.
I thought the music in this was really front-and-centre but I guess that's a legitimate artistic decision. I am glad they have retained the pain of the bereaved family as a major dramatic issue, and I think that's where music is used most. |
|
|
|
|
LiveJournal.com |
