https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/nordic-noir-howwhywhen-did-you-get-interested-job-interview-research Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Tue, 21 Apr 2026 06:17:46 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/nordic-noir-howwhywhen-did-you-get-interested-job-interview-research#post-1896445 Mon, 05 Mar 2018 16:39:23 +0000 LaPed 1896445@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Harmonica, this isn't strictly Nordic Noir, but you might really enjoy taking a look at <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.amazon.com/Welcome-Goddamn-Ice-Cube-Chasing-ebook/dp/B016I2A92C">Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube</a>&nbsp;by Blair Braverman. It's a memoir by a young American woman and focuses largely on her travels in remote parts of Norway, learning to become a musher. It's an uneven book, but I think her writing is at its best when she's describing Nordic culture and her efforts to understand/integrate and feel at home in a very dark, remote part of the world.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/nordic-noir-howwhywhen-did-you-get-interested-job-interview-research#post-1894731 Wed, 28 Feb 2018 06:34:46 +0000 Emily K 1894731@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Sorry that I'm seeing this late! &nbsp;I hope your research is coming along well.</p> <p>About a year ago, I was complaining to a friend about the shallow and formulaic nature of American bestsellers in general and about the poor quality of available crime/suspense-type books specifically. &nbsp;I was jaded and had not read modern literature in a very, very long time. &nbsp;My friend suggested the Icelandic Inspector Erlendur novels by Arnaldur Indridason. &nbsp;I read one, enjoyed it, and promptly read the entire series. &nbsp;After that, I acted on a suggestion from Amazon to try the <u>Department Q</u> series by Jussi Adler-Olsen. &nbsp;I enjoyed those as well and quickly read all of them. &nbsp;</p> <p>Things I appreciated about both series: &nbsp;the lead characters were interesting to me and seemed to be more well-developed and consistent in themselves; the stories were detailed and well thought out and did not succumb to "pulling a rabbit out of the hat"-style plot twists, the stories were different and more interesting than the formulaic stories I expect to read in American best-sellers. &nbsp;I watched one Jussi Adler-Olsen movie, <u>The Keeper of Lost Causes</u>, but I didn't enjoy it as much as the book--it seemed simplified and the violence was more disturbing to me. &nbsp;However, it is rare that I enjoy a movie if I've already read the book from which it was made.</p> <p>I'm not sure if it is part of the genre, but I've watched and really enjoyed the Swedish movie <u>Kitchen Stories</u>. &nbsp;I think it was suggested to me based on my Netflix watching history. &nbsp;I liked it for the same reasons I prefer many foreign films--it did not follow the Hollywood blockbuster formula, it was different, subtly funny, and introspective. &nbsp;I probably first watched it in 2007.</p> <p>More recently, I watched and enjoyed the Norwegian film <u>Troll Hunter--</u>it's really quirky,&nbsp;different, and detail-rich<u></u>. &nbsp;I was on quite a hunt for interesting and different (often foreign) monster/suspense movies. &nbsp;I'd previously watched and enjoyed <u>The Host</u> (Korean), <u>Perfume: &nbsp;the Story of a Murderer</u>, and <u>District 9</u>.</p> <p>I wouldn't say that I sought out the genre of Nordic Noir--I didn't even know that such a thing existed--but, looking backward, I did find lots of examples of the genre that satisfied my need for something different, texturally richer, subtle--both in terms of characterization and the scope of the plot, and more psychologically compelling than typical American fare. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/nordic-noir-howwhywhen-did-you-get-interested-job-interview-research#post-1892976 Thu, 22 Feb 2018 20:11:09 +0000 harmonica 1892976@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm thrilled by reading your comments. Interesting and fun. I'll come back and answer more properly later. Now I'll have to work through my reading list and catching up on loads of feature films and TV series. There is a lot material! </p> <p><b>RL</b>, I'll give you an incomplete answer on how Nordic culture feel from the "inside" later.lol</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/nordic-noir-howwhywhen-did-you-get-interested-job-interview-research#post-1892942 Thu, 22 Feb 2018 18:52:32 +0000 Anonymous 1892942@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I haven't seen the 2004 Swedish movie <i>Let the Right One In</i> mentioned here, but it's a wonderful romantic/horror/coming-of-age movie.&nbsp; (There was also an American version made later, which is also good, but I prefer the Swedish version.)&nbsp; And has anyone read <i>Burial Rites</i> by Hannah Kent?&nbsp; Based on the true story of a woman in Iceland condemned to death for a double murder.&nbsp; (Not sure if Iceland counts if we're just talking about Scandinavian countries, but had to mention it!)</p> <p>I love reading this thread! <b>Cindysmith</b>, I would love to watch Wallander with you and listen to your critique.&nbsp; You have much knowledge! :)</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/nordic-noir-howwhywhen-did-you-get-interested-job-interview-research#post-1892895 Thu, 22 Feb 2018 16:35:02 +0000 Jenn 1892895@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I just rediscovered Nordic Noir recently, when a reading challenge I was doing listed at as one of the genres on the list. I'd read The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo books when they first came out in the US, but hadn't really explored beyond that. I don't watch a lot of television, so my response will be limited to books. &nbsp;:)</p> <p>I finished Camilla <b></b>Lä<b></b>ckberg's <i>Ice Princess&nbsp;</i>a few weeks ago and immediately ordered the next book in the series. I adored how this dark crime thriller story was punctuated by the main characters doing things like having long, candlelit dinners with wine. Or making picnics to eat on the deck of a fishing boat in midwinter. I just can't imagine those things happening in American crime fiction.</p> <p>I've always loved Nordic culture (I took a Women in Scandinavian Literature class way back in college) and adore American film noir, so this is a fantastic confluence. I'm anticipating a deeper delve over the next year.</p> <p>(I've also been learning Swedish via the Duolingo app, so I really mean it when I say "deep dive"!) </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/nordic-noir-howwhywhen-did-you-get-interested-job-interview-research#post-1892837 Thu, 22 Feb 2018 13:22:05 +0000 Staysfit 1892837@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Aha! I have either read or seen all of these! Why? I love crime and mystery, anything dark and sinsester. It doesn’t have anything to do with Nordic origins, I’m an equal opportunity watcher and reader. I’m fascinated by sociopathy. I’m a shrink so I enjoy human psychology, especially when it’s well done in art. If it isn’t well done, that also leaves me something to think about. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/nordic-noir-howwhywhen-did-you-get-interested-job-interview-research#post-1892832 Thu, 22 Feb 2018 13:05:24 +0000 Adriana 1892832@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>My love for Scandinavian Noir began with the books from Sjowall and Wahloo. Swedish detective novels. Lots of commentary about the welfare state. People who fall through the cracks. This is a theme in more novels like the Icelandic writer Indridason. Other: Nesbo, Adler-Olson, Nesser etc. It isn't paradise for everybody. Some people don't want or cannot conform. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/nordic-noir-howwhywhen-did-you-get-interested-job-interview-research#post-1892770 Thu, 22 Feb 2018 04:19:10 +0000 Laurinda 1892770@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm not a big fan of crime thrillers, but I enjoyed reading&nbsp;Peter Høeg's <i>Smila's Sense for Snow</i> - especially the information gleaned from Greenland vs Denmark Danish dialects.&nbsp;</p> <p>I'd include&nbsp;Aki Kaurismäki's 1988 film <i>Ariel </i>as Nordic Noir. That movie is unsettling with its bleakness and thwarted dreams. Was it really a happy ending? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/nordic-noir-howwhywhen-did-you-get-interested-job-interview-research#post-1892766 Thu, 22 Feb 2018 03:47:13 +0000 Angie 1892766@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>Cindy,</b> Shetland is not unlike Wallander. YES, I loved the countryside landscapes very much.&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Monica:</b> </p> <ul> <li>ABBA won the Eurovision song contest with "Waterloo" in the early '70s and I was hooked. Parents loved ABBA and so did I.</li> <li>IKEA came to HK in the '70s and my parents loved to go there. We went as kids, and enjoyed the family outing.&nbsp;</li> <li>In the late '90s, I bought a LOT at H&amp;M.&nbsp;</li> <li>Cousin lived in Sweden, and I went to his wedding. It was fab.&nbsp;</li> <li>The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo series got me hooked onto Wallander. I still rate it as one of the best TV shows.&nbsp;</li> <li>We made Scandi friends when we lived in France.&nbsp;</li> <li>Have always loved Swedish decor because its very light and white. Form follows function, AND because good design should always be affordable.&nbsp;</li> </ul> <p>As for the TV shows, the characters are imperfect and "flawed", which makes them more relatable. Wallander couldn't shoot straight despite being a detective, which would never happen in a US TV show.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/nordic-noir-howwhywhen-did-you-get-interested-job-interview-research#post-1892715 Thu, 22 Feb 2018 01:37:10 +0000 Gaylene 1892715@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>In answer to your questions:<br /> Got interested when I married a Norwegian (with a good chunk of Danish mixed in) and was firmly taken in hand when I naively mused out loud about “Scandinavian” culture to my in laws. Apparently thinking a Norwegian is the same as a Swede and/or a Dane is like saying Americans and Canadians are the same (or a Scot and a Brit—or a German and an Austrian for that matter). My knuckles were firmly rapped; apparently, their woodpiles are even stacked differently—a finer distinction to which I was duly alerted. </p> <p>I enjoy Nordic Noir because it’s fun spotting the difference between the Scandinavian cultures as depicted in the various series, but, mostly because the characters are allowed to have “baggage” which renders them fallible and prone to misjudgments and moral quandaries. </p> <p>As for my outsider impressions of the Scandinavian countries that I’ve spent some time in (and which would no doubt be hotly contested by my relatives), here goes:</p> <p>Danes like things to be comfortable. The “hygge” mania (birthed in the mind of a clever English writer) stems from that desire for “niceness” in one’s surroundings, relationships, and interactions to keep those melancholic tendancies in check (see the prototype “melancholic Dane”—Hamlet). Danish design is based on this philosophy of “it should be nice to look at as well serve a function”—an aesthetic which applies to people, by the way, as well as household goods. Food is taken seriously, and mealtime is important; even very young children are meticulously trained in proper table etiquette so both youngest and oldest family members can eat together in harmony. Candles and fresh flowers are also important because they make things “nice”. Diversity is fine as long as it isn’t disruptive; if it becomes belligerent, it is countered by a double dose of “niceness” so the person capitulates or is smothered. In either case, harmony and comfort are restored. </p> <p>Norwegians are connected to the land. They love to be out in it, to embrace it, and to experience it in the depth of their souls. They very much believe in equality—both in a tangible and intangible sense—and a mystical interconnectiveness of land, sea, and spirit. They keep darkness away by being active. Going for a long hike/ski in the woods, regardless of the weather, is a solution for almost any crisis. Drinking toasts and telling stories, by men and women, is also important—eating is optional but may be necessary if the night is long. Being resilient and resourceful is applauded, even if the end result may be mixed. I adore Norwegian men, but, then, I’m prejudiced. </p> <p>Swedes are orderly. They like the structure of the hive, but without being told directly how to do something. Swedes can be amazingly open and appallingly stubborn at the same time. They tend to get morose when left alone too long by themselves. Their insular and introspective tendencies are mitigated by sunlight. That's why the best Swedish Noir films and TV series are shot in low light—makes for lots of soul-searching looks, minimal dialogue, and grey landscape as the hero/heroine needs to sort out his/her internal conflicts. </p> <p>My Scandinavian in-laws would most likely strenuously disagree with my observations, but, hey, I’m just a Canuck girl who wanders around trying to make sense of what she sees. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/nordic-noir-howwhywhen-did-you-get-interested-job-interview-research#post-1892706 Thu, 22 Feb 2018 01:04:12 +0000 rachylou 1892706@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Sweet Land was a great movie! Hilarious really. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/nordic-noir-howwhywhen-did-you-get-interested-job-interview-research#post-1892686 Wed, 21 Feb 2018 23:58:15 +0000 cindysmith 1892686@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Angie, yes Shetland was better than broadchurch. Broadchurch was a hard watch for me because I'm not a parent, and therefore couldn't really relate to so much of the anguish the mom dealt with. </p> <p>And even though shetland isn't Nordic noir I did like the contrasts in it, between the landscapes and the crimes. It was reminiscent of what xtabay said she liked about Nordic noir. </p> <p>I do have wallander on my watch list (both the Kenneth Brannagh &amp; original versions). your words have me chomping at the bit for the original </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/nordic-noir-howwhywhen-did-you-get-interested-job-interview-research#post-1892685 Wed, 21 Feb 2018 23:56:35 +0000 Angie 1892685@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'll be back to answer your questions properly later - sorry to get side tracked.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/nordic-noir-howwhywhen-did-you-get-interested-job-interview-research#post-1892681 Wed, 21 Feb 2018 23:49:41 +0000 Angie 1892681@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>FUN topic, <b>Monica</b>.&nbsp;</p> <p>I have been to Scandnavia, and I<i> love</i> Scandi design. My dream kitchen is Scandi Farmhouse Chic. Lots of white, light wood, pops of controlled colour, modern yet very cozy. I don't like modern without the cozy.&nbsp;</p> <p>Wallander was my favourite Scandi TV show. The landscapes and decor are SUBLIME. Very, very different. The scale of it is remarkable, and the stillness leaves you quite breathless. (Not too fond of Scandi food though).&nbsp;</p> <p>I saw Shetland, and LOVED it. But that's British and not Scandi. The Sheltlands are part of Scotland, although very, very north. Broad Church &nbsp;is also British, and plays in Dorset. It was okay. Sheltand was much better, IMO.&nbsp;</p> <p>As Nordic as I am and look, I have very strong Asian heritage - and my heart lies with Asia. Hong Kong is home.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/nordic-noir-howwhywhen-did-you-get-interested-job-interview-research#post-1892658 Wed, 21 Feb 2018 22:52:39 +0000 Anonymous 1892658@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Never heard that term before - other than tossed around half-jokingly by publishers reps, but......I'm all over this and have been for a few years now. &nbsp;I could care less if I ever travelled to Thailand or Japan or China but top of my travel bucket list are the Scandinavian countries. My fascination started with the design culture there - and then I was also repping a few publishers who had Scandinavian authors on their lists, and then of course: tv shows (The Bridge, Wallander, etc) &nbsp;and movies (The Danish Girl , for example) &nbsp;I LOVE the geography, the unique sense of stillness but with a lot of underground energy, the colours, the attitudes, the social norms. all of it. &nbsp;I get a sense of peace and depth from open spaces, fewer people, barren landscapes, yet rich culture and again, design.</p> <p>&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/nordic-noir-howwhywhen-did-you-get-interested-job-interview-research#post-1892643 Wed, 21 Feb 2018 21:47:26 +0000 Rambling Ann 1892643@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I love the film Sweet Land, about a Norwegian immigrant community in the US plains right after WWI who has to deal with a German mail order bride.&nbsp;<div><br /></div><div>Not sure how truly Nordic it is, but I am also fascinated by the American fascination lately with the concept of hygge, which is quite the counterpoint to the Protestant work ethic stereotypes of both Nordic immigrants and the founding generations of American Puritans. It's like as a world culture we are saying "enough is enough, let me take a break and&nbsp;drink my coffee in a few minutes of peace."</div> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/nordic-noir-howwhywhen-did-you-get-interested-job-interview-research#post-1892642 Wed, 21 Feb 2018 21:47:02 +0000 cindysmith 1892642@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Rachylou, Lilyhammer was definitely different for men, I didn't enjoy it as much as my DH did. Granted, I'm not much for comedies of any sort, so maybe I'm being extremely prejudiced. </p> <p>And xtabay, well said:<br /> "being drawn into a story that contrasted all that icy, snowy purity and innocence/naivete with the dark undercurrents of crime and evil."<br /> That pretty much succinctly summed it up for me, in a way that I hadn't thought to put words to.</p> <p>Harmonica, I'm desperately hoping we get caught up on Vikings soon so I can search for a second season of Sorjonen (it's been titled "bordertown" on Netflix in the states, but thankfully is done in the original languages with subtitles instead of the horrible voiceovers of "3%")</p> <p>Robin, "broadchurch" is the one with David tennant, right? I liked that one, I need to see if the next season is available for binging yet.</p> <p>JAileen, I've got the Kenneth Brannagh "wallander" on my watch list. It's getting good reviews/hype when you search for Nordic noir must see lists; and at university I finished out my English class requirements under a Shakespearean expert who was partial to Kenneth Brannagh, so I'm definitely curious about it.</p> <p>Anybody else watched "Shetland"? It's Scottish IIRC, and the darkness pervades that one from the crimes to the shots of the windswept fields and I really liked it. The landscapes were so raw and green and powerful, and didn't seem come across as innocently as a windy field of wheat in "little house on the prarie" did. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/nordic-noir-howwhywhen-did-you-get-interested-job-interview-research#post-1892629 Wed, 21 Feb 2018 20:35:46 +0000 rachylou 1892629@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Fargo is perfect. Dark things happen, but the reactions are so... underplayed. So unable to break past the normal. The normal is an iron wall.</p> <p>I thought I should add my actual impressions of things Nordic: Green ground, blue sky, no flowers, grey buildings, stark white interiors. Good cheer, wide caring, but also a meanness ... a certain sparseness of feeling (I hope no one takes that the wrong way; it’s rather comforting and familiar actually - ‘a little is a lot’). Clean food, unmuddied tastes. Vigorousness. Primness at work on the one hand; but a certain love-em-and-leave-em paganism on the other. Disdain for Americans (‘cuz we’re small-minded)... hahaha! :D</p> <p>Another series that entertained me: the black comedy, Lillehammer.</p> <p>You have to tell me, harmonica, what Nordic culture feels like from the inside..!! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/nordic-noir-howwhywhen-did-you-get-interested-job-interview-research#post-1892576 Wed, 21 Feb 2018 16:44:51 +0000 harmonica 1892576@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks for sharing! This is so interesting! </p> <p><b>RachyL</b>, I know lots of German, Norwegian and Swedish people emigrated in the last part of the 19th century and ended up in Minnesota and thereabouts. Linguists are intrigued by their language because it's sort of a "canned" representation of the 1880's language. And some of the cultural customs are really weird compared to contemporary Nordic culture. I saw Smilla's sense of snow on screen a long time ago. The representation of Greenlandic culture is interesting, but I don't remember much of it now. Silence, stiff body language and awkward social skills are a thing, for sure. </p> <p><b>cindysmith</b>, interesting to read your engagement with the dark and ripped aesthetics! I'd love to see <i><br /> Sorjonen</i>. The Nordic welfare state is *very* different from the American social security system. Many have argued that Nordic noir shows the flip side of the well-run welfare institutions. </p> <p><b>Xtabay</b>, I love <i>Fargo</i>. It's set in North Dakota where lots of Nordic immigrants settled.</p> <p><b>RobinF</b>, I like the complexity of the characters, too. If a film or TV series is too glossy or "perfect" I often loose interest. I think this realist expression is partly developed because the industry is very small scale (compared to Hollywood and film nations like France, Italy, Germany and GB).</p> <p><b>JAileen</b>, you are so right about the contrast to "Fairytale Scandinavia". Nature has always been marketed in a touristy and national romantic way. Noir really changes things up! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/nordic-noir-howwhywhen-did-you-get-interested-job-interview-research#post-1892547 Wed, 21 Feb 2018 15:32:50 +0000 JAileen 1892547@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I haven’t read any, so you probably don’t want my thoughts, but I saw a few episodes of Wallander (with Kenneth Branagh). I was surprised how very dark the atmosphere was. My impression of Scandinavia before that was the opposite, what Rachy said, fairytale nostalgia. Also, ice hotels. So very clean and white. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/nordic-noir-howwhywhen-did-you-get-interested-job-interview-research#post-1892545 Wed, 21 Feb 2018 15:32:12 +0000 RobinF 1892545@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>My DH and I love these series'. We have seen the ones Cindy mentioned, Bordertown and Occupied, as well as Wallender and Broadchurch (not sure these are Nordic but seem to have the same moodiness) and probably some others that I can't think of right now. They are so well made and acted, the characters have very real strengths and weaknesses and I love that they look like "normal" people rather than actors. I also spent a year in Finland in high school so have a fondness for anything Scandinavian. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/nordic-noir-howwhywhen-did-you-get-interested-job-interview-research#post-1892531 Wed, 21 Feb 2018 15:05:58 +0000 Anonymous 1892531@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I think "Fargo" (the original movie) started me on the genre.&nbsp; Not set in Scandinavia, I know, but a lot of the characters could have descended from those parts.&nbsp; After that, I noticed that I enjoyed (if that's the right word) being drawn into a story that contrasted all that icy, snowy purity and innocence/naivete with the dark undercurrents of crime and evil.&nbsp; Intriguing! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/nordic-noir-howwhywhen-did-you-get-interested-job-interview-research#post-1892515 Wed, 21 Feb 2018 14:46:54 +0000 cindysmith 1892515@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I could probably go on for a long time about this topic, so apologies if this gets too long. I was a liberal arts major at university, and therefore spent way too much time over thinking every element of an artwork (because, really, sometimes a cigar really is just a cigar and not a phallic symbol)</p> <p>I suppose the dragon tattoo book trilogy started it for me; however, "Occupied" ("okkupert") made Nordic noir my full blown obsession. </p> <p>"Okkupert" came along (meaning I binge watched it) at a very interesting time: right after the last presidential election, as the Russia meddling thing was really exploding in the news. So i found it oddly relevant or ominous or something.</p> <p>My next binge was "Bordertown" ("Sorjonen") and the liberal arts major in me could have written doctoral dissertation-like papers (books, even) on that one. My home decorating sensibilities align with the Brutalist style of architecture and also tend toward very dark colors; so a lot of the scenes set inside the police department really resonated with something in me that found them very cool, serene, enveloping. Contrast that with the brightness of the scenes shot inside cafes and homes, and you have some serious material for multiple liberal arts papers. That contrast between the darkness of the office environment and the brightness of scenes shot outside the office says a lot (on a subliminal level) about the difference in attitude about work versus the American culture of jobs that BECOME our lives; many American works don't make the office environment as dark and forbidding as the Nordic noir genre shows (sweeping generalization there, one that also takes into account the fact that most people aren't drawn to brutalism on an almost spiritual level).</p> <p>I could go on for much longer about my fascination with these films, books, and shows. I'll oversimplify it by saying that I get much less sense of moral judgement from them than I do from American works. I also get a sense that people who are different are less ostracized over there. Part of me wondered, throughout "Sorjonen", if the title character might not fall somewhere on the autism spectrum here in the states (same feeling from "Sherlock" as played by Benedict Cumberbatch); these characters were rich and well rounded. As a contrast, I offer up Sheldon from our "Big Bang Theory"; delightful as he is, he is generally very one note--his quirk is always "on", making him as different from Sorjonen and Sherlock as the sun is from the moon.</p> <p>I also really get envious of the social safety net that is just part of the fabric of a character's life; in the Belgian series "The Break", the central character got mental health treatment instead of the condemnation and prison time he might have gotten here.</p> <p>Lastly, I realized, while watching "Cardinal" (Canadian, I know, but stay with me), that something in those frozen and icy landscapes is just so soothing to me. As if the world is sleeping peacefully, waiting on the warmth of spring to wake it from a good sleep. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/nordic-noir-howwhywhen-did-you-get-interested-job-interview-research#post-1892490 Wed, 21 Feb 2018 13:44:19 +0000 rachylou 1892490@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oh wait... so the Lutheran thing is associated with morose-ness. A joke that makes us howl: Two Norwegian American farmers are sitting in a barn. One of them lifts a jug and says, ‘Drink?’ And the other says, ‘Did we come here to yap or to drink?’</p> <p>Anyways, you don’t understand where that dry silence comes from going to Ikea and watching New Scandinavian Cooking on the telly. Nordic Noir feels like it explains it... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/nordic-noir-howwhywhen-did-you-get-interested-job-interview-research#post-1892482 Wed, 21 Feb 2018 13:33:34 +0000 rachylou 1892482@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oh how interesting, harmonica! I hadn’t heard the term Nordic Noir, so I googled it. And apparently, I have read and watched more than I would have guessed (!) I suppose my bff introduced me to it by getting me to read Smilla’s Sense of Snow, which was beautifully written. The language, even in translation, has that crisp, hushed, crunch of snow. The Sound is incredible and unique.</p> <p>You know, in the US, Lutherans of Nordic descent is a bit of a thing. There’s a radio program, Prairie Home Companion, that used to joke around about the subject. In any case, my mum was raised Lutheran and I have Scandinavian food in my tum, if no dna in my blood, lol. My connection is through food - and ok, a high school boyfriend. Lol! I’ve spent a little time in Sweden (but have never been to Stockholm, because I have a unique ability to avoid major cities).</p> <p>What I sorta like about Nordic Noir is that I think I get a taste of MODERN Scandinavia, a taste without the rose-coloured glasses of holidays in little places and the fairytale nostalgia of the diaspora. It woke me up a bit the first time I came across a Mexican character in a Nordic Noir thing. Japanese, Africans, ok. But Mexican... !! Lol. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/nordic-noir-howwhywhen-did-you-get-interested-job-interview-research#post-1892436 Wed, 21 Feb 2018 10:32:08 +0000 harmonica 1892436@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I have a job interview for a tenure position next week and I've just started my preparations. The interview includes a trial lecture on a given topic: <b>Nordic Noir</b>. I know some of you have been seeing Nordic Noir TV series and maybe feature films, too. I'm a curious and want to ask about a few things because this is a diverse and international community: </p> <ul> <li><b>how</b>-<b>why</b>-<b>when </b>you got interested</li> <li>what's your fascination with these series/feature films </li> <li>what impression you get of the Nordic countries.</li> </ul> <p>I find it really interesting to see my region from an outside perspective and how the Nordic culture has become a "thing", so I'm asking out of curiosity and your comments won't serve as any kind of research material. :-)</p>