Be Kind Rewind Trailers and the etymology of 'Sweding'

Trailer for Be Kind Rewind (out in Oz, March 20, 2008)





Be Kind Rewind You Tube Profile
http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=BeKindMovie


Director Michael Gondry 'swedes' (translation: re-makes) his own film trailer.


Gondry's explanation on the etymology of sweding as told Chris Lee of the Los Angeles Times:

"I wanted a name that meant nothing," Paris native Gondry said in Clouseau-esque Franglais about the invention of the verb. "I had in mind, like, the suede shoes -- a fake velvet. A sort of ultra-suede? But I always get the word wrong because I'm French."

Another version of the origins of 'sweding' is propsed by Jennifer Hillner in her Wired profile (12.24.07)Wired of Gondry.

Gondry even invented a verb to describe it. To swede: the act of making a movie from everyday materials and simple technology. The word comes from a scene in the movie where Black explains to customers why the store's remade tapes cost $20 per rental and won't be ready for a week — they're imported from the far-off land of Sweden.

So when we see an authority figure threaten to confiscate our heroes video creations, one can't held but think of copyists of another sort: the Swedes behind the bit torrent tracking site Pirate Bay.

Official-type guy: "I have a warrant to destroy all your tapes. The FBI warning its at the beginning of every video tape."

Jerry (Jack Black): "Well, we erased that."