Cocaine Princess here.
This past Wednesday the trailer for the upcoming film “The Great Gatsby” was released sending twitter into a mad frenzy. Unless you live under a rock, the movie is based on the novel by the same name, written by the great author F. Scott Fitzgerald whose book in 1998 was voted the second greatest work of English-language fiction in the 20th century.
Most of you are aware I was home schooled. One of my English reading requirements was to read the novel and then write a paper with all the literary devices such as: foreshadowing, analyzing the characters, the role of narration and of course the symbolism-- like the green light situated at the end of Daisy's East Egg dock.
Honestly I didn’t enjoy the book because I was so busy studying it and making notes. My sister suggested I re-read it again without paying attention to any of the literary aspects. Normally I’m not one to listen to her but it must have been a Blue Moon because I decided to take her advice and was glad I did. The decadence, the obsession, and the tragedy central to the narrative make for a fascinating and twisted all-American melodrama.
The movie filmed in 3D is set to be released on Christmas Day and is Hollywood's fourth attempt bringing this film to the big screen, the the most notable one starred Robert Redford and Mia Farrow. The 2012 version is directed by Baz Lurhmann who found fame with “Moulin Rouge” and setting the Shakespearean classic “Romeo+Juliet” in modern day time while still retaining its original dialogue. The casting is as followed: Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby, Carey Mulligan as Daisy and Toby McGuire as Nick Carraway. A lot of pressure has been put on Baz Lurhmann on whether his adaptation will be a success. I guess we just have to wait and see, however since the trailer's release fans are either loving this eagerly awaited film (like me!) or they are hating it. There seems to be no middle ground. Soon after the trailer's release came severe backlash from F. Scott Fitzgerald fans:
“I had no idea they had auto~tune back in 1922.”
“Really, who watched The Cider House Rules and thought, ‘I want Toby Maguire to narrate my movie.”
“There should be warnings of ‘excessive creative license’ or “loosely based on a plot and characters by F. Scott Fitzgerald.”
“Good to see restraint coming on the part of the director. My god that looks horrendous. CGI green screens, 3-D and anachronistic pop music grafted onto Fitzgerald’s book = massive mess.”
One major criticism is the trailer, it opens to the Kanye West/Jay-Z collaboration “No Church in the Wild” against images of Jazz Age excess: wealthy men and women clinking cocktails in speeding convertibles, free-flowing liquor, women swaying from chandeliers over pulsating party crowds, and ample sexual tension. Hmm, it sounds like most of the parties I attend. I think the comments are a bit harsh after all we are talking about a book that captured perfectly the American dream in a time when it had descended into decadence. The Roaring Twenties-- the decadence, the glamor and the danger.....
Personally, I think the trailer is bloody brilliant! It made me lovesick for Leo all over again just like when I saw him in Titanic. I love the art deco inspired opening but what I'm most particularly interested in are the fashions. I'd watch this for the clothes alone-- the glittery hairpieces, open-toed strappy sandals, sparkling jewelry, the endless pearls, those stunning dresses, and for the men – Cuban or golf hats and three piece suits. I can't remember the last time I wanted to see a film so badly. Today is May 25th, in exactly 7 months the film opens. How cruel of the studio for releasing the trailer so early.
Take a look:
“New York, 1922.
The tempo of the city had changed sharply.
The buildings were higher, the parties were bigger,
The morals were looser, and the liquor was cheaper.
The restlessness approached hysteria.....”
The tempo of the city had changed sharply.
The buildings were higher, the parties were bigger,
The morals were looser, and the liquor was cheaper.
The restlessness approached hysteria.....”
So my lovelies, what do you think? Will it do justice to the book?
****
My loyal and dear readers, it's finally Friday.
Whatever your plans are have a memorable weekend. ~x
XOXOXOXO,
Cocaine Princess
11 comments:
Why on earth would they use Jay-Z and Kanye's music for such an epic film unless the film is about crack and whores?
So far every movie version didn't even come close to the atmosphere of his book and the movies felt like the director didn't even capture what makes them special. I'm looking forward to the movie but I hope they base it more on the soul and darkness rather than the bling and useless overacting like last time.
That was a terrible. Pretty much unwatchable, it was plodding, dire stuff. No chemistry between the characters. Topped by a terrible musical score. Such a safe film.
Fitzgerald is one of the greatest authors of all time. I don't even think Gatsby is his best book like most say. Tender is the Night and The Beautiful and the Damned I found even better but everything he ever wrote is incredible.
@8:45-- Other directors put classical music in films set in modern times and no one complains. Baz used modern songs in Romeo & Juliet- Des'ree, Radiohead & Garbage. A Knight's Tale-- the entire filmed is set in medieval time and scored with seventies music.
That actually looked promising!
Jack White cover of U2's "Love is Blindness"- AMAZING choice of music.
This new attempt at least looks larger than life, which is what such a film should be going for.
Liquor, loose morals-- my kind of movie. I smell Oscar buzz.
BTW--- Folks need to keep an open mind before you see the movie: you never know, you might find yourself pleasantly surprised.
I have to admit that I think it looks pretty good. I had a bunch of snarky jokes loaded up, but I think I would like to see this thing. And why am I the first non-anonymous commenter?
Dr. Kenneth Noisewater at 2:07,
Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment, and to answer your question-- most of my anonymous commenters are readers who aren't bloggers.
I have to admit, I was very curious to see this, since I'm a huge Leo DiCaprio fan. And yeah, this is the first time I'm seeing the trailer. I'd see it!
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