The Great Gatsby: Luhrman's Turn

There’s been some buzz around the Internet about the recently released trailer for The Great Gatsby film coming this Christmas. The classic American novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald has been adapted countless times in numerous ways; television, opera, radio, music, theater, books, computer games and of course, film. This most recent adaptation seems to be sparking some controversy about the way it may, or may not, faithfully portray Fitzgerald’s classic literary tale of hopeless love and the shallowness of the American Dream.

photo via ragerlife.com

Baz Luhrman, the Australian director, screenwriter and producer, well known for his “Red Curtain Trilogy” (Strict Ballroom (1992), Romeo + Juliet (1996), Moulin Rouge! (2001)), directs in a style that is reminiscent of theater performances, which gained him enormous popularity. His latest success, Australia (2008) starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, was an international blockbuster, but not loved by everyone. Though all his films were received with nods and applause, not all critics agree that each movie was absolutely fantastic; I, myself, can say that despite falling in love with his last two films, Romeo + Juliet wasn’t the best rendition of the Shakespearean love story that I watched. But after watching the trailer and seeing that he has impressed more than he has disappointed, I have high hopes.

Leonardo DiCaprio plays the great Jay Gatsby in the film, alongside Tobey Maguire as our narrator, Nick Carraway, and Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan, Gatsby’s love interest. With big actors performing in this film, it’s gonna be hard to say no this Christmas when this movie is up in lights. However, the controversy? Well, it seems that people are put off by the fact that it may be too modern to be an accurate representation of the novel. The clothes, the use of CGI, the visual effects and how about the music? The trailer starts out with . . . wait for it . . . Kanye West and Jay-Z, with “No Church in the Wild.” Excuse me? Hip-hop artists on the soundtrack for a movie set in the Roaring Twenties? Where’s the historical accuracy? That seemed to be the first thing a lot of viewers noticed and questioned but, personally, I love it. It sounds like it’s made for anyone living in 2012. As one of those who have read the book, it was weird at first since the two didn’t seem to match, but if you read the lyrics, it covers (almost) everything; “status symbols, criminality, partying, and money” and the decline of the American Dream. The only difference between the song and the story? Jay-Z and Kanye were referring to our time period. This is what reassures me that this movie will bring something new and successful to the table; not only is he making this for a wide twenty-first-century audience, but Luhrman may also be poking fun at today’s society. The only thing this song left out? . . . The theme of love. Jack White picks it up from there with his cover of “Love is Blindness,” which is quite self-explanatory.

photo via cdn.hypebeast.com

On a final note, I’m glad Luhrman is making this version a fantastically modern, and even futuristic, one. The earlier Great Gatsby film in 1974 with Robert Redford was an accurate, and still wonderful, portrayal of Fitzgerald’s book, but seeing it through a contemporary lens will be a treat for filmgoers like myself. I’m definitely spoiling myself with a little Christmas present to myself and seeing that movie in 3D (you’ll practically feel the glitter on your face) this December 25th. Another three thousand definitely want to see it, and you should too!