Great Gatsby Adaptations
Cinematic Attempts and Successes of The Great Gatsby
Most bookworms know that the movie adaptation is almost never as good as the book. With a classic such as F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”, it can be hard to really do it justice on the big screen yet somehow a couple directors have done just that. Jack Clayton’s 1974 version of Gatsby and Baz Luhrmann's 2013 version drawl together old and new aspects of the roaring 20’s to bring to life “The Great Gatsby” in their own unique ways.
To focus on one of the bigger aspects of the movies I will start at the beginning, literally, The beginning of both movies could not be more drastically different, yet they seem to both artistically work very well. The beginning of Clayton’s 1974 version is very simplistically successful at opening the movie by introducing the obsession Gatsby has with Daisy. As the camera pans in we see a scrapbook of Daisy and even a picture of her on his male vanity. Which in and of itself shows us just how equally obsessed Gatsby is with his image. Most likely for Daisy’s attention. This was very smart on Clayton’s part because it places two important themes in the movie that are probably the most prominent in the book. The importance of image and the abundance of idolization and obsession with people and things. …show more content…
Everyone loves a good soundtrack especially when it captures the mood of the movie. Clayton’s musical decision was most fitting for the time period that The Great Gatsby was set in. He utilized actual music from the 20’s that conveniently almost spoke the actual story of Gatsby and really submerged the viewer in the setting Fitzgerald intended. On the other hand Luhrmann captured the progressiveness of the 20’s by combining old classical with modern rap styles. Luhrmann’s choice of a Jay-z, Lana Del Rey and Beyonce dominated album most captured the upbeat and dramatic lifestyle that Gatsby and the others led in the
Most bookworms know that the movie adaptation is almost never as good as the book. With a classic such as F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”, it can be hard to really do it justice on the big screen yet somehow a couple directors have done just that. Jack Clayton’s 1974 version of Gatsby and Baz Luhrmann's 2013 version drawl together old and new aspects of the roaring 20’s to bring to life “The Great Gatsby” in their own unique ways.
To focus on one of the bigger aspects of the movies I will start at the beginning, literally, The beginning of both movies could not be more drastically different, yet they seem to both artistically work very well. The beginning of Clayton’s 1974 version is very simplistically successful at opening the movie by introducing the obsession Gatsby has with Daisy. As the camera pans in we see a scrapbook of Daisy and even a picture of her on his male vanity. Which in and of itself shows us just how equally obsessed Gatsby is with his image. Most likely for Daisy’s attention. This was very smart on Clayton’s part because it places two important themes in the movie that are probably the most prominent in the book. The importance of image and the abundance of idolization and obsession with people and things. …show more content…
Everyone loves a good soundtrack especially when it captures the mood of the movie. Clayton’s musical decision was most fitting for the time period that The Great Gatsby was set in. He utilized actual music from the 20’s that conveniently almost spoke the actual story of Gatsby and really submerged the viewer in the setting Fitzgerald intended. On the other hand Luhrmann captured the progressiveness of the 20’s by combining old classical with modern rap styles. Luhrmann’s choice of a Jay-z, Lana Del Rey and Beyonce dominated album most captured the upbeat and dramatic lifestyle that Gatsby and the others led in the