[Victoria Simone]

I was ecstatic years ago when I discovered Baz Luhrmann was to direct the next adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s infamous novel The Great Gatsby. Like the films of Guillermo Del Toro, Alejandro González Iñárritu, and Hayao Miyazaki, Luhrmann’s films are some of the most awe inspiring and unique films of the past years. His films have a definitive artistic appeal, and are incredibly eye catching, as well as inventive in their integration of music. The Great Gatsby (2013) is everything one may hope to see in a modern adaptation of the beloved tale.

Though set in the 1920s, some of the music is intensely modern, especially in one scene where rap is involved, and another where a rendition of “Crazy in Love” is played. As someone who values music in film as one of the paramount aspects which make it memorable, I must admit that this did not seem to fit well. One cannot help but admire Luhrmann’s ambitious decision to incorporate modern day music into a historical drama. However, it felt very slightly out of place. I personally would have preferred to hear some more instrumental pieces more common during that time, especially during the party scenes. There is so much potential for a music score of a film set against the backdrop of the jazz age. However, using instrumental variations of the modern music incorporated into the film was a wonderful touch. It is the musical scores which I tend to remember the most from films. Composers such as Yann Tiersen, Rachel Portman, Gabriel Yared, and of course Hans Zimmer are some of the most renowned film scorers of our time, and film scores add so much depth to the films. Of course, Luhrmann is no stranger to music in film, considering his film Moulin Rouge. The music indefinitely was the first observation made when realizing Luhrmann’s artistic input into the film.

The directing style was very “Luhrmann-esque.” There were many instances in which the focus would shift using rack focus, especially in scenes in which Gatsby is presented, and those around him blur. Both the beginning sequence and the transition to the end credits are reminiscent of Luhrmann’s curtain-style creation in Moulin Rouge. The heavy use of computer-generated imagery throughout the film as well was an important aspect in Luhrmann’s popular musical tale. One must wonder if Luhrmann is attempting to regain popularity using his stunning visuals and zoom-technology to truly enhance the overall aesthetic appeal of the film. This film was also shown in 3-D. Knowing this, one can only imagine how spectacular that experience must have been.

The casting for the film was well done. The sole actor who posed some minor issues for me personally was Carey Mulligan as Daisy. Though a wonderful actress, Mulligan’s portrayal of Daisy seemed to be much more endearing than the Daisy portrayed in the novel. The more annoying aspects of Daisy’s character do not seem to come about until later in the film, in the last 20 minutes or so. Tobey Maguire was also a surprising choice for Nick Carraway. Tobey as an actor is known for his difficulty in showing true emotion, and is oftentimes criticized for this. However, for the purpose of playing Nick, this lack of emotion seems to fit rather well. The monotone narration as well does not take too much away from the overall flow of the film.

Overall the film does well in presenting the audience with a modern adaptation of one of the most beloved novels of all time. The moments in which an original score was presented were truly beautiful, and the scenery and costuming as well added a great deal to the overall aesthetic appeal of the film. The idea of presenting Nick as the author of the novel was an interesting way to go, and undoubtedly may have upset some avid Fitzgerald fans, yet the film does well not to focus too much on that alteration. Only a few additions would have benefited the film. One possibility is including the attendance of Jay’s father to his funeral, and another is to include the meeting between Nick and Tom years after Gatsby’s death. Besides that, the film is undoubtedly an experience only Baz Luhrmann could deliver, and is enticing and heartbreaking, true to its influential source. With material like The Great Gatsby, one cannot help but wonder how many more adaptations there will be, and if each adaptation will make its own mark on this canonical piece.

The Great Gatsby. Dir. Baz Luhrmann. Perf. Leonardo DiCaprio. Tobey Maguire. Carey Mulligan. Joel Edgerton. Isla Fisher. Warner Bros. Pictures, 2013.

[Victoria Salazar]

Baz Luhrmann has always been a director who places heavy emphasis on the music used in his movies, and he usually gets it right. However, the soundtrack became somewhat of a distraction in The Great Gatsby (2013).  I agree with your opinion that some of the music didn’t fit well-although I respect that Luhrmann was trying something different by adding rap songs, other songs would have definitely have done a better job at depicting the aura of the roaring 20’s. Perhaps a more modern take on jazz or classical music would accompany the scenes better while still keeping the soundtrack unique to the other film portrayals of Gatsby’s story. However, the use of Lana del Rey’s “Young & Beautiful” was definitely appropriate for the film. It’s somewhat of an over-the-top song itself, further portraying the grandiose society that the characters are a part of.

[Kristen Druse]

I may be the only person in class who felt this way, but I actually thought that the contemporary music that Luhrmann incorporated worked very well in terms of the overall qualities of the film. There were many components besides the soundtrack that strayed from historical accuracy, and I thought that the music helped connect our modern conceptions of over-the-top luxury with this very defined period in history. I loved that these big name modern artists also included bits of jazz and Motown to embody the 20’s while still contributing to Luhrmann’s specific, modern, and detail-rich interpretation.

[Cortney Linnecke]

I totally agree with Kristen—I was actually a big of Luhrmann’s soundtrack. I don’t think the juxtaposition of modern music with the historical context of the 1920s was meant to be disorienting or confusing. Instead, I think Luhrmann chose contemporary music in an attempt to convey to modern audiences what it was like to live in the roaring twenties, using a medium—music—that we can understand. Hip hop today seems to represent many things: power, money, violence, and even sex. There’s something about the genre that feels a bit racy and edgy and inherently cool. With his jazzed-up versions of Jay-Z splashed over elaborate party scenes and car rides, I think Luhrmann was trying to show that life in the 1920s was all of these things (especially if you were part of the elite). In his utilization of hip hop and modern music, I think Luhrmann refuses to let us view The Great Gatsby in a historical, time-specific vacuum (which we might, if traditional jazz music of the era had been used). He is allowing the story—and its message of societal and moral corruption—to transcend time and become relevant and accessible in the present day.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by Cortney Linnecke.

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