First look: ‘Baz Luhrmann’s Great Gatsby’ [Kayne West music in party scene]

Daily Caller ^ | May 23, 2012 | Taylor Bigler

[C19fan]

The story of Jay Gatsby (an excellently cast Leonardo DiCaprio) and the object of his affection, Daisy Buchanan (a gamine Carey Mulligan) gets the Baz Luhrmann treatment in this year’s adaptation of “The Great Gatsby.”

If “Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet” and “Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge” taught us anything, it’s that a film can be set decades — or even centuries — ago and still feature current top 40 music on its soundtrack.

[C19fan]

I was looking forward to seeing this but the thought of Flappers dancing to dancing to Kayne West just ruined it for me. You have an era where Jazz exploded but the director decided to use hip hop music.

[ReformationFan]

Looks like they’re primarily aiming for teenagers to see this. I think I’ll skip it. The only characters in the original novel I remotely liked were Nick and Jordan(and ever she had her problems).

The 1949 version with Alan Ladd is available on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2jh6XkjrHU

[circlecity]

I thought the Robert Redford/Mia Farrow version (1970’s?) was good. Thought it was one of Redford’s best performances.

[BillyBoy]

The fact this version is in “3D!!!!” tells me it will be a shallow, overblown, loose-adapted film that doesn’t do justice to the source material. But I must admit DeCaprio as Jay Gatsby is great casting. He can just play himself.

[onedoug]

I like Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet.

[ReformationFan]

In fairness in the novel, the world of East Egg and characters(the Buchanans especially) are quite shallow and overblown as well.

[Retired Greyhound]

I thought Moulin Rouge was amazing.

Australia and Strictly Ballroom were both good, too.

Luhrmann is a good director, but after seeing the trailer for Gatsby, I’m not all that interested.

[BillyBoy]

The characters are indeed shallow, F. Scott Fitzgerald made them intentionally so to drive home a point. But the novel itself is multilayer and has a lot of symbolism and depth in its story. (Had to read it in H.S. and we went over all that) I don’t they’ll even try to convey any of it in this adaptation. Baz Luhrmann, $200 million, 3D!!!! .... I’m imagining a “Of Mice and Men” adaptation directed by Brett Ratner. The focus will be on visuals and sound, not story.

[Retired Greyhound]

That Fitzgerald was talented and meticulous writer is undeniable (I’ve read that he agonized over the placement of every word of this story, re-writing it many times over), but I’ve always thought Gatsby was a tad overrated.

It’s a wonderful period piece, and really captures the spirit of the 20’s (or at least makes me believe that it does). Strangely, that’s what makes it timeless. It is vivid and colorful. I suppose that is why it endures.

But the plot and the story is only so-so. It’s dated in that sense.

I remember reading it in one night (it was a page turner), and then feeling let down at the end, like “that’s it?”.