Posted on 05/07/2013 12:00:59 PM PDT by nickcarraway
I cannot watch any movie with Leo DiCaprio in it. I enjoyed both the book and the 74 version. I especially enjoyed Redford/Gatsby being revealed as a cheap crook and con artist and getting shot dead on a stupid swimming pool float for a crime he didn’t commit. I suppose most of that comes from my loathing of Redford, but i still rewound that part several times. Dern was indeed miscast in the movie, but Waterston was great as a colorless narration device.
As far as the “Great American Novel”, I don’t think there is one.
I used to be of the same opinion. I got talked into seeing The Aviator and had to reevaluate. Catch Me If You Can was also well acted. He's been in some stinkers, too and I find his politics loathsome, but I'll also give credit where it's due, and he made a great Gatsby.
I saw it the movie in 3D earlier in the week.
I didn’t like the soundtrack and thought the rap music was out of place.
As far as casting, the only one that got it right was Tom. I had trouble with the others. Sam Waterson and Robert Redford did better jobs.
Visually the movie looked great. I think the 3D helped a bit in some scenes.
I’m a bit torn about seeing the film. The commercials tell me the director has done what modern day directors do with period pieces today—overlay them with [way too much] contemporary sensibility. I would find any suggestion of rap/hip-hop music to be too much of a violation of my expectations. I also noticed the risque dancing that goes well beyond (what I imagine) the flapper-age dancers’ moves to be. Too much “in your face” sexuality for that era.
I guess it’s me. I have my interpretation developed from my personal reading and when a movie comes along and defies that, I regret the film experience (Brannagh’s Frankenstein, is a good example, though probably EVERYBODY regretted that movie experience!)
I thought I would bump this thread to urge everyone to read Rex Reed’s review. Rex at his bitchy, catty, best.
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