F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby sold out various showings on its May 10 release date, and modernized the classic tale. With music from 2013 and computer generated images, The Great Gatsby came to life in a new way.
The great American novel and film feature an up and coming young man named Nick Carraway who moves to West Egg, New York, in hopes of selling bonds. He moves to the “new money” area of New York, next door to a mysterious man named Jay Gatsby who throws extravagant parties which reflect the lifestyle of the time. Through his experiences with his cousin Daisy and her husband, Tom, as well as with Gatsby, Nick is able to see the effect of their excessive, alcohol induced lifestyle and the reality of the American Dream.
Although there were a few minor plot changes, the overarching themes, ideas, and events remained the same. The film was targeted at youth by including pop music mixed with 20’s jazz, and including narration by the main character. In the novel, Nick writes the story as a reflection of the summer to record his story. However in the 2013 film Nick is in a sanitarium after being diagnosed an alcoholic and insane. This extra touch emphasizes the aftermath of his loose lifestyle.
The actors effectively portrayed the lives of each character in the novel. From Toby Maguire as Nick Carraway to Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan, each contributed that 1920’s mood to the film. Leonardo DiCaprio’s age showed in some scenes of the film, but was still able to adequately portray Jay Gatsby. The costume designer was able to capture the extravagant style and type of clothing present in the 20’s. Even though the sound designer made music choices that did not necessarily fit the time, the music was able to efficiently support the statement being made about the post-World War II lifestyle: rowdy people who excessively party and are careless about the future.
Several film versions of The Great Gatsby have been produced, but none quite like the 2013 film. Through the costume and music choices to the computer generated images evident in the film, The Great Gatsby will continue to entice readers with its story of one man’s dream.
