AP Language and Composition (High School) the Great Gatsby

Introduction

In 1974 and again in 2013, Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” became a subject of film adaptation through two screen versions that differ from each other, ultimately revealing different interpretations. Any filmmaker attempting to take on an iconic novel, like The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald, can be confronted with a huge task (Ascher pg. 213). This is especially true regarding reviving the essential fascination of words and materializing characters that have come close through the written word into pictures for moving images. One strength and weakness in adapting a story for the film is evident in the 1974 film featuring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow. Baz Luhrman’s jazz-stylized version of the 2013 glitzy spectacle also displays the strengths and weaknesses of adapting the story. Though the 1974 version is more truthful to its source, Luhrmann might be artistic in his license in that he offers a vibrant touch and stylization skill to Gatsby’s world, which portrays this life much better. This paper aims to examine and analyze these productions and determine which gives a more commendable depiction of Fitzgerald’s text to life.

The 1974 Production

Jack Clayton represents Fitzgerald’s work with a slow and relaxed version of “The Great Gatsby” in 1974. Many critics embraced this film period because it is historically accurate. Mia Farrow and Robert Redford interpreted Da, as Buchanan played John Gatsby (Dilă et al., pg. 73). The dress designs, the backdrop displays, and the cinematography all invite audiences into a territory of riches and greatness in Jazz Agthe e. All the elements are laid out and acted in flapper costumes and parties to draw a visitor into Fitzgerald’s world created by his novels. Jay Gatsby, portrayed by Robert Redford, is restrained yet charming. Redford brings Gatsby’s indeterminacy and unspoken retreat depression into life through the full engagement of the reader in Fitzgerald’s described millionaire (Dilă et al., pg. 80). Since the movie lacks a fast-moving story, it talks about different issues that all characters struggle with within their souls and minds because of Gatsby’s torturous one-way love for Daisy. Fitzgerald is also well portrayed in the 1974 movie adaptation. Although the actors represent class, riches and the American Dream, they appear dull in their emotions. This makes them very complex characters. Since the film has a more developed technique, its length of life is longer, and the ideas in books tend to be better preserved.

The 2013 production

In Baz Luhrmann’s more risky and modern 2013 version, Leonardo DiCaprio plays Gatsby, and Carey Mulligan plays Daisy (Mooney et al., pg. 238). Luhrmann, renowned for his visually spectacular style, introduces the story with a lively energy that resonates with contemporary viewers. Combining modern scores with lively visuals and outdated elements, the picture goes above and beyond the usual fare of historical adaptations to produce a remarkable cinematic experience. Leonardo DiCaprio receives much praise for his subtle and brilliant performance as Jay Gatsby. Leonardo DiCaprio gives Gatsby a fresh agreement on life by brilliantly expressing his sympathy, charm, and hopelessness (Mooney et al., pg. 248). The film’s outstanding sequences and exaggerated celebrations portray the decade’s excesses and paradoxes. The unconventional, creative choices made by Luhrmann make the plot more relatable to modern audiences. Accordingly, the film’s bold ability overshadows the novel’s delicate social message. Regardless of its breathtaking visuals and thrilling action, the film risks watering down Fitzgerald’s essential ideas. Although Luhrmann seems to destroy the original message by adding too much style and needs more restraint, he portrays the characteristics of the Jazz Age.

Argument

Although both versions have their facts, it is essential not to consider them as contrasting opposing interpretations but rather to see two different yet similar options. For example, 1974 performances emphasize emotional complexity and time validity, complementing traditional and everlasting grace. However, the 2013 remake caused its audience to be upset by trying to satisfy their modern tastes with graphic savagery (Mooney et al., pg. 241). Therefore, comparing these two versions provides an essential insight into Fitzgerald’s work. The 1974 film has a modest level of success in conveying the book’s essence due to its detailed acting and historical accuracy. While the 1974 film brings a new lease of life to the plot, the 2013 version makes Escape Creator a classic and accessible to a different audience.

Conclusion

Conclusively, it is all a matter of individual tastes whether the cinematic editions can acceptably deliver Fitzgerald’s works. The 1974 version of the film presents a timeless and authentic interpretation of the story, depicting its splendour and deep feelings. On the other side, the 2013 reboot has all of this exuberant modernism, which will attract today’s viewers with its magnificent spectacle and powerful intensity. Both works symbolize the type of emotional investment that viewers have in an adaptation. The emotional investment determines how faithfully the film versions portray Fitzgerald’s work. Whether an audience prefers the cinematographic magnificence of 2013’s remake or the delicacy and subtle beauty narrated in Gatsby, released in 1974, both audiences learn about new things from each version. Regardless of the film versions, discovering an abiding fascination with this American literary classic, Fitzgerald would gladly welcome further prowess given his diverse lenses appreciating the lasting appeal of this American fictional masterpiece.

Works Cited

Ascher, Allen. “Nick Carraway as Telemachus: Homeric Influences and Narrative Bias in the Great Gatsby.” The F. Scott Fitzgerald Review 19.1 (2021): 203-221.

Dilă, Georgiana-Elena. “The Great Gatsby: From Novel to Film–The Icon Status and Its Film Adaptations as a Reflection of Its Popularity.” Annals of the University of Craiova, Series: Philology, English 1. XXIV (2023): 73-87.

Mooney, William H., and William H. Mooney. “Citizen Kane (1941) and Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby (2013).” Adaptation and the New Art Film: Remaking the Classics in the Twilight of Cinema (2021): 237-268.