The Great Gatsby is my ALL TIME favorite book. I love it, LOVE IT - not necessarily for what it offers you in prose, but for what it doesn't; for what it let's your mind create - for who you want Gatsby to be, for what you believe the mystery to become.
Yes, yes, it's a story about a man, and a woman, and love - about the American dream as Fitzgerald originally saw it (discovery, individualism, and the pursuit of happiness.) How in the roaring 20s that was all thrown aside - you see, in the 20s easy money, relaxed social values, the hollowness of the upper class, the continuous party - those became the ideals. (Not too far off from today, right??)
... and then you have the problem of social status. All of these things should make for a wonderful movie adaptation right??? Wrong.
Let's talk about the original. Redford, GREAT CHOICE!!! Dapper, young, handsome, mysterious - hooray. However, he has NO connection with Mia at all, none. The passion fizzles, it doesn't even come close to being right. The movie was too literal, there was no exploration of the underlying emotions in the book - none. Isn't that what movies are supposed to do?? Take the imagery from your brain, all the unspoken words, and bring them to life in way that makes you say, "YES - That is IT!!"
You know Gatsby's being re-done; with Leo as Gatsby, and Baz as the director, and Jay-Z writing the score (Wow, I am DYING right now). I couldn't have picked a better threesome, and I can't wait! I cannot wait for Gatsby to finally get the props it deserves. The suspense is killing me.
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