I’ll be upfront with you, I was skeptical about the latest remake of THE GREAT GATSBY…
After all, this is yet another film version based on F. Scott Fitzgerald‘s classic American jazz novel. And 1974’s rendition with Robert Redford and Mia Farrow had perfectly hit the spot for me.
Other personal concerns centered on its director Baz Luhrmann. Would he take Gatsby over the top in similar fashion to his MOULIN ROUGE?
And did the fact that Warner Brothers pulled the picture from its original Christmas 2012 release date foretell of trouble?
Fortunately, my angst attacks worked themselves out in a good way.
Monday night’s preview screening had this reviewer leaving the theater a happy camper. Translation: The film delivers!
Here Luhrmann reunites with ROMEO & JULIET star Leonardo DiCaprio to transport us back to an era of lose morals, glittering jazz and bootlegging kings.
A lavish re-imagination of the period.
The story’s setting is on Long Island to which Nick Carraway (Tobey Maquire) is heading to enter New York’s financial world. It’s also home to a friendly but mysterious neighbor named Jay Gatsby (DiCaprio) who has a knack for throwing incredible parties at his grand estate.
And then there’s Daisy Buchanan (Carry Mulligan).
She’s a somewhat shallow, self-absorbed flapper who once had a relationship with Gatsby. But now she’s married to wealthy Tom Buchanan (Joel Edgerton) and living across the lake from Gatsby’s mansion.
Oh, and Daisy is also Nick Carraway’s second cousin.
And Gatsby? He’s still madly in love with her.
An odd coupling that’s not stopping her conflicts now—not to mention the confrontations between her husband and the great Gatsby.
“You can’t repeat the past—Of course you can.”
For the musical score of the film director Luhrmann turned to Jay-Z.
Why you ask?
To give the soundtrack a contemporary musical influence. After all present day hip-hop and pop flavoring was the jazz of the day BACK THEN.
I know, it sounds awkward and odd but the collaboration works. It’s a perfect blend of current music with jazz.
Baz Luhrmann’s THE GREAT GATSBY has it all. Longings. Loss. Dreams. And total disillusion. All presented in a very stylish 142 minute long production.
If there is one central theme here, it’s, “Destiny Forever.”
So go enjoy and let THE GREAT GATSBY sweep you away.
As for the 3D, it’s OK, I guess, but it’ll play just as well in 2D.
I’m raising 4 out of 5 captivating fingers.
(Reviewed at Alamo Mainstreet theater.)
JACK GOES TO THE MOVIES: Friday mornings at 6:40 a.m. and 8:40 a.m. on KMBZ Fm & Am / Also anytime on Time-Warner Cable’s K.C. ON DEMAND, Channel 411 / And throughout Nebraska on NEBRASKA ON DEMAND.
I’m having trouble buying DiCaprio in the role. They must have cast him strictly for boxoffice appeal.
This looks like the hot mess it appeared to be in the trailers. PASS.
The trailers are terrible and Jay Z?
I will see it on cable.
I can’t get enough of that “Lost Generation” stuff.
Zelda wanted to be Virginia Woolf.
Jack, here is a pretty funny review of the flick by the grouchiest guy in show bizz.
🙂
http://observer.com/2013/05/a-triumph-on-the-page-the-great-gatsby-founders-miserably-on-the-silver-screen/