Hello, fellow literary lovers!
Today’s episode of The Handmade Home is brought to you by the decade of the roaring 20’s. Where flapper style, swanky soirees and mad fashion were all the rage.
Jamin and I saw The Great Gatsby the other night. The first date night we’d had in a while, I’d had the movie high on my radar since the first previews piqued my curiosity.
I’m not a literary snob, as I probably don’t know enough to be one. But I do have an appreciation for amazing works and an admiration for the writers who created them… The Great Gatsby novel ranking amongst some of my all time favorites in the great American novel genre. So some of you may wholeheartedly disagree with my takeaway: Though I can usually appreciate the screen version of a work as a supplement, I love Leo, and the movie’s premise had me at the box office… I can easily say that F. Scott is rolling in his grave.
The fashion was swoon worthy and the colors were inspiring, flanked with an all star cast. But the movie fell flat in it’s potential in telling a brilliantly written story at the expense of over-the-top rap music and CGI overkill. I can appreciate an artistic license. I loved Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet : a story told so many times it was fun to be different. But it made me sad to see so much 21st century fluff scrambled into a 20th century story. A story simple enough and poignant enough and relevant enough still, to the modern day era to be told without all that other filler stuff. It had brief moments of beauty, where Fitzgerald’s amazing words came through, in equally inspiring and cleverly displayed typography… but in short? I was insulted by the movie’s incessant need to spell out the symbolism and theme for it’s audience, and I want Robert Redford back.
On our way out of the theatre, a girl behind me exclaimed in an overwhelmed voice, “My gosh! What a beautiful story!” I wanted to shake her, wondering if she even knew that it was a book. And I wondered… is this what we’ve come to?
There should be a rule that you’re not allowed to watch a movie until you’ve read the book. And I’m making my children follow that rule when it comes to some of my favorites. {See: Harry Potter.
When it comes down to it, the book is always better. So despite my great distain for the Hollywood’s latest hack of a legend’s great work… here are a few of my favorite things that have me Gatsby-inspired.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
Have an inspired day, y’all! I’m off to pick up the novel again. ;}
Julie says
Love the inspiration board! And I must admit I haven’t yet read the book OR seen the movie! So I’m way behind!
Alli says
Love this! Oh so clever.
Sarah says
The previews have caught my eye, but I’ve put off seeing it for fear of it being a huge disappointment. I’ve loved the book since I read it in high school, and I too am one of those nerd girls who hate when they adapt books into movies (with a very FEW exceptions). Loved the inspiration board!
Jen says
Cute. 🙂
My husband asked if I wanted to see the movie on our next date and I said no- I love the book so much…I didn’t think I wanted to see the movie. Now I am glad we didn’t go. 🙂
Nichole Giles says
That’s a good rule. The book is always, and will always be a hundred times better than the movie. End of story. Love the style board!
Michelle says
I’m the same way. I even refused to see The Lorax and that’s based on a children’s book!
Kiran says
I think it’s a great rule and it’s one we follow in my house.
Rae says
Who wants to see the same story produced over and over again, made exactly like the book? That wasn’t the point of the movie. You said you saw the trailer so you should’ve stepped into the theater knowing it was going to be “different”. Gatsby is my absolute favorite book, and I prepared for the movie by reminding myself that it’s Baz Luhrmann…anything goes! You have to respect that these movie makers are artists themselves, and their job is to entertain, not copy. Yes, the hip hop music was a bit much, but I was able to look past it, keep an open mind and enjoy a beautiful film. I’m glad your not a pro movie critic, and I hope your review doesn’t stop others from seeing it….even if it’s just to stare at Leo 🙂
Elizabeth says
*You’re
😀
Being rude followed by a smiley doesn’t make it okay.
Just saying. It’s only a movie.
Melesa Garrison says
The original Great Gatsby movie was SO good! We read the book when I was a junior in high school and then we got to see the movie in class and that was many, many moons ago. My English teacher rocked…Thank You, Mrs Norris!