A little party never killed nobody

The release of Baz Luhrmann's Great Gatsby is all I've been thinking about for the past three weeks and I decided it needs its own post. In Rome, I got to see an exhibition of original props and costumes from the film and, when I got back to Brighton, the first thing I did was run to the cinema.

There are times when I seriously question my choice of degree, and ask myself why in the world I decided to take Film Studies at university.

But then come films like The Great Gatsby. The things I feel before, during and after I watch a film like that remind me of why I chose to study film, and every hint of doubt is gone.

It’s a feeling hard to explain without sounding dramatic, but it’s a visceral feeling. It is mostly a sad one, because, on my behalf, it’s a feeling of longing, of wishing I were part of that world so bad that nothing in mine seems good enough anymore.

In this case, with Gatsby, it was an overall overwhelming experience, because so many things I am obsessed with came together;

• My unconditional love for Fitzgerald’s prose, and thus his books. Gatsby in particular, of course.

• My “golden age syndrome” of wondering what it would be like to live in an earlier decade.

• The genius style of one of my favorite directors, Baz Luhrmann, and my fixation with Romeo+Juliet and Moulin Rouge.

• One of my favorite actors, Leonardo DiCaprio.

• The fact that I got to see it with my flatmate and best friend, who is so so similar to me in this respect. We are equally passionate about the book and Fitzgerald’s works and the glamour of the 1920s.

It all came together so beautifully, and though many people don’t understand it, it makes me really emotional and even jealous to an extent. Mostly because that is what I would truly like to do with my life, be involved in magnificent, larger than life productions like this one, and ultimately it makes me sad because realistically I know it will not happen.

Anyway, as an avid fan of both Fitzgerald’s and Baz Lurhmann’s work, the film for me was an absolutely euphoric experience. My fantasies came to life, and not only did it take me on an incredible journey through the fabulous living of that time, it actually helped me see the book differently, which is always interesting. It was so loyal to the book, there were scenes such as when we first see Daisy and Jordan on the couch where, watching the scene, I remembered precisely what paragraph it was from and the descriptions in it. To me it felt like Fitzgerald’s prose translated into images. Many criticize the music but I thought that (not only did it sound absolutely badass), but he actively chose to put hip hop in scenes where there would originally have been jazz as hip hop is the modern equivalent of the outrageous and rebellious style of music. Oh, and there were so many shots where I was screaming “MOULIN ROUGE!” and “ROMEO+JULIET!” in my head!

In addition, when I first found out Leo would play Gatsby I was entirely against it, thinking someone like Tom Hiddleston would have been more appropriate. I take it all back a million percent. Leo was born for this role, he couldn’t have convinced me more.

It exasperates me to see how shallowly critics are negatively responding to Baz’s Gatsby, critics who play overly intellectual and are never satisfied infuriate me.

I simply do not understand how fans of Fitzgerald’s novel can actually believe the film to be too ‘theatrical’. Luhrmann is the ideal director to capture the emptiness of the excess of that era that Fitzgerald criticizes. The entire character of Jay Gatsby is all about mise-en-scène.

I find it unbearably aggravating how just because a few critics begin by saying this everyone follows along. Do not even get me started on those who state if you’re a real fan of the book, you won’t like the film. Cinema is after all about losing yourself in a magical spectacle for a couple of hours. Just sit back, let Baz take you on his spectacular journey through his vision of Gatsby and, pardon my French, but get that stick out of your asses. 

I could write about this film (as well as about the novel) and the things it made me feel for hours on end but, overall, watching it holding hands emotionally with my friend who understood and felt the same way as me made it all the more perfect. We decided not to go dressed up to the cinema, but after the film we were so overwhelmed that we decided we had to dress up as flappers, get drunk at the beach to forget it’s 2013 and then went dancing at a jazz club.

I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect adaptation.

Original costumes and props from the film

Oh, did I mention I've gone blonde?! Check it.

I'm now back in england and have exams for the next three weeks, then my three month summer begins!

What did you think of Gatsby?

x C