During Thanksgiving Break, I rewatched the 2013 Baz Luhrmann film adaptation of The Great Gatsby. I definitely prefer it to the 1974 version because I think Leonardo DiCaprio is the perfect man to play the role of Gatsby. The way he holds himself is very original and unique, which is perfect for playing a role like Gatsby since he is so mysterious. I also think the character voice DiCaprio does for Gatsby is very fitting to his character. DiCaprio naturally has this unique charm that works well with a character like Gatsby. The charm that DiCaprio uses for Gatsby is similar to the charm he used when he played Jack Dawson in Titanic.
I also like how Luhrmann took a larger focus on the gangster elements of The Great Gatsby. In the 1974 adaptation the plot is more focused on the romance between Daisy and Gatsby than Gatsby being a gangster. I liked how Baz Luhrmann was able to incorporate both.
Some of my peers pointed out that they think the 2013 version was more flashy than the 1974 version was because Luhrmann was trying to capture the gaze of a new, younger audience interested in Fitzgerald’s classic. I would definitely agree that that was the primary reason that he took the film in such a flashy direction. I also think taking the film in such a direction served him well because the movie was a big hit, and it did get young people interested in Gatsby. As a young person, I liked how flashy the 2013 version was. I think in comparison the 1974 version moves a lot slower.
I also thought it was an interesting choice for Baz Lurhmann to make Gatsby’s character violent because he was not depicted that way in the novel nor the 1974 adaptation. I actually think Gatsby being violent kinda works for his character because it could make the rumor that he killed someone more plausible. I also think it helps highlight that Gatsby is actually not that great of a man because he is a gangster who is actively trying to break up a marriage.