To Baz or Not To Baz

Rating: 9/10 (8 August 2013)

One of the greatest American novels and F. Scott Fitzgerald's finest work, The Great Gatsby is the quintessential story of the self-made American. The novel and the films. based on the novel, are voyeuristic - the lives of the rich as seen through the eyes of Nick Carraway, a commoner and a bond salesman renting a cottage next door to Jay Gatsby]s estate. The story takes place in the Summer of 1922. Everyone wants to know more about the mysterious Gatsby who throws legendary parties of fantastic opulence.
Gatsby was played in 1974 by Robert Redford, a film which covered the same ground as this one. Because of the prestige and prominence of the original text, any treatment of Fitzgerald's work will generate controversy and invite comparison.
While I greatly admire Robert Redford's body of work, his Gatsby was stiff and wooden. Leonardo Dicaprio's Gatsby does not disappoint. I didn't expect him to fill the bill, but he did.
Much of the controversy about the current Gatsby is whether Baz Luhrman's treatment of the work was appropriate. People either like Baz or they do not. I really like Baz. His Moulin Rouge was a visual treat. The Elton John soundtrack was an odd choice, but it worked for me.
His treatment of Gatsby's extravagant parties redefines the experience. Nothing in film history is more grand than Gatsby's parties. If you missed a party at Gatsby's house in 1922, you missed the party of the century. The color and luxury pop off the screen. Baz puts so much life into the script that this remake outshines the 1974 film as a visual statement.
Gatsby is a love story about how a poor fellow tries to woo a rich girl. His exceptional efforts fail, but his efforts are spectacular. Expect multiple nominations and Oscars.