The independent student media site of West Linn High School

wlhsNOW

The independent student media site of West Linn High School

wlhsNOW

The independent student media site of West Linn High School

wlhsNOW

Gatsby: the party of the year

It’s a daunting task to take a classic piece of literature and turn it into a successful, yet complementary, film adaptation. Baz Luhrmann takes on this filmmaking challenge by converting the beloved F. Scott Fitzgerald novel of love and loss set in the 1920’s on a wild and roaring, if over adventurous, two-and-a-half hour ride into the lives of New York’s millionaires.

As a movie, The Great Gatsby remains faithfully loyal to the book, with little to no change. A small change in the movie includes how Nick Carraway, played by Tobey Maguire, ends up after the fateful summer he spent with the company of New York’s finest, including his cousin Daisy Buchanan, played by Carey Mulligan, her cheating husband, Tom, played by Joel Edgerton, and Nick’s mysterious millionaire neighbor, Jay Gatsby, played by Leonardo Dicaprio. The movie includes all the twists and turns of the novel, and leaves in key iconic images that Fitzgerald described in great detail within the pages.

 Luhrmann’s adaptation is big and noisy, much like the 1920’s itself. Gatsby’s famed boisterous and opulent parties take the main stage in the first half of the film, with a heavy focus on the mysteriousness of Gatsby’s past compared to the frenzy of the dancing and drinking that ruled his festivities. The second half is a quieter affair, with the tortured romance between Gatsby and Daisy playing out with disastrous results. Even though the ending of Gatsby won’t be a spoiler for many people of the novel’s popularity, it’s still a chilling experience as you see Gatsby’s world fall apart with the pressure of wanting to be the absolute best.

The best part of the film is the killer soundtrack. Instead of using typical jazz music that defined the era, Luhrmann decided to incorporate a modern representation of the 21st Century. During scenes of Gatsby’s wild parties, Jay-Z & Kanye West rap over the festivities, while Lana Del Rey’s anguished voice gives a pivotal scene between Daisy and Gatsby an extra boost of emotion. The unconventional choice in music helped give The Great Gatsby a clever modern edge that helps the films spark come alive.

I give The Great Gatsby an A- for capturing the tormented love affair between Daisy and Gatsby, and also for having an unconventional soundtrack the brought the movie to life.

The Great Gatsby is rated PG-13 for some violent images, sexual content, smoking, partying and brief language.

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Kara Ghorbani-Elizeh, The People Editor
Community service is a way that Kara Ghorbani-Elizeh, senior, gives back. Helping people has always been an important aspect of Ghorbani-Elizeh’s life because she has always been aware of how lucky she is to live a privileged life. Ghorbani-Elizeh considers it selfish when people have a chance to help someone and they don't. “Whenever a person in my group of friends needs help, I am the go-to person,” Ghorbani-Elizeh said. She would love to continue helping people throughout her life and is considering becoming a psychiatrist when she grows up. “I first became interested in psychology when I took it as a class my sophomore year of high school,” Ghorbani-Elizeh said. “I loved it because I think it is really cool how there are reasons for a person’s behavior and how scientists can figure out how the brain works.” Although helping people is a big part in Ghorbani-Elizeh’s life, she also loves to travel and took a three week trip to Italy and Greece this summer. “It was the most amazing trip of my whole life, the food was delicious and the beaches were beautiful. You could see straight down into the ocean,” Ghorbani-Elizeh said. Ghorbani-Elizeh has always been aware of other people’s needs and wants. She is the first person her friends go to in times of need and in her free time, you will see her volunteering for her community. She is truly devoted to helping people, and wants to make her life career about assisting other people in their problems.
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Gatsby: the party of the year