The Great Gatsby

When I lived in NYC, I decided that I needed some extra cash, so I began tutoring a high school student in history and english. Even though my pupil was lazy – which made my job harder, I enjoyed the experience!

The high school curriculum in Jamaica is very different from that in the US, as a result, I actually learnt a whole lot because I had to teach myself a whole bunch of stuff in order to effectively teach my pupil.

Our arrangement never covered assistance with literature, but I guess they figured I was flexible, so one day she asked for my assistance with some questions from a literature book she was using. It was called The Great Gatsby. I admitted to her that I perhaps couldn’t be of much assistance, because I’d never read this book (Neither did I have any plans to read it because I was completely immersed in Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude). She couldn’t believe it. Anyway, I read the passage, read some Cliff notes and assisted her as best I could.

Last year, a blogger I follow, mentioned fashion from the novel and earlier this year a friend stated that she’d love to throw a party similar to the ones in the novel. By the time I heard that Baz Luhrmann was doing a film, I decided it was time for me to read the novel!

The Great Gatsby

Except in a few cases, I am normally disappointed in movies based on novels. so I soaked in all that F. Scott Fitzgerald had to offer and as is typically the case with me and a good book, I couldn’t stop thinking about it after I’d read it. I analyzed and wondered about certain things – a lot – especially since money class and love are themes/issues that I’ve been seriously thinking about lately.

The movie opened in Montego Bay last Friday and my ‘other kind of sister’ and I went to see it. I think it is marvelous! I found that Luhrmann stayed very true to the book and loved how he portrayed certain little things like Nick saying he was without and within at the same time. I also liked that Luhrmann found a way to show the actual words on the screen in some instances.

The parties were as lavish and over-the-top as I imagined them to be from reading the book and the fashion was more than I could have hoped for. My goodness these girls looked goood! I especially adore the little black veil of a hat that Jordan Baker wore to the first party!

Jordan Baker’s veiled hat

And while we saw the Vogue spread which featured Daisy’s fab dresses, I very much liked one that she wore in two casual scenes in the house.

Of course, because of Fitzgerald’s writing style, many things are left open to interpretation. For example, what may have been written in the letter Daisy received on the day before her wedding. And I have always wondered whether or not she had told Tom that she was actually behind the wheel when Myrtle was killed (would love some feedback on this).

The soundtrack I think was great. With the exception of Izzo (if someone could explain to me how it was relevant…) -_- and one other song which I can’t remember at present. I was however completed captured by Lana Del Rey’s Young & Beautiful. What a beautiful piece of music! Her voice is ridiculously mesmerizing and haunting…and beautiful.

With all that said, I believe the movie is brilliant and I’d watch it again in a heartbeat.