Here is the trailer for Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby, which opens in December:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7DonhNflsw&feature=g-logo
The Great Gatsby is one of my favorite novels. It is one of the most beautifully-written books ever, it has an engaging story, it has memorable characters, and it is packed with timeless American themes (greed, fakery, lust, et cetera). Therefore, when I heard that a new film version was being produced I was terrified–too many of my favorite books have already been destroyed on screen (The Color Purple, Beloved, and Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close for starters).
However, judging from the trailer the film looks like it might be decent. With the major exception of Tom Buchanan, who would never wear the kind of ridiculous mustache he is wearing in the film, and who appears to be no bigger than Gatsby though he is supposed to be “hulking,” the casting looks strong. Daisy is stunning, Jordan is Daisy’s less beautiful but still quite attractive sidekick (though I picture her with lighter brown hair), Leonardo DiCaprio is exactly as debonaire as Gatsby should be (though again, I don’t see Gatsby as a blond), and Tobey Maguire should fit well into Nick Carraway’s subtle-yet-essential role. I only wish he were a little taller, as Nick should be Gatsby’s physical equal, though of course inferior to him in some ways (e.g., financially) and superior in others (morally, I suppose).
I also love the version of U2’s “Love is Blindness” which serves as the trailer’s soundtrack. It is one of the band’s most underrated songs, and the remix is even more haunting than the original. It fits the lushness of Luhrmann’s scenery. His palette is the perfect one for portraying Gatsby‘s decadence.
Daniel Shank Cruz 