Baz Lurhmann's Adaptation Of 'The Great Gatsby'
Few adaptations manage to capture the essence of the novel it is based off of, due to difficulty to properly portray the details in the text, how does Lurhmann’s adaptation handles these difficulties? In Baz Lurhmann’s adaptation of the novel The Great Gatsby, he elects to use a modern soundtrack despite the movie taking place far in the past. The novel takes place during the roaring twenties, which is a jazz age, which made some question the choice by Lurhman for Jay Z to produce the sound track. Despite belief that it wouldn’t enhance the adaptation’s accuracy, it arguably was one of aspects of the movie that was more loyal to the novel. In this modern adaptation of The Great Gatsby made by Baz Luhrmann, the use of the songs "No church in
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The song reflects the same sense of a group of people abandoned by their god, but also discusses a competitive feeling. When Fitzgerald describes TJ Ekelberg (who was a symbol of God in both the movie and novel, due to the billboard overlooking the valley) he states, “His eyes, dimmed a little 'by many paintless days,” (Fitzgerald pg 16). Fitzgerald builds a feeling of a god that’s left his people, maybe because of disapproval because the eyes look over a land where many sins are committed. In the lyrics of No Church In the Wild, Jay Z says, “What’s a god to a non-believer?....I’m wondering if a thugs prayers reach” (Jay Z No church in the wild). When Jay Z states “what’s a god to a non-believer” he is conveying the point that to a non-believer, god is nothing which could lead these non-believers to make decisions that are considered sins. This coincides with the feeling that the upper class did whatever they want maybe suggesting the upper class don’t believe in god. The general opinion that the upper class doing sinful things reappears multiple times throughout the novel, whether it’s affairs, engaging in gluttonous activities, or even manslaughter. When Jay Z questions whether his prayers are reaching god, this idea corresponds with Fitzgerald’s set reoccurring theme that god has left this area to fend for themselves. This is one fashion in which the ideas from the novel coincides with the modern sound
The song reflects the same sense of a group of people abandoned by their god, but also discusses a competitive feeling. When Fitzgerald describes TJ Ekelberg (who was a symbol of God in both the movie and novel, due to the billboard overlooking the valley) he states, “His eyes, dimmed a little 'by many paintless days,” (Fitzgerald pg 16). Fitzgerald builds a feeling of a god that’s left his people, maybe because of disapproval because the eyes look over a land where many sins are committed. In the lyrics of No Church In the Wild, Jay Z says, “What’s a god to a non-believer?....I’m wondering if a thugs prayers reach” (Jay Z No church in the wild). When Jay Z states “what’s a god to a non-believer” he is conveying the point that to a non-believer, god is nothing which could lead these non-believers to make decisions that are considered sins. This coincides with the feeling that the upper class did whatever they want maybe suggesting the upper class don’t believe in god. The general opinion that the upper class doing sinful things reappears multiple times throughout the novel, whether it’s affairs, engaging in gluttonous activities, or even manslaughter. When Jay Z questions whether his prayers are reaching god, this idea corresponds with Fitzgerald’s set reoccurring theme that god has left this area to fend for themselves. This is one fashion in which the ideas from the novel coincides with the modern sound