Are Classic Novel Movies the New Comic Books?
[bare with me this might take a while...]
How many times have you heard “the book was better”? In my experience that has generally been up for debate. One thing I can be certain of. The upcoming theatrical adaptation of On the Road and The Great Gatsby will absolutely be left in the giant shadows of “the book.”
No matter how great the movie actually turns out, nothing can live up to the historical hype of these two classics. Is it strange that they are hitting up both of these masterpieces now? I guess it should come as no surprise. Hollywood seems to be incapable of turning out more than one good original screenplay a year.
The most important questions are should they even make these books into movies, and will they be any good?
First, let me say that both of these novels are my favorites if not the top of the stack. If nothing else Jack Kerouac and F. Scott Fitzgerald are unquestionably my favorite authors. Never would I have considered, if I had worked my way up to Hollywood producer/director, making these books into films.
That being said I will be heading out to the theater (no small venture for me since I am rarely willing to pay 10 bucks for a movie these days unless thoroughly motivated). I have done a little bit of looking into each of these productions since my favorites written words are being F-ed with…
On the Road
I’ll start with Kerouac first since this film is slated to hit this year. I’m more confounded by this production since the book is substantially longer than Gatsby. The story is also so much looser. Kerouac’s prose isn’t easy to tie down into screen direction. It is also an extremely long journey. To properly capture the essence of the novel the movie would have to be 4 hours long.
The other challenge is the lack of coherent plot. The narrative doesn’t flow in the standard format. The logical plot is the relationship of Sal Paradise (Kerouac) and Dean Moriarty (Neal Cassady), but there are long stretches of On the Road where Moriarty isn’t involved. The logical climax is the trip to Mexico, but leaving out all of the other stories are a disservice to the novel. The real plot of the book, in my opinion, is the growth of Sal from his travels and as an aside his growing up beyond Moriarty – who represents youthful chaos.
Judging from the casting this film is going to be all about the Paradise-Moriarty relationship. The cast attached to this film gives me mixed emotions. When they were cast the actors playing Paradise and Moriarty were relatively unknown. Now Garrett Hedlund (Moriarty) has done Tron: Legacy so he isn’t exactly unknown. From what I’ve read Hedlund has thrown himself into the role so I’ll remain optimistic.
The female leads are another story. The two love interests of Dean Moriarty, Lou Ann and Camille, are being played by Kristen Stewart and Kirsten Dunst. Really!?! I haven’t seen any of the Twilight movies (I did see that Adventureland movie) but Kristen Stewart doesn’t really strike me as the right girl to play a crazy attention grabbing slut. Maybe I’m wrong, but as far as the literary character Mary Lou goes she isn’t really shy or modest. Dunst could make a decent Camille, at least the character isn’t very central to the story (thank God this isn’t an adaptation of Big Sur).
Some of the side character casting is interesting. I’m pretty stoked to see Viggo Mortensen as the cracked out Old Bull Lee (William S. Boroughs). Amy Adams will play Jan, Borough’s wife. Steve Buscemi is also on the cast, though I’m not sure who he is playing.
The director, Walter Salles, is fairly unknown at this point. He directed The Motorcycle Diaries which I’ve heard good things about, and the good thing is that it has a similar premise. Diaries is about a motorcycle trip that Che Guevara took before he went all crazy gorilla socialist. So, I guess the guy is familiar with travelling stories.
I don’t have high hopes. My gut tells me that the film might be enjoyable, but have to be considered completely outside the book. There is just no way to make a film out of On the Road. There is just too much story.
The Great Gatsby
This project, at least to my knowledge, hasn’t started shooting, but has a director and some serious stars attached. If you haven’t heard Leonardo DiCaprio is playing the title character. His real life buddy, Tobey McGuire, is playing narrator Nick Carraway. Carey Mulligan will be Daisy Buchanan.
One look at the principle cast, and it seems to me to be a no-fail project. In fact, once I heard DiCaprio was playing Gatsby I was hooked. I think Mulligan is at least visually how I had pictured Daisy. And, I’m guessing McGuire and DiCaprio should have some good chemistry what with their being pals off-screen.
Now, my one worry might be with the director: Baz Lurhmann. The guy has directed four movies: Strictly Ballroom, Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge!, and Australia. I have seen most of these movies, at least parts of them. From what I can remember all of his movies have looked fantastic. I did see all of Australia and the cinematography was breathtaking. I suppose the same could be said for Moulin Rouge! The only problem is I didn’t get very attached to the stories of any of his other films. Maybe that was a character thing, and if I didn’t make it clear already I have total faith in DiCaprio to hook me in.
The Great Gatsby is, maybe, the perfect novel. It isn’t too long. The story is easy to follow, yet entirely gripping. The writing is sophisticated without being over indulgent. I am a sucker for Fitzgerald prose. The thing is, this book is so efficiently written that it would make for a good movie. There aren’t large portions of the book that would have to be left out, and it could all be done in around 100 minutes (of course you know they’ll stretch it to 120+ to make it a “masterpiece”).
There in lies the danger. Trying to make The Great Gatsby too great. The possibility is there to spend far too much time indulging in superfluous swooping shots of mansion party scenes. Inserting big swing dancing scenes. Playing up the witty 1920s dialogue. Trying to make Gatsby into a loveable, lovelorn character.
DiCaprio did a great job in Blood Diamond of making a character that wasn’t really a good guy, and you knew it, but you wanted him to succeed anyway. Gatsby isn’t a good guy, he is after another guys wife.
I think it would take a moron to screw up this movie. The plot is so clear. It is a classic story: guy desperately seeks girl. Only it has the Fitzgeraldian unhappy ending. The characters are already so richly drawn. Plus, great actors playing the parts. Can’t wait.
