Great Gatsby: Book or Film?

[Zeenada]

I loved the book and I'm typically a book>movie kind of person but Baz Luhrmann is one of my favourite directors and I think his high energy style suited the story so well. The symbolism was perhaps a TINY bit heavy handed but the glamour and energy really put the roaring in "roaring twenties." I think this time I love the book and the movie equally. The earlier movie was also pretty good but I do slightly prefer the newer film.

[FlapJack]

Honestly, both the movie and the book were alright. The 1974 film adaptation, to me, seemed quite annoying only because of the actors themselves. Fitzgerald told a good story, and the ending was the best part out of the entire book itself.

[Bookworm39]

I think the book is better but the movie was great especially with Leonardo DiCaprio in it. The book has more details in it that the movie doesn't have.

[RonakP]

I don't think the film lived up to the novel, especially with the character of Nick. What do you guys think?

[DATo]

Ironically and coincidentally I just brought home the Robert Redford Gatsby movie yesterday from the library.

Does anyone know how the Dicaprio version compares to it in quality?

-- February 26th, 2017, 5:43 am --

Oooops! I hadn't noticed this. Thank you Lolly.

I agree that the movie was not a disappointment and kept a lot of the integrity of the original novel, however, this is not the first movie adaptation of this book. There was an adaptation of this movie in 1974 starring Robert Redford as Gatsby and Sam Waterson as Nick Carraway. While I thoroughly enjoyed this new adaptation of Gatsby (and I saw it in 3D so there were some really neat effects!), I wasn't only comparing it against the novel, but against the first adaptation as well. And I have to say, the most powerful moment in the 1974 Great Gatsby was the pinnacle moment in the hotel and everything stops when Daisy says "Rich girls don't marry poor boys Jay Gatsby" and it's devastating, and you feel so many things, and you know everything is going to go downhill from that moment, and that moment wasn't in the new film and I was heartbroken at its absence. I can't say definitively that I loved this movie more than the novel, nor can I say that I loved either film more than the novel or more than the other film. I can say that I love each film as its own entity and the novel as its own entity, and I think that should be the goal with all book to film adaptations. You should either be able to love them equally, or appreciate each in its own artistic entirety as separate entities.

VERY well stated! (Too many "entities" but STILL very well stated *LOL*)

[Boyko Ovcharov]

In this case I think that the movie is a great companion and even makes you want to re-read the book. Moreover, if anyone hasn't read it yet, the movie could definitely arouse their interest!

[Lincoln]

For me, I absolutely love The Great Gatsby novel by Scott F. Fitzgerald, but the newest movie, did do it just I believe. Novels are able to go so much more in depth through their words and construct, so it's easier to keep up with the themes throughout.
However, I believe that the movie was able to keep the same momentum as the novel. It was entertaining as it was meaningful and I liked that
You could see Gatsby's illusions and see that theme developing.
However, without the novel, I'm not sure it would be as meaningful for me.
Thoughts?

I thought the movie was great, and the book is better. The theme of it all was captured really well in the movie.

[Sarah Neva Francis]

I absolutely loved the book and the movie. The book was beautifully detailed and full of deeper mystery than the movie. Like most movies based on books, it was nearly impossible to include as many details and scenes. I enjoyed them both.

[danii906]

I had to read the book at school and we watched the old movie it was ok but the book was way better. I still havent watched the newer movie but I prefer the book.

[wroteyou]

hated the film! the book is my favourite.

[flutterpulse]

I absolutely love both! It's sad - most of my friends disliked the movie because they felt like the modern soundtrack took them out of the time period, but I though it all fit together very well.

[Chitopogi]

The book would not have become a bestseller had it not been because of the war with Germany, it would have remained a minor book. Some books critics gave the Great Gatsby book a thumbs down, saying it will not be a worthwhile read. But with World War 1, when the American media wanted to support the American legions overseas, they included Great Gatsby in the books printed and sent thousands of these books for the American soldiers to read. The soldiers loved them and told their relatives who, in turn, bought The Great Gatsby from the bookstores. And so it shot to fame and best seller list.
The film starring Leonardo Di Caprio is a great adaptation of the book.

[flutterpulse]

The book would not have become a bestseller had it not been because of the war with Germany, it would have remained a minor book. Some books critics gave the Great Gatsby book a thumbs down, saying it will not be a worthwhile read. But with World War 1, when the American media wanted to support the American legions overseas, they included Great Gatsby in the books printed and sent thousands of these books for the American soldiers to read. The soldiers loved them and told their relatives who, in turn, bought The Great Gatsby from the bookstores. And so it shot to fame and best seller list.

Thank you for sharing this info! I had no idea, and it adds yet another layer of interest to one of my favorite books.

[hazelk]

The book was the best for me..second best was the first movie with Robert Redford.

[EMoffat]

I loved the book, and I am a form believer that the books are usually better. However, the movie adaption was very good. As long as you can see it as a different thing, then you can appreciate it away from the novel. It was very good, and I do love Leo!