Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by Chris from Lafayette (A) on May 18, 2013 at 12:25:37

Judging by the reviews, you'd think that Baz's latest spectacle is his usual over-the-top exercise in self-aggrandizement. But when I saw it last week, I was mildy impressed: the acting was not bad at all (even though many in the cast were not American born), and even the elements which some critics found distracting (e.g., the hip-hop music) had a point (i.e., the hip-hop of today has the same subversive quality that jazz in the 1920's had). The only annoying part of the film was the way Nick Carraway was played - with a kind of broken whine in his voice throughout.

I hadn't seen the old Robert Redford / Mia Farrow "Gstsby" in a while, so when I got back home, I fired up Netflix and took it in again. WOW! The word godawful simply doesn't begin to do this version justice! Redford is dead on the screen, while Farrow is just embarrassing in her acting "skills". And the 70's music is MUCH more intrusive IMHO than the hip-hop in Baz's version.

I say, give Baz a little credit on this one.

Edits: 05/18/13   05/18/13