It is always interesting to watch different versions of the same film from different eras... of course there are almost countless examples. It can often show the changes in storytelling and sensibilities of audiences of the time. When it comes to Gatsby, I'm not overly fond of the 2013 Baz Lurhman version with Leo, and yesterday I watched Jack Clayton's 1974 adaptation, which I enjoyed, but won't rush to watch again.
Both are well made, pretty well acted and seem to capture the opulence of the lifestyle that is so critical to the story. Certainly the 2015 version did look a bit better to the eye, and was more creatively filmed in places. But ,the most noticeable difference between the styles of the two was that the older version shows less plot detail, in fact, bravely, some major points happen off camera so to encourage you to connect some of the dots - this is of course a plus. In comparison, Lurhman's story is made more accessible, perhaps to people who are either not paying as much attention or need to be prompted more. It is widely accepted that modern audiences of casual filmgoers need more spoonfeeding, but has anything really changed over time? Are filmgoers less intelligent, do they have a lower attention span?
Jack Clayton is still a new name to me, but coincidentally, I have another of his films ready to go - Room at the Top from 1959 supposedly has alot more to offer so I am looking forward to that one.
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