The Great Gatsby

10/12/2015

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#MovieMonday
By Natasha Gan

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s greatest work, The Great Gatsby tells the story of a mysterious millionaire, Jay Gatsby and his quest to win the love of his life, Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby throws extravagant parties at his lavish mansion, which is across the bay from Daisy’s residence. He secretly hopes that one day Daisy would notice the lights and music, pay him a visit so they can rekindle their love. The classic story, which is set in the 1920s, was portrayed in the 2013 movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan.

Besides the praiseworthy narrative, the highlight of the movie was the Art Deco film production and thematic costumes designed by Catherine Martin. The movie, directed by Baz Luhrmann, won both Best Production Design and Best Costume Design awards at the 86th Academy Awards.

The best part of the movie takes place in Gatsby’s Long Island mansion, a venue that is a great example of economic prosperity during the Roaring Twenties. The ivory-coloured walls, gilded barrel ceilings, gleaming monogrammed floors, crystal chandeliers and spiral staircase at Gatsby’s excessively regal ballroom would easily fool anyone into thinking Gatsby was a monarch or royalty from past times. The terrace features scalloped awnings and a majestic balcony with stairs descending to the pool. Every evening, the area is filled with flapper girls and dapper gentlemen eager to party. If you look closely at one of the party scenes, you might spot a few crew members with their phones out, recording the awe-inspiring celebration unraveling before their eyes.

Meanwhile, the Buchanan residence holds a different kind of charm. Inspired by the Hollywood Regency interior style, the mansion features bold colours accented with metallic and glass elements as well as lacquered finishes – take for example the attractive rugs and twinkling chandeliers, softened with billowy white draperies and fresh white flowers. The quiet yet confident beauty of the mansion aptly reflects Daisy’s character in the movie.

The film continues to impress watchers with its representation of the festive era, be it the over-the-top luxurious mansions or the more modest supporting scenes. The Great Gatsby is F. Scott Fitzgerald’s magnum opus and the movie production did it justice.

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Natasha Gan
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Natasha is a writer and a digital marketing professional currently based in Toronto, Canada.