The first trailer for Baz Luhrmann‘s The Great Gatsby is here, and the man who brought us Romeo+Juliet doesn’t disappoint. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, and Tobey Maguire, the film imagines F. Scott Fitzgerald‘s wealthy lovers fighting it out in a glitzy wonderland as flashy as any Hollywood spectacle.

Many have noted that the music is a little… anachronistic… as ol’ Gatz & Co. appear to be rocking out to Kanye West and Jay-Z‘s No Church In The Wild. But seriously, this is the guy who had a Belle Epoque nobleman prance around singing Madonna‘s “Like A Virgin.” Luhrmann gets the tone right, regardless of historical accuracy.

Oh yeah, and it will be in 3D.

I was immediately struck by the immense production values, theatrical (i.e. non-realist) look, and acrobatic camera work. I realized that this definitely challenged what I thought of an adaptation of a “literary classic.” Just get a few highly respected actors, have them stare at each other a lot, use lots of slow long shots, and bam! Part of the canon. Right?

Well, not if your Lurhmann. This cinematography reminded me more of his own Moulin Rouge, or Rob Marshall’s adaptation of Chicago.

What do you think? Is a little musical flair exactly what the literary classics need?

[via HuffPo]

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