Baz Luhrmann and his bad ideas

Baz Luhrmann’s version of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire, may show up at your local theatre in 3-D.

For the most part, the response from film and lit fans has been unfavourable.

However, the idea that the 3-D format is gimmicky and unsuitable for a drama is not completely valid. Alfred Hitchcock’s Dial M for Murder was originally shot using a 3-D camera rig and was revived in the ‘80s in 3-D to high acclaim.

Baz Luhrmann has also discussed Fitzgerald’s modernism and the influence of “the motor car, the new invention of flying, (and) popular music” in The Great Gatsby, and links the modernism of the novel to the film’s potential medium.

However, “Will the 3-D format be appropriate for this film?” is not the question we should be asking.

What we should be asking is whether we really want the latest cinematic version of The Great Gatsby directed by the man responsible for 1999’s “The Sunscreen Song,” one of the most annoying recordings of all time.

Sure, Luhrmann directed Strictly Ballroom, Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge and Australia. However, 12 years ago, he made it impossible for me to go anywhere without hearing the words, “maybe you’ll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary.”

So, understandably, the 3-D debate hasn’t captured me. However, The Great Gatsby is one of my favourite novels, so trust me on the sunscreen (thing).