The recent trend in TV and movies is “redo, reuse, recycle,” and the 3D reboot of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s adaptation of The Great Gatsby is no exception. The movie features icons such as Leonardo DiCaprio (Inception), Tobey Maguire (Spiderman), and Carey Mulligan (An Education).This newest version is sure to spark interest.

    Set in 1920s New York City, the main character Jay Gatsby (DiCaprio) lives on the West Egg side of Long Island and watches his East Egg neighbor Daisy Buchanan (Mulligan) from across the river. He loves her, and she eventually learns to love him. But she is married with a child to Tom (Joel Edgerton).

    Each Buchanan has an affair that the other is unaware of, but they continue to go about New York City spending money and living fabulously.

    Enter naive Midwesterner Nick Carraway (Maguire), who moves in next door to Gatsby. Adventure follows in their friendship and mutual issues with love, death, and the perpetual question of life.

    Arrowhead English teacher Kathy Nelson says the movie is filled with “lots of universal appeal making it worthy to be among America's greatest literary works. (It has) great connections to American history.”

    The great American novel that started the roaring twenties has twice previously been adapted to the silver screen, and once as a made-for-TV film. The most notable of these films is one made in 1974 starring Robert Redford.

    “I love the Robert Redford one,” says Nelson says of her favorite adaptation.

    Before viewing this movie, pick up a copy of the book and check it out. Honors English 10 and American Literature classes both have to read The Great Gatsby as part of their curriculum, according to Nelson.

    If you haven’t been required yet, pick one up and see how you like the book before you splurge on a movie ticket.

    Brenda Suhan, an AHS junior, says she wouldn’t have gone to see the movie without reading the novel first.

    “I try to read the books before I go see a movie version,” she says. “If I watch the movie first, it ruins the image, because instead of me creating it, it’s a Hollywood rendition.”

    Twilight and Harry Potter readers might recognize this feeling.

    Even so, AHS library director Donna Smith says, “Whether you read the book before the movie or not, I do not believe it matters. If a movie motivates students to read the book afterwards, that is great.”

    “Although a bit soap opera-ish, Gatsby's a quick read—only nine chapters,” Nelson says. “I'm excited to see the movie and hope it follows the novel closely so I can share it with my students.”

    The movie isn’t set to release until December 25, 2012, so hit the library and find a copy.

Nelson says it’s one of her favorites. “I love, love, love it,” she says.