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Score sours 'Gatsby'

I saw the trailer for the latest movie based on the book “The Great Gatsby” starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Gatsby.

This is one of my favorite novels, with the story taking place during the Jazz Age. Someone decided that the music for this version of the movie should be hip- hop. In my opinion as a former instrumental music teacher, this is like making a movie about Vikings, dressed like hippies and fighting with bazookas.

The 1974 version, starring Robert Redford used music from the Jazz Age, which, of course, was appropriate.

I admit that there are things in life that I find incomprehensible. Using rap as the music for this story is high on my list.

In my opinion, one of the most creative lines in the novel, possibly in all 20th century American literature, is “It is what preyed on Gatsby, what foul dust floated in the wake of his dreams.”

I suspect that Fitzgerald would be appalled if he knew what foul music has been floated onto the beautiful words of his masterwork.

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