Stories which were frozen in a specific time attracts a certain type of audience. There is a certain expectation that comes with these films, a sense of the prim and proper. Perhaps it is the starched clothes, the intricate wardrobe and haughty accents. However, does it really reflect that time period properly or does it merely reflect what we think those times were like?
At times getting swept up in the details compromises the story itself. It makes it far harder for people to concentrate on the film when they have to focus so much on the expressions and wardrobe. The old school pattern of thought gives an idea about interpreting these texts is best through literal exemplification.
Enter a modern way of thinking. Why not do away with all the corsets and just keep the story in a modern context? The Royal Shakespeare Company would shudder at the notion, butchering authors who have been glorified in time? Destroying their work? Unthinkable!
People sometimes forget that Shakespeare wrote plays for whores and lower classes. Austen wrote for bored housewives and Dickens was the Stephen King of his time. That is to say, in their day they were popular because of their modernity.
So why not reinvent a classic text to fit a modern audience? There is only so many ways you can wear a corset. In that note here
Instead of just being a gentleman, our hero becomes an acclaimed New York Artist. Stella is essentially the same, and Miss Davisham is a crazy old bat wearing green instead of a crazy old bat wearing a wedding dress. All in all, they do a pretty good job breathing life into an original.
Clueless ( aka Emma)
Few people realize that the 1996 teen movie is based on the popular book, but how would you? The film is riddled with 1990's pop lexicon expressions and teen angst. Take a closer look though. Alicia Silverstone is the modern Emma, and everything that happens to her down to her misplaced matchmaking skills to her almost incestous love for her stepbrother is Austen written all over it.
10 Things I Hate About You (aka the Taming of the Shrew) and She's the Man ( midsummer Night's Dream)
Yet another teen comedy which was, in essence, taken from two classic comedic plays of Shakespeare. Although they are not entirely faithful to the text, a lot of the ideas and emotions are created through
them.
But perhaps arguably one of the best modernized version of a classic has to be Romeo + Juliet , which was a great marriage between conserving the original text and keeping it relevant to today's audience.
Maryam DiMauro
Filmsi
**Read more articles by Maryam DiMauro**
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