Catherine Mobley English 111 October 10, 2013 1,007 words The Great Gatsby vs.

Les Miserables

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According to the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), the production and distribution of motion pictures and television programs is one of the nations most valuable cultural and economic resources. In 2011, the MPAA reported a gross of $104 billion in wages and the support of 1.9 million jobs (The Economic Contribution of the Motion Picture & Television Industry to the United States). The success of this industry is merely a reflection of its individual parts. For instance, two recent films The Great Gatsby (2013) and Les Misrables (2012) both showed great success in the box office by earning a worldwide gross of $348,840,419 and $ 441,809,770 respectively (Boxoffice.com). The publicity created by the two movies actors, directors, and previous achievements in alternate media have greatly contributed to their success at the box office. The film adaptations of The Great Gatsby and Les Misrables both possessed well-known actors who helped contribute to the films publicity through their familiarity and media presence. The Great Gatsbys star role was interpreted by Leonardo DiCaprio. DiCaprio has starred in many other box office hits including Romeo and Juliet (1996), Titanic (1997), and The Departed (2006), to name a few (Leonardo DiCaprio). Other famous actors such as Isla Fisher and Tobey Maquire also possessed roles in this film. In addition to his successful past experiences with acting, DiCaprio furthered public interest in The Great Gatsby by participating in several television interviews to discuss the movie. In one interview with ABC News, DiCaprio states that the story is woven into the fabric of America because of its historical significance and its modern relevance (DiCaprio).

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Like The Great Gatsby, Les Misrables also contained an impressive cast; however, the sheer number of stars to take up roles in this movie increased its popularity tenfold when compared to The Great Gatsby. With ultra-famous actors like Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried and Helena Bonham Carter, this film was set to receive a lot of media attention. These actors all have a plethora of experience and box office hits to support their reputations. In addition, the fandoms of each cast member were synced towards this movie because of their presence, thereby increasing the following of the movie. The actors in this movie participated in many interviews to discuss their roles and give their impressions of the film. With the reputations and endorsements of their actors, both films effectively garnered public attention. Actors, however, are not the only component of a successful film. While their names may draw the attention of movie goers, the directors names and reputations also help gain the trust of the public. Both of these movies were directed by people who have displayed aptitude in their respective genres. Baz Luhrmann, director of The Great Gatsby, experienced major success in relatively modern films like Romeo and Juliet (1996) and Moulin Rouge (2001). For Romeo and Juliet, Luhrmann received an Alfred Bauer Prize. Luhrmann was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay, Best Picture, and Best Director for his efforts in Moulin Rouge (Baz Luhrmann). Conversely, Tom Hooper, director of Les Misrables, was more successful in period pieces like The Kings Speech (2010) and the T.V. series John Adams (2008). The Kings Speech, won Best Foreign Film and Tom Hooper was nominated for Best Director for his films achievement (Tom Hooper Bio). Their success in similar films formed a good repertoire with their fans and set audience expectations for their new movies.

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When viewing these movies, it is easy to forget that they are merely film adaptations of classic novels. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is required reading in most American high schools and Les Misrables by Victor Hugo, besides being a popular French historical novel, has been adapted to the theatre. The stories previous success in the media caused each film to have a predetermined following and created hype among the public because of their popularity. Individuals who expressed interest in the books and plays naturally would have a tendency to follow the story to the big screen. The Great Gatsby owes most of its popularity to the U.S. educational system. The story accentuates key themes that make it ideal material for high school curricula such as the concept of the American Dream and social mobility (E3T Lesson Plan Creator). Even today, these concepts are considered important in American society. Besides its excellent depiction of American ideals, the story also poses several ethical dilemmas that many critical thinkers find appealing. According to a study posed by the National Center on Teaching and Learning, fiftyfour percent of public high schools, sixty-four percent of Catholic high schools, and forty-nine percent of independent high schools have The Great Gatsby as part of their required reading for grades nine through twelve (Applebee, 28). Due to The Great Gatsbys popularity with high school English teachers, over half the U.S. population is familiar with the story. Les Misrables, more commonly recognized for its successes as a musical, was originally written in 1862. The story is a collaboration of individual accounts centered on the life of the main protagonist, Jean Valjean, in nineteenth century France. Like The Great Gatsby, Les Misrables focuses on the cruelties of a class system in a country on the verge of great social change (Les Misrables). Les Misrables, the musical, has been translated to twenty-two different languages, produced in forty-two countries, and has had an estimated total of sixty

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million viewers (Facts & Figures). After being in existence for nearly a century and a half, the story has only increased in popularity. While publicity may not be the only component of a successful film, it is clear that there are some real benefits to maintaining the publics attention. The publicity created by the actors, directors, and reputation of these stories are all factors that, when combined, resulted in two high-grossing films. The influence of these factors on the movies popularity is made obvious by the difference in the total earnings of each movie. Les Misrables, which was more heavily endorsed than The Great Gatsby due to its all-star cast and history as a musical, earned approximately $93 million more worldwide. In the same way that these factors added to the enormity of both movies, they also added to the overall productivity of the film industry. Therefore, in order for the film industry to continue to thrive, future films must also take advantage of the publicity that comes with each facet of their existence.

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Works Cited Applebee, Arthur. "Stability and Change in the High-School Canon." The English Journal 81.5 (1992): 28. JSTOR. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. "Baz Luhrmann." Nytimes.com. The New York Times Company, 2013. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. <http://www.nytimes.com/movies/person/100353/Baz-Luhrmann>. DiCaprio, Leonardo. "DiCaprio Says He Was 'Reluctant' to Tackle 'Gatsby'" Interview. ABC News. ABC News Network, 5 Aug. 2013. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. E3T Lesson Plan Creator. E3T Lesson Plan Creator. Macomb ISDs Universal Design for Learning Initiative, 6 May 2010. Web. 11 Oct. 2013. "The Economic Contribution of the Motion Picture & Television Industry to the United States." Mpaa.org. Motion Picture Association of America, Inc., 2013. Web. 10 Oct. 2013 "Facts & Figures." Lesmis.com. Cameron Mackintosh Overseas Limited, 2012. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. "The Great Gatsby (2013) (PG-13)." Www.boxoffice.com. BOXOFFICE Media, LLC., 2012. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. "Leonardo DiCaprio." PEOPLE.com. Ed. Julia Wang. Time Inc, 2013. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. "Les Miserables (2012) (PG-13)." Www.boxoffice.com. BOXOFFICE Media, LLC., 2013. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. "Les Misrables." Penguinreaders.com. Pearson Education Limited, 2008. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. "Tom Hooper Bio." Tom Hooper Biography and Filmography. Tribute Entertainment Media Group, 2013. Web. 10 Oct. 2013.