yeah--high school did not look this good |
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Students in my classes know that every once in a while they will be called upon to do a "radical revision." In my classes, this means that you take a paper you've already written for me and then you radically revise—you don't just fix the comma problems I pointed out, nor do you simply tighten up that introduction. No, you have to be radical. I want a different focus, a different perspective, etc. Students are only allowed to keep a maximum of 50% of their original material. I tell them I would like to have a moment of déjà vu when reading the revision, but no more recognition than that.
In that spirit, I would like to present some radical revisions of classic works. I'm not counting any of those revisions that simply take out a scene or change the setting—we're going for something more.
10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU (1999)—A revision of THE TAMING OF THE SHREW (c. 1592). As I'm not always a fan of THE TAMING OF THE SHREW and not often a fan of teenage romantic comedies, I didn't expect to like 10 THINGS. But just as a the actor playing Petruchio in a production of the play three years ago won me over, so did Heath Ledger's "Patrick" here. The minor characters are joys, especially Allison Janney's Ms. Perky.
O (2001)—Julia Styles, of 10 THINGS, returns to high-school set Shakespeare revisions, this time with OTHELLO (c. 1603). Part of the joy of OTHELLO for me has always been that Iago, unlike other villains, never discusses his motivation for ruining everyone's lives, not even when it results in the death of his wife. Why? Because some people are just twisted. And they don't always want to talk about it. So while I think it's cool that Margaret Atwood's PAYBACK ventures a guess (Iago's name relates to a Saint known for Moor-killing), I don't have to take it as the last word on the subject. O gets rid of all such ambivalence. Why go after "Odin"? Because he's good at basketball and your dad might like him best. Subtle? No.
THE LION KING (1994). It's HAMLET (c. 1600); deal with it. An uncle kills the hero's father and takes over. Scar may not marry Simba's mother, but he does start ordering her around and mistreating her—that's close enough to marriage. Simba must avenge his father (who appears supernaturally to guide him). Since it's Disney, he gets to live, as do Rosencrantz (Timon) and Guildenstern (Pumbaa).
L.A. STORY (1991). I will admit that I didn't catch on to this one at first—it's wasn't until I was reading about the film that I learned Steve Martin took his inspiration from A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM (c. 1595). Now I can see it—the Elizabethan weather, the Puck-ish freeway sign, the love quadrangle with one woman somewhat left out. Bottom line—if you're going to take out "Pyramus and Thisbe" part, this is the best bet for comic potential.
SCOTLAND, P.A. (2001). If I only had to watch one radical revision of a Shakespeare text, it would be this revision of MACBETH (c. 1505). This may be due to MACBETH being my favorite play, but it's more likely due to the overall fabulousness of the remake. I've written about it here before, so some of you may know that it's the dark comedy exploring what would happen if Lady M. and her husband were yearning for a fast-food franchise in the 1970s. In addition to the comedy, you watch this for the soundtrack and for Christopher Walken, as the vegetarian detective MacDuff.
Of course, Shakespeare's most popular work (meaning most people are forced to read it in high school) has had the most radical revisions. Most of you probably saw WEST SIDE STORY (1961) when you were reading ROMEO AND JULIET (1593). You may remember the sharks and the jets and lots of finger snapping, but do you remember Rita Moreno being the only Hispanic to play a lead Hispanic? Moreover, can you conceive of a world when this was Best Picture of the Year—yes, the academy made this the god of their idolatry.
But it's director Baz Luhrmann who wins the award for greatest obsession with the Bard's work. And I'm not talking about ROMEO + JULIET (1996)—it's not a radical revision, as he's still using most of the original words. ROMEO + JULIET was actually just the second in a trilogy of retellings. STRICTLY BALLROOM (1992) is a darling retelling of the story, set in Australia. This is the story of star-crossed love through ballroom dance. It's funny and endearing (and because it's a comedy, the lovers don't have to die, they just have to wear uncomfortable shoes).
If STRICTLY BALLROOM told the story with dance, and ROMEO + JULIET used the words, MOULIN ROGUE (2001) finished the story with song. Don't see the connection? Well, there's a party that involves people falling in love before they really realize what they're doing. There's a father figure who's going to pimp out the girl for his own interest. There's a balcony scene on an elephant. And, yes, someone must die.
Now, it's not only William Shakespeare who writes stories that stay in our consciousness enough to survive radical revisions (if the public is generally unaware of the basics of a work, a major revision is only entertaining to a few snotty people like me). In 1897 Edmond Rostand created a smash hit with his play, CYRANO DE BERGERAC. The sad story of a gallant, heroic, and poetic, but large-nosed man captured the audience's sympathy enough to be remade as a Steve Martin comedy, ROXANNE (1987). Rostand's work was so modern that many of the jokes and lines could be presented unaltered. Even a scene that feels typically Martin—the insult contest—is actually Rostand. (Count the jokes—the crowd doesn't seem to be able to.) Martin did feel the need to make Roxanne a new member of the town, rather than the hero's cousin, though— Americans tend to shy away from cousin love, though not from cousin love jokes. But the best part of the revision? This Roxanne gets mad when she realizes that she's been played and gets to have it out with the hero before the make-up.
Jane Austen's popularity has made her a great target as well. I haven't yet read the new book, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES, but I don't think I'll be able to hold out forever. Austen's EMMA (1815) was reincarnated as CLUELESS (1995) with the somehow too hot for his own good Paul Rudd. Some of my students have assured me that high school was indeed like the movie portrays. Did they go to school in Southern California? Yes. My high school experience was nothing like that.
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE (1813) became one of my favorite films, BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY (2001). As I instruct my students when I teach the book, there is only one Mr. Darcy, and his name is actually Colin Firth. Hugh Grant is perfect as the sleazy guy that no woman should actually end up with. But the secondary characters are my favorites (apart from Firth, of course)—Bridget's parents are lovely, even when one of them dates an orange person.
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE can also be found in the aptly-named BRIDE AND PREJUDICE (2004), which is a fun cross-cultured, Bollywood take on a classic. This is an enjoyable film, and I recommend it, even though I will never be able to remove the image of a certain character in animal-print underwear from my mind.
Do you feel that you should be reading the classics this summer, but you don't really want to? Then take a look at one of the above and feel strangely edumacated. (Speaking of which, do I actually have to recommend THE SIMPSONS' versions of these and other classics?)
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| Comedies with Dr. Karma |
Every other Wednesday
Dr. Karma discusses all things comic, from the classics to what may become classics. Laugh with, but not at, her, please.
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| Karma Waltonen |
Dr. Karma is a silly, nerdy know-it-all, but in a good way. She brings all her overeducation to discuss that which truly matters: comedy. As some famous guy once said: “And if I laugh at any mortal thing, ‘tis that I may not weep.” Or something like that.
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