Original Texts: Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Apocalypse Now (1979) directed by Frances Ford Coppola, and The Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
Remix name: Coming through the Rye
Genre: Movie
Setting: Starts out in approximately 1977 on the Hawaiian islands. Jumps back in time to 1965 and the start of the Vietnam War.
Basic plot overview: Holden Caulfield has been in and out of school since being kicked out of Pencey Prep. He barely graduates high school, but somehow manages, only to flounder through a year of college before dropping out. Since then, he has worked odd jobs and been estranged from his family. After being forced to reunite with them--and face his demons--at his sister Phoebe's wedding, Holden decides it's finally time to change his life. The outbreak of war between the States and Vietnam provides him an easy fix--Holden enlists despite his slightly older age. The "Old Guy" throughout basic training and eventual deployment, Holden is forced to grow up and provide support for the younger men in his company. The story will alternate between the present (1977) where Holden has developed into an alcoholic, his time at war, and flashbacks to Salinger's original story. The intermix of these scenes will highlight how PTSD affected not only Holden, but an entire generation.
I like what you two have come up with. I remember reading The Catcher and the Rye as a child. I sort of feel like I can recall the story. Have you thought of the music that would be used in the film? To create the nostalgic and slightly melancholy mood. The movie would be spot on in black and white.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Nina! Kelsey and I honestly didn't put too much thought into the music; however, I agree it is definitely and important element to a story like this (or any story really). Black and white is an interesting idea, but I have to say there is something about the vibrancy of Apocalypse Now that I think we'd want to maintain. Additionally, the time period kinda just lends to color as it was a time of innovation.
DeleteWow, interesting (if also a bit dark)! I would have never thought to combine these stories but I think this could work.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to hear more about how this merging of texts speaks to our present moment.
Kelsey and I for sure talked about if it was too dark--but with that being said, I think our current time has people looking back to other moments of great strife and struggle. In a way it has made other times more relatable? For example in our history seminar for the Humanities MA we talked a lot about how our time has never really experience a moment of totality,...impact that effected everyone and everything. Now that we have I think there is something in us that wants to look backwards to see how others handled their own situation.
DeleteI LOVED catcher in the Rye because it was so weird and Holden is such an interesting protagonist for YA novel, so I absolutely love this concept. I remember being so curious about how he would grow up after finishing the novel, so i really love this idea. I am interested to see how you make his roots and issues in he original novel relevant in this one (his aversion towards intimacy, his egotistical/ cynical attitude)
ReplyDeleteI'm not familiar with either of the original texts, but this idea definitely gets me interested in both! The use of flashbacks to tell the story remind me of Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut (minus the aliens, of course). Where (when?) do you think most of the screen time would be given? Would it be an equal distribution between the three time periods? How much plot development happens in the 1977 present?
ReplyDelete