The eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleberg

Is anyone as excited as I am about the upcoming movie version of The Great Gatsby?  Recently, it was announced that Carey Mulligan was cast as Daisy Buchanan, alongside Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby and Tobey Maguire as Nick Carraway.  Here's Carey Mulligan in rehearsal:

The Great Gatsby is one of my favorite novels and along with Lolita, one of the quintessential 20th century American works, in my opinion.  What I think will make it a great movie in the hands of director Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge, Australia, Romeo + Juliet) is its highly visual and symbolic nature.  White curtains fluttering, the green light on Daisy's dock, Gatsby's flashy car, all of it great imagery.

I thought I was happy with the casting choices, although I mostly picture Tobey Maguire as the bewildered Spiderman:



and am not sure he can summon the seriousness and eventual wisdom of Nick.  Still, I was willing to give him a chance.  DiCaprio is the perfect choice for Gatsby, and I loved Mulligan in An Education.  But then I stumbled upon this site, where you can vote for your dream cast.  Some of those choices are very compelling.  Check it out.

Also, I'm wondering how Luhrmann will represent one of the most important symbols of the book, the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleberg, watching over the proceedings in their God-like manner.  I say a large billboard of Kanye West, with diamond-encrusted sunglasses and his perpetual pout.  I think he'd accept the part.