Contrary to the evidential literacy crisis sweeping the nation, classic literature film remakes seem to peak directors and audiences interests alike.
Just in the past few months numerous canonical works were brought to the big screen. Directors reimagined Shakespeare’s tragedies, Jane Austen’s romances, Emily Brontë’s gothic-hybrids, and Mary Shelley’s scientific fiction, capturing viewers and allowing individuals to consume timeless classics in seemingly the only way possible in this day and age.
According to experts, students’ test scores continue to drop at alarming rates since the pandemic.
Unfortunately, this comes as no surprise. Artificial intelligence throws fuel on this fire, allowing the younger generation to immediately access information that once required extensive searching, eliminating the ignition to explore content and develop curiosity.
The shocking part of the data found is that not only are students under preforming through reading standards, but adults are as well. No one wants to read anymore.
In a report from a 2023 OECD survey about 28 percent of adults have low literacy proficiency, making them unable to understand longer texts and identify/evaluate information.
As book-to-film adaptions surge amid declining literacy rates, adaptation critics argue these movies are just another contributing factor to add to the bunch, allowing people to simply watch another screen, rather than dive into a book.
Additionally, individuals feel films water down the complexity of these works, works that have stood the test of time and are highly acclaimed, to make them more palatable for a modern audience. This claim ignites the idea that the idea of storytelling is decaying with every modern film.
On the other hand, cinephiles advocate for the remakes, endorsing that the remakes can inform people with no knowledge of the books, allowing them to still consume the stories themes, experiences, and characters. They argue that some films may even leave viewers with a “curiosity gap” or the feeling that reading the book can bring them more clarity and allow them to dive even deeper into a world they fell in love with on screen.
Despite what modern day individuals think on the matter, it is valid to think about the authors of the works being retold as well. Would these authors be enamoured or disgruntled by their work coming to fruition on screen?
One can only assume authors such as Shakespeare would be fascinated by their work being put on screen, as it was originally intended as a play, the screenwriting would transfer well. But what about other authors? And how would they react to the modern changes directors have taken the liberty of taking while keeping the original works name?
Would Emily Brontë have loved Charli XCX’s original soundtrack for the remake of Wuthering Heights? Or would Mary Shelley be able to recognize her creature in Guillermo del Toro’s casting of Jacob Elordi in Frankenstein?
For now we can only guess the greats reactions to this modern classic literature film remake phenom, and personally any way that we can get individuals consuming art I think is a win for mankind. Stepping away from artificial intelligence’s grasp and into Nicole Kidman’s palace, no matter the content of the movie, encourages art consumption and the continuation of human creation; which in any season is a rarity nowadays.