Adapting ANNA KARENINA: Social Charades on Screen

In honor of the new film adaptation of Anna Karenina, which starts today at Bryn Mawr Film Institute, BMFI Intern Mireille Guy takes a closer look at Joe Wright's production and a few of the previous film versions of Tolstoy's tragic novel.

---

Adapting Anna Karenina: Social Charades on Screen
By Mireille Guy, BMFI Intern


Joe Wright’s Anna Karenina is not a retelling of Tolstoy’s classic, but rather an adaptation that brings out the beauty and tragedy of the story while bearing its director's mark. The familiar doomed love story is seen through a different lens, thanks to the brilliant screenplay by Tom Stoppard.

Keira Knightley stars in Joe Wright's Anna Karenina, which starts today at BMFI. Jude Law and Matthew Macfadyen, period piece veterans, co-star.

 

Tom Stoppard’s screenplay draws out the conflicts within the plot in a sometimes ironic and always clever fashion, revealing the social charades in which the characters engage. Director Joe Wright takes advantage of these social pretensions by using a theater as the setting for most of the film, stating that:

“They were living their lives as if they were on a stage, and this gave me the idea to set the majority of the film in a theater.”
 



A theater and a stage are used as the setting during
the majority of the film.

By doing this, the audience is continuously reminded of the charades constantly being staged by the characters. Although the theatrical setting also serves a reminder that we are watching a story with an already established ending, it highlights the conflict between characters and reminds us of the social rules controlling them.

The costumes reinforce the staging, bringing to life late 19^th century Russia, the height of the Russian Empire. During this period, the aristocracy was constantly looking west to France for the latest culture and style, parading around the Winter Palace in wild gowns and French hairstyles. Costume Designer Jacqueline Durran, who also designed costumes for Atonement (for which she won an Academy Award) and Wright's Pride& amp; Prejudice, holds true to the Russian aristocracy's obsession with all things French and brings this social charade to the forefront of audience's minds.

The film’s lavish, grandiose design, star power, and the bold staging create a refreshing adaptation while remaining true to the themes Tolstoy incorporates into his novel.

Other Film Adaptations
Tolstoy’s epic, tragic love story has drawn the attentions of many filmmakers. Each adaptation both reflects the time and place it was made as well as holds true to the themes and emotions Tolstoy's novel evokes.

Here are a few of the many adaptations of Anna Karenina:



Anna Karenina (1914)
This early film adaptation by Russian director Vladimir Gardin emphasizes the train sequence, with the train rushing towards the camera and filling the frame.

Love (1927)
Greta Garbo plays Anna Karenina in this silent film adaptation that features an alternate happy ending. This was the first film shown at the Seville Theater, Bryn Mawr Film Institute’s home.

Anna Karenina (1935)
Greta Garbo reprises her role as Anna Karenina, this time with sound and the original tragic ending.

Anna Karenina (1948)
Filmed during Hollywood’s Golden Age, this adaptation stars Vivien Leigh.

River of Love (1960)
An Egyptian adaptation of Anna Karenina co-starring Omar Sharif.  

Anna Karenina (1977)
This BBC series includes ten 50-minute episodes, allowing for it to elaborate on the book's plot.

Anna Karenina (1997)
Filmed completely on location in Russia, this theatrical version includes a great soundtrack that includes music by Tchaikovsky.

---

Mireille Guy is a sophomore at Swarthmore College currently interning at Bryn Mawr Film Institute.

Matthew Bourne’s SWAN LAKE: Five Things to Know

Dancers, delight! Bryn Mawr Film Institute will show Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake in HD on Thursday, September 27 at 7:00 pm with an introduction by Maurice Kaplow. BMFI Intern and ballet enthusiast Mireille Guy gives five reasons why this production is a must-see.

---

Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake: Five Things to Know
By Mireille Guy, BMFI Intern

There is something about Swan Lake that makes artists come back to it, reinterpreting the tale in some new and contemporary way. (Black Swan anyone?) Matthew Bourne’s version of the ballet might be one of the most unique of these interpretations, and his modern twist is as refreshing as it is bold.

This ballet will be a pleasure to see on Bryn Mawr Film Institute’s silver screen, and here are five reasons why:

1. What most obviously makes Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake unique is its almost all-male cast. Both the prince and Odette/Odile are played by men, as is two-thirds of the corps. Here the traditional femininity of the swan is challenged by Bourne, who has stated:

   “The idea of a male swan makes complete sense to me. The strength, the beauty, the enormous wingspan of these creatures suggests to me the musculature of a male dance more readily than a ballerina in her white tutu.”

   This casting decision changes the dynamic of the whole piece, creating an exciting ballet. So for those of you who have seen the traditional version of Swan Lake, don’t expect Bourne’s reinterpretation to be the same.


2. Bryn Mawr Film Institute is thrilled to have the renowned conductor Maurice Kaplow introduce the screening. A Lower Merion local, Kaplow has conducted for both the New York City Ballet and the Pennsylvania Ballet. He has also composed pieces for the Pennsylvania Ballet as well for Penn State University.


3. First premiering in 1995, Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake has dazzled audiences for almost two decades, and it has the Tonys to back it up—three Tonys to be exact. Matthew Bourne won Tonys in 1999 for Best Director of a Musical and Best Choreography; the show also won Best Costume Design. So add those three to the list of over 30 international awards that the show has received!
   
   
4. It has royal connections. Partly due to the fact that Bourne’s Swan Lake was produced in England, there is speculation that the show can be seen as an underlying commentary on the British monarchy. More specifically, a comparison has been made between the unsatisfied and deprived prince in the ballet and Prince Charles. And on a more obvious level, the queen and the monarchy in the ballet have been compared to the British monarchy. In any case, there is definitely a regal air to the ballet.


5. Remember that part at the end of the film adaption from Billy Elliot, where his father comes to see him perform as an adult? Well the film ends with Elliot magnificently leaping onto the stage in front of full crowd. In that scene, Elliot is performing Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake—he is playing the lead swan.

These are just a few reasons why Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake is a must-see for ballet buffs and non-ballet buffs alike. Bourne’s dynamic ballet is bound to be a classic, enhanced at Bryn Mawr Film Institute by Maurice Kaplow's great introduction.

---

Mireille Guy is a sophomore at Swarthmore College currently interning at Bryn Mawr Film Institute.