Literary Latitude

Keywords

Shakespeare, interpretation, Hamlet, Active Reading, Film Meaning, reading, viewing, passive reading, Critical Evaluation, historical context, Film Adaptations, Music Preferences, Copyright Permission, literary text, Filming Permits, Existential Relevance, Film Industry, Salman Rushdie, Directorial Interpretation, Book Recommendations, Reading with the Grain, Reading against the Grain, Adaptation, Hollywood, Clothing, Myths, Content Sharing

Summary

Understanding Reading and Viewing

– Reading and viewing are two distinct activities.
– Active reading involves making meaning from a text by reimagining the context, characters, and events.
– Passive reading, on the other hand, is simply going through a text without actively engaging with it.

Active vs. Passive Reading

– Active reading involves actively constructing meaning from text, while passive reading involves consuming pre-made meaning.
– Passive reading is like watching a film, where the meaning has been prepared by the director and producer.
– Active reading allows for multiple interpretations and meanings depending on the reader’s context and perspective.

Shakespeare’s Characters and Situations

– Shakespeare’s characters and situations are open to interpretation.
– Readers create their own meanings based on their circumstances.
– Film adaptations attempt to fix the meaning of the adapted literary texts.

Hamlet’s Clothing in Shakespeare’s Drama

– In Shakespeare’s drama, the reader has the freedom to imagine Hamlet’s clothing based on their own interpretation.
– The text does not provide specific details about Hamlet’s attire, allowing readers to place him in any context they desire.
– In contrast, film adaptations of the play depict Hamlet wearing clothing that was fashionable during the time when the drama was written, in most cases.

Active Reading vs Passive Reading

– Hamlet is usually played by white skinned men in films adapted from Shakespeare’s play (in Europ).
– Historical timelines and language are fixed in Shakespeare’s plays.
– Active reading allows for more reconnection with the text compared to passive reading.

Challenges in Adapting Shakespeare’s Works

– Direct adaptations of Shakespeare’s works face limitations due to character race and historical context.
– Settings and props must align with the specified time period.
– Example: Game of Thrones depicts a historical setting that no longer exists.

Understanding Film Meaning

– Film adaptations can make meanings more focused.
– Finding subtle connections is key to interpreting meaning.

Film Adaptation and Directorial Interpretation

– Film adaptation involves interpreting literary texts and stories.
– Directors may deviate from the original text for commercial success.
– Financial investments and actors’ demands influence adaptation choices.

Filming Permits and Background Characters

– Filming permits and payments are required for specific locations and involve multiple individuals.
– Background characters in music videos work just as hard as the main character.
– These background characters receive payment for their efforts.

Understanding the Cost of Hollywood Films

– Every person involved in a film is paid, including those who appear briefly or work behind the scenes.
– Hollywood films have high budgets, sometimes reaching hundreds of millions of dollars.
– In comparison, India’s Chandrayaan mission cost around the same cost of one Hollywood film.

High Production Costs in Film Industry

– Filmmaking has become expensive, with budgets reaching 20-30 crore rupees in Bollywood.
– Directors avoid copying novels exactly due to high production costs.
– Low-budget films, like ‘Midnight Children’, often go unnoticed by the general public.

Salman Rushdie’s royalty for film adaptation of his novel
– Salman Rushdie charged only nominal as royalty for the film adaptation of his novel.
– He believed that the novel was too difficult for a general audience and only students and teachers would read it.
– Art cinema is difficult to understand and not everyone enjoys it.

Discussion on Filmic Adaptations

– the concept of filmic adaptations, particularly the Indian version of ‘Pride and Prejudice’.
– few people are aware of these adaptations and filmmakers rarely present literary texts in their original form.

Film Adaptation Changes

– Directors make appropriate changes to avoid wasting money, such as improvising situations and altering context, setting, and timeline.
– These changes have a specific purpose.

Myths as Structures of Events

– Myths are structures of events that reoccur and help understand the present situation.
– The story of Sita exemplifies the victimhood of women when their virtue and chastity are questioned.
– In many cases, women are victims in situations like these.

Structural Analysis of Film Adaptations

– Film adaptations involve changes in setting, time, and language.
– Archetypal analysis focuses on identifying underlying structures.
– Despite these changes, the common structure links the film adaptation to its original context.

Comparing Film Adaptation to Literary Text

– When analysing a film adaptation, compare the film’s scenes to the events in the literary text.
– Examine whether the director accurately represented the text’s intended meaning.
– Consider how changes made by the writer affect the overall meaning of the work.

Hamlet’s Existential Relevance and Film Adaptations

– Hamlet’s existential nature and relevance in today’s world.
– Film adaptations of Hamlet add director’s interpretations and emphasize different aspects of the play.
– Shakespeare could not have foreseen the complex issues his drama would be associated with in film adaptations.

Film’s Focus and Interpretation

– The film presents complex situations and visuals, leading viewers to perceive it as profound.
– Another director might portray Hamlet as mad, emphasising different aspects.
– Terry Eagleton’s concept of two reading varieties offers various scopes for interpretation.

Reading with the Grain

– Reading with the grain means accepting what the writer or producer presents without question.
– Current scholarship and leadership often follow this approach, blindly believing what is presented as correct.
– Questioning and considering counter-arguments is important to avoid limited interpretations and ensure a broader understanding.

Critical Evaluation of Stories and Events

– Critical evaluation of stories and events is essential to avoid blindly accepting information.
– Multiple adaptations of literary texts offer different interpretations and meanings.
– The meaning of a text can vary depending on the time, period, and country.

Hamlet Adaptation in India

– Hamlet adaptation in India differs from other countries.
– Indian audiences may not be familiar with Hamlet, so adaptations must be tailored to their understanding.
– The taste of the audience is unpredictable, but certain patterns can be observed.

Music Preferences and Listening Habits

– Audiences’s music preferences are influenced by age, religion, and socioeconomic status.
– Classical music appreciation and listening frequency vary among individuals.
– Personal taste plays a significant role in music enjoyment, making it challenging to define universal preferences.

Music Preference of Young Generation

– Modern songs with fast music and intense musical instruments are preferred over lyrics.
– Dance and DJ remixes are popular among young people aged 14 to 25.
– As people grow older, their music taste changes.

Changing Movie Preferences

– People’s movie preferences change over time.
– Children enjoy action-packed and magical movies.
– Adults may prefer more serious and thought-provoking films.

Analysing Films for Meaning and Inspiration

– Films can inspire and make you reflect on your identity and potential.
– Some films, like ’12 Fail’, challenge your identity and motivate you to achieve more.
– Filmmakers consider audience preferences when creating successful movies.

Discussion on Films

– Matrix and Open Hymer were popular films released last year.
– Producers prioritise commercial success over educational value, leading to simplified content.

Copyright Issues in Film Screenings

– Copyright laws protect films, and only authorised individuals can publicly screen them.
– Downloading films from unauthorised sources without paying the creators is illegal.

Copyright Infringement of Films

– Telegram channels that provide downloadable films are blocked due to copyright infringement.
– Downloading and watching films for personal use is acceptable to someone extent, but selling or publicly displaying them is unethical.
– Only the copyright holders have the right to distribute or exhibit films.

Copyright Issues and Content Sharing

– Government licence doesn’t guarantee permission from content producers who receive royalties.
– Educational purposes don’t always protect against copyright claims, leading to settlements to avoid trouble.
– Sharing personal content is allowed, but copying and pasting from books without permission can still result in complaints.

Permission Required to View Films

– Permission from producers is legally required to view films even in educational institutions.