Lewins next production was the picture of dorian gray 1945, arguably his best movie and widely considered the finest adaptation of oscar wildes novel. Compared to the movie, which is not fair to the book, the book didnt evoke the emotion i would have expected from this author. In the beginning of the book he is young, curious and a bit naive. Clearly, a film very rarely is faithful to an original novel. The film adaptation that i watched was released in 2002. The picture of dorian gray is a 1945 american horrordrama film based on oscar wildes 1890 novel of the same name. The picture of dorian gray, moral fantasy novel by irish writer oscar wilde, published first in lippincotts monthly magazine in 1890 and as a book in 1891.
They are very similar in some ways but also dissimilar as well. The plot of the picture of dorian gray, if seen apart from the wit and epigrams of lord henry is serious and, at times, even somber. Differences between dorian gray book vs movie page 1. The picture of dorian gray is a gothic and philosophical novel by oscar wilde, first published complete in the july 1890 issue of lippincotts monthly magazine. A corrupt young man somehow keeps his youthful beauty, but a special painting gradually reveals his inner ugliness to all. The the picture of dorian gray characters covered include. The picture of dorian gray film by lewin 1945 britannica. Dorian gray, 2009 a film version of the novel directed by oliver parker and starring ben barnes of prince caspian fame as dorian and colin firth as lord henry. The picture of dorian gray, 2006 a contemporary adaptation of the novel, starring david gallagher. A comparison of oscar wilde and dorian gray essay bartleby.
Upon reflection, i was surprised that the changes in the portrait were not more descriptive. A list of all the characters in the picture of dorian gray. As you read, youll be linked to summaries and detailed analysis of quotes and themes. He is one the most iconic and pioneering villains from classic literature and is identified as one of the first attempts at creating a protagonist villain. The way they are similar greatly outweighs the way there are dissimilar, but the differences and similarities are both present between the book and the play.
When he met basil hallward, a painter, dorian became the inspiration of this artist to make an authentic work of art. The difference between the movie and book of the picture of. I have seen the picture of dorian gray which is based on this oscar wilde book. Young dorian arrives fresh on the london social scene and is taken under the wing of lord henry wotton who introduces him to the seedy pleasures of. Wilde wrote a dark tale of a man, dorian gray, who destroys his life by exchanging his soul for eternal youth and beauty. I finally have some spare time, so prepare for a bunch of book vs. The picture of dorian gray resources movie or tv productions. Other articles where the picture of dorian gray is discussed. As such he has been adapted in various forms of media several times and. The secret of dorian gray does tend to get a little hokey at times.
The narrative does not reveal the title of the french novel, but at trial, wilde said that the novel referred to in dorian gray was a rebours against nature, 1884 by joriskarl huysmans, but then denied the book is the one he intended to refer to. For our very first time, im starting with a classic, namely the picture of dorian gray, written in 1891 by oscar wilde. Differences between the picture of dorian gray book vs movie. The picture of dorian gray analysis essay example graduateway. Hurd hatfield starred as the ageless protagonist, and sanders and angela lansbury were notable in supporting roles. Why is the picture of dorian gray such a successful novel. The main character, dorian gray, is described as astonishingly beautiful. There are several movie adaptations of this book, but ill be using dorian gray from 2009. If you couldnt understand something in the book you could just go back and reread it. Throughout this essay i shall focus most of my ideas on the original story created by wilde the picture of dorian gray, however i may also refer to other adaptations of the book such as the 2009 film dorian gray. The picture of dorian gray by oscar wilde goodreads. Dorian is a cultured, wealthy, and impossibly beautiful young man who immediately captures basils artistic imagination. Young dorian arrives fresh on the london social scene and is taken under the wing of lord henry wotton who introduces him to.
The rupture with sibyl vane and his subsequent death. Picture of dorian gray the art institute of chicago. Sometimes not a variety of interpretations that a book offers but technical issues make not possible to copy it. The play was first ed in 1895, so almost 125 years ago.
Ivan albright painted this lurid portrait for the oscarwinning movie adaptation of oscar wildes 1891 novel the picture of dorian gray. Religious dystopia in the picture of dorian gray religious. I understand the aging process has to be overdone to get the full impact of dorians youth, but when you just increase the amount of baby powder used to make the actors hair look grayer, it. Mostly because im not a big fan of old movies believe me, ive tried i was a film student for a semester and also. Dorian gray is the titular main protagonist of the classic 1891 novel the picture of dorian gray by oscar wilde, as well as its 2009 movie adaptation of the same.
Dorian gray is the titular main protagonist of the classic 1891 novel the picture of dorian gray by oscar wilde, as well as its 2009 movie adaptation of the same name. The uncensored picture of dorian gray is the latest edition of wildes only novel, but it is also the first. Uncensored picture of dorian gray published books the. Dorian is a simple low budget movie, with a great music score, and average performances, but i liked it. Through out the movie the picture of dorian gray, filmed in 1945 by albert lewin, we the audience sees vast amounts of similarities compared to the book written in 1890 by oscar wilde. Essay about the difference between the movie and book of the.
With george sanders, hurd hatfield, donna reed, angela lansbury. The 2009 adaptation of oscar wildes only novel, the picture of dorian gray is to be the kickoff for this. May 10, 2017 dorian gray was first created by oscar wilde in 1890 and has since been used in several other works such as films. When i was a boy, this book was among my favorite ones. In wildes tale, dorian gray commissions a portrait of himself as an attractive young man and later trades his soul for an everyouthful appearance. Over 120 years after it was condemned as vulgar and unclean, an uncensored version of oscar wildes the picture of dorian gray is published by harvard university press.
The consequence of remaining young and transferring the ageing process to a portrait was more than just. Vane, alan campbell, lady agatha, lord fermor, duchess of monmouth, victoria wotton, victor, mrs. One example is a 43 year old character being as gray and balding as a 70 year old. Dorian is a worthy contemporary version of oscar wildes classic the picture of dorian gray. They share many qualities and are both very intricately thought through. Fearing the story was indecent, the magazines editor deleted roughly five hundred words before publication without wildes knowledge.
Compare and contrast dorian gray the book and movie there are many comparisons from the book dorian gray to the playwright. The book dorian gray and the play are both alike and also different. Editor nicholas frankel has followed the manuscript wilde submitted to lippincotts magazine in early 1890. It is an archetypal tale of a young man who purchases eternal youth at the expense of his soul and a romantic exposition of wildes own aestheticism. Read the full text of the picture of dorian gray on shmoop. The picture of dorian gray book vs movie add a difference. You get the impression of him as selfish and ytlig, but even though he seem to be loved by everybody he meets. Dorian gray is a young and handsome man whose welloff friend lord henry takes him to an artloving painter, basil hallward. The picture of dorian gray, apart from being a classic work of literature and written by one of the greatest writers of all time, is a book that has readers searching for meaning and it opens up a debate on the consequences of our actions.
Dorian sits for several portraits, and basil often depicts him as an ancient greek hero or a mythological figure. Clearly, the story relates through the plot and gives an accurate representation of what the book would portray, but what stands out the most is the miniscule. A comparison of oscar wilde and dorian gray one novel that stands out as literary masterpiece is the picture of dorian gray by oscar wilde. Released in june 1945 by metrogoldwynmayer, the film is directed by albert lewin and stars george sanders as lord henry wotton and hurd hatfield as dorian gray. In the classic oscar wilde, sibyl was so excited with his wedding which engages a nefarious.
Compare and contrast dorian gray the book and movie. Dorian gray, lord henry wotton, basil hallward, sibyl vane, james vane, mrs. In the stately london home of his aunt, lady brandon, the wellknown artist basil hallward meets dorian gray. The picture of dorian gray the book treats the history of dorian gray, a charming and beautiful boy who lived in london and who belonged to a noble family. What are the differences, if any, between the movie dorian.