From Wal-Mart to Tiffany, retailers go gaga for ‘Gatsby’
DETROIT – Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby” hasn’t even opened and it’s already inspiring product tie-ins and TV events. Check out these examples, none of which, thankfully, involves an aftershave named “Old Sport.”
Gems: Tiffany &Co., the quintessential jewelry store and one where “Gatsby” author F. Scott Fitzgerald himself shopped, worked with the movie to create signature pieces for the lead actors. You can purchase certain styles featured on-screen, like a $200,000 headpiece in platinum, pearls and diamonds worn by Daisy or a $550 daisy ring sported by Gatsby, as well as pieces inspired by the movie. The jewelry is featured at www.Tiffany.com.
Menswear: Brooks Brothers has a limited-edition collection tied to “The Great Gatsby” costumes by Oscar winner Catherine Martin, who based some of them on 1920s looks from the Brooks Brothers archive. There’s a striped pink linen jacket for $698. Or, for just $198, you can tip your hat – a straw boater with a navy-striped band – to the movie’s attention to sartorial detail. For more scoop, go to www.Brooksbrothers.com.
Book cover accessories: The classic cover by Francis Cugat for the original 1925 edition of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, one of the most famous jackets ever, has a moody blue skyline overlooked by a pair of eyes and red lips floating in the heavens. It appears on a collection of T-shirts, iPhone cases, tote bags and notecards from Out of Print, which specializes in products bearing classic book covers. Go to www.OutofPrintClothing.com to see the entire line.
Movie tie-in paperback: A new edition of the book (Simon & Schuster, $15) puts Leonardo DiCaprio and the cast on the cover – and some literary fans don’t like it much. The iconic 1925 cover version has been soaring in sales recently, as the New York Times reports, and a cover battle is beginning, with some stores carrying both or just the original, while Wal-Mart will have only the movie tie-in.
TV book club: Taking a page from Oprah Winfrey’s playbook, “The Colbert Report” has introduced its own book club, starting with “The Great Gatsby.” Said Colbert last month, “We’re reading it for all the right reasons: because there’s a movie coming out.” Director Luhrmann will guest at 11:30 p.m. EDT Thursday on Comedy Central.
Redford and Farrow on Blu-ray: The new Blu-ray edition of 1974’s “The Great Gatsby” features Robert Redford and Mia Farrow as the star-crossed lovers of the book. Although critics weren’t kind when it was released, it’s a must-see for any “Gatsby” fan for the costumes and Newport, R.I., mansion settings, plus Redford’s surprisingly effective turn as the yearning Gatsby and Farrow’s delicate, wistful charm as Daisy.