If one looks at recent cinema charts, the literary eye will notice that film adaptations of literary products are quite common there. Novels, especially if they were successful on the market, seem to be an ideal source for film-makers. Vladimir Nabokov's successful novel Lolita is no exception. Though this novel for various reasons almost seems like it is not screenable, in 1962 Stanley Kubrick directed an adaptation. Of course he faced the usual critique: the adaptation cheapen the original artworks reputation, it abuse the author's thoughts and the artwork, content and use of language were only insufficiently borne in mind. This paper tries to examine whether or not this critique, on adaptation in general and on Kubrick's work in detail, is justified or not.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- 1. What is an adaptation?
- From paper to screen: Adaptation and change of media
- Evaluation-criteria for an adaptation
- Adaptation: procedure
- 2. How does Kubrick's adaptation work?
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper aims to examine the adaptation of Vladimir Nabokov's novel "Lolita" to the screen by Stanley Kubrick in 1962. The paper investigates whether the criticism levied against adaptations in general and Kubrick's work specifically, namely that adaptations cheapen the original work's reputation, abuse the author's thoughts and the artwork, and insufficiently consider content and language, is justified.
- The challenges of adapting literary works to film, specifically the differences in media and storytelling approaches.
- The adaptation process and the choices made in transferring a novel's content and style to the screen.
- The impact of censorship and social sensitivities on the adaptation of a controversial novel like "Lolita."
- The comparison of the novel's themes and language to the film's visual and narrative elements.
- The autonomy of film as an art form and its ability to create new interpretations of literary works.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: This chapter introduces the topic of film adaptations of literary works, particularly focusing on the adaptation of "Lolita" by Stanley Kubrick. It presents the criticism often directed at adaptations, highlighting the need for a critical examination of the process and its outcome.
- 1. What is an adaptation?: This chapter delves into the concept of adaptation, exploring the challenges and possibilities of transferring a written work to the screen. It discusses the differences in media, storytelling techniques, and the criteria for evaluating adaptations.
- 2. How does Kubrick's adaptation work?: This chapter examines Kubrick's adaptation of "Lolita," highlighting the challenges faced, including the controversial themes of the novel and the pressures of censorship. It analyzes Kubrick's approach to adapting the novel, including the script development, changes made in character portrayals and plot, and the overall film's interpretation of the original work.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This preview delves into the world of literary adaptations with a focus on "Lolita" by Vladimir Nabokov and its 1962 film adaptation directed by Stanley Kubrick. The core themes explored include the challenges of adapting a controversial novel, the media differences between literature and film, the adaptation process and its impact on the original work, and the autonomy of film as an art form. The discussion also involves the use of key concepts such as censorship, interpretation, and the interplay between the original work's style and the film's visual and narrative language.
- Quote paper
- Anonym (Author), 2009, A novel and its adaptation: Stanley Kubrick: Lolita (1962) , Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/171649
