W11, #4: Did Hollywood Get It Right?

Of the following film & television posters of "A Tale of Two Cities", which one best demonstrates the underlying themes and ideas of the novel?

Challenge:

• Pick one of the posters.
• Explain why it 'works' best in your opinion.
• 5+ sentences.

1935 film version:

1958 film version:

1980 television version:

1989 television mini-series version:

Comments

[Student #1]

The second poster is best because it shows the brutality of the life of the peasants and their eventual rise. The way their mouths and heads are positioned it also seems there is a bit of hysteria thrown into the mix. The man to the right, however, is thoughtful, signaling the less violent aspect (i.e. 'the best of times...') of the Revolution. It also accurately portrays the chaos of the later stages of the Revolution. The red background is symbolic of blood and helps paint a picture of the era.

***

Mr. Long's response: So pleased that you were able to focus on the "hysteria" in your description. Wisely said! A great reply; short and sweet...but full of details!

[Student #2]

The last poster best fits the novel’s personality. It shows the guards in the bottom and Darnay on the top right. The guards are perfectly represented as they are shown wearing the red caps, have horses, and it seems as if they are going to capture Darnay. Also it seems as if they are standing outside of the Bastille, which is completely relative to the story. It also has Lucie and Darnay shown closely together like lovers. It seems as if Darnay’s face is gradually fading of the top right. But the main thing that caught my eye was the phrase at the bottom “it was the best of times; it was the worst of times.”

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Mr. Long's response: Great eyes re: the caps the guards/citizens are wearing. A small but vital detail as the Revolution takes over!

[Student #3]

For me the second poster says more than any of the other posters, with its brutality and harsh times for the peasants. I feel the picture shows everything that needs to be said about the culmination of love through the mans face and the chaos of the revolution in the background. Also of course the Guillotine plays the important part, showing what is to finally come at the end of the book. Personally the the women screaming at the lower half center reminds me of Madame Defarge. I think the scene describes one of the main themes in the novel. It is that when it comes down to it human nature is to show that "true face" instead of that "multitude of faces". So Number 2 wins my vote.

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Mr. Long's response: Fascinating point said very well: "I feel the picture shows everything that needs to be said about the culmination of love through the mans face and the chaos of the revolution in the background."

This -- no doubt -- is what stands out more than anything for me: "It is that when it comes down to it human nature is to show that "true face" instead of that "multitude of faces"." Nice to see you pull that off phrase in a very competent way!

[Student #4]

I think that the 1958 poster best demonstrates the themes throughout this novel. It shows the peasants/revolutionaries fighting against the wealthy class, killing everyone in there way. The castle in the distance represents the wealthy. The people are scattered through this image which portrays how life wasn’t structured at this time. The people do a great job at showing the violence in this play but what really caught my attention were the colors in the sky. The mix of red and orange represents the blood that the people shed. This poster best describes what the story really is about.

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Mr. Long's response: Very well stated detail-wise. This part grabbed my attention in particular: "The people are scattered through this image which portrays how life wasn’t structured at this time."

[Student #5]

The 1958 version works best in my opinion. It shows revolutionaries in the background and how angry they are and depicts what the story it mainly about. The colors in this picture are red and almost represent blood, the colors are also darker then all of the other versions which shows despair and the true feelings of the Revolution. The castle shows how the peasants are attacking the wealthy; the peasants look very outraged and tired of being treated unfairly. I feel that Darnay is in the front and looks worried because he knows the peasants will eventually come after him, he also knows that times will be very different after the Revolution. This poster does a good job showing the themes of this book.

Mr. Long's response: Clever way to look at this poster: "I feel that Darnay is in the front and looks worried because he knows the peasants will eventually come after him, he also knows that times will be very different after the Revolution." This also plays out in really interesting times as we take a 2nd look at the last 2 pages of the novel.

[Student #6]

The best poster in my opinion would have to be the 1980 poster because it shows all the important aspects of the story line. Each poster before only showed a certain topic or theme, but the last shows each of the important topics, not just the love or the violence. From my point of view, the last one would have worked better if the woman, who I guess is Lucie Manette, wasn't so big so it doesn't look like the story is focused or centered around her being. The 1980's poster shows the patriotism for the country and also gives a good sense of each of the main topics in the book, "Love, Honor, and Ultimate Sacrifice".

[Student #7]

I think that the last poster depicts “A Tale of Two Cities” the best because the hues chosen are more faded and gray. This was a time when poverty and hunger dominated and it should not be portrayed in a positive way. It was a time in age when the French Revolution was nearing and people became more conscious and afraid, as shown in Lucie’s face. (I’m assuming that’s her) Also, I like the famous quote at the bottom of the poster that starts off the novel, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” The cover divides the militaristic and civilian lives and I think as an audience, that would be a main focal point.

[Student #8]

In my opinion, the 1989 poster fits to what I thought that the novel would have been portrayed as. It seems more dark and sinister while the others, with the exception of the 1958 version, seem less tragic looking. When I saw this one I immediately thought that this was what I saw A Tale of Two Cities as being. The poster gives the feeling, based on the clothing, of poverty and hard times. It depicts something more than just some love story, since this novel is so much more than that. The poster also hints at a revolution, while still keeping it less obvious to the observers unaware of the true meaning of the story.

[Student #9]

I think the 1980 poster of the movie looks the most realistic because it portrays the worried looks of Darnay, the start of the chaos of the revolution, and the innocence of Lucie. The poster also shows Darnay's clothing to be nice and clean cut showing that he is a man of higher class and should be respected. The torn and tattered flag in the background proves that there is chaos in the streets of London and France (French flag). This shows that the revolution is about to begin. Lastly the words Love, Honor, and the Ultimate Sacrifice are all large parts of the story and it is good if the movie portrayed that.

[Student #10]

I believe that the poster for “A Tale of Two Cities” in 1989 works best in showing the meaning of the movie. It shows how there are soldiers but makes you wonder what they fit in with the lady and man on the cover and what they may be waiting for. It shows Darnay and Lucie together but separate who are close lovers but are separated. Also, the poster being darker colors makes it seem like dark times as well as the quote on the bottom, “It was the best of times. It was the worst of times” really ties everything together.
But I also like the 1958 one because it shows a lot of little events that occurred through the story. It shows the 158 North tower, the guillotine, as well as the horses and carriage which ran over the little boy. It also seems like there is a scared woman near the picture of the big man, maybe Lucie scared for her husband’s life and the man could be Carton because he is the hero who rose up to save Darnay from death.

[Student #11]

In my opinion the 1989 poster best portrays Dicken's novel "A Tale of Two Cities." The lighting sets a dark and distressed mood as well as three descriptive pictures. This poster gives one of the most famous lines in literature and was actually involved in the novel, "It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. " The other three posters don't support any lines or compliment the novel nearly as well as these. The first poster tells the audience that the movie is about a love story between two men and one woman. The next poster turns the novel into a horror film rather than a revolution or uprising. Than the last poster reminds me of a corny version of Mel Gibson in The Patriot with tattered flag and lame tag line in the background. Therefore, the poster competition had a clear winner with the last one being my obvious choice.

[Student #12]

The 1989 poster grabs my attention the most with its showing of great detail and shows the best general view of the play in my opinion. I like how you have Darnay and Lucie at the top, showing how it might just be a simple love story. Contrast to that is the guard on horses, which represents war in general, and the hostility that is constantly happening. I also think this is a great poster to get people to watch this even if they have never watched it. With "It was the best of times, It was the worst of times" printed at the bottom, it explains the main theme and leaves a hint of mystery because of the guards at the bottom.

[Student #13]

I believe that the second poster best depicts the French revolution. I see the poster as being divided into three sections; the guillotine, the peasants, and the castle. The castle being so distant from the peasantry reveals the separation of the aristocrats from the rest of France. Being so far away they are unable to understand the peansant strife. The guillotine is the weapon of choice for the revolutionaries, who believe they are just in murdering any aristocrat who returns to France. Although I do belive that the second poster most truthfully depicts the revolution, I believe that the final poster most accuratly portrays Charles Dickens A Tale of Two Cities. The poster conveys Lucie Manette during her husband's imprisonment, she is concerned, and looks abit messy and unkept. The mood of A Tale of Two Cities is not jovial or happy so ineffect the lighting shouldnt be either. Although the novel tells a story of love, in my perception it is dark and melancholy, as should the lighting be. I like how instead of using crowd drawing words such as love or horror the caption reads the novel's opening lines, "It was the best of times. It was the worst of times." Darnay is shown in the upper right hand corner looking frightened of the revolution below. I think this poster shows that the mini-series stays most true to Dickens Novel because it didn't over dramatize any one of Dickens themes.

[Student #14]

I'm partial to the 1935, partly because I'm fond of posters from that era but mostly because the picture of (who I assume is) Carton captures his character's essence completely. He looks distraught, hopeless, and yet a light shines on him from above. The other posters focus mainly on Darnay because, well, he's the cute one (drat that handsome devil!). They forget to portray Carton's struggle and redemption, an important part of the book communicated perfectly in the 1935 poster. One thing wrong with the poster that I will concede is it does not portray the French Revolution, however I believe Carton's story is more important than that.

[Student #15]

I feel like the last poster best describes the novels underlying themes. The picture shows both Darnay (I assume) and Lucie together which shows that htey both are affectionate tp one another. But the coloring is also much darker and reserved than the other posters, which shows that this is a dark time for France. The fact that it is dark also shows that this is not just a love story. And the quote from the book at the bottom of the page reinforces the idea that despite these dark times of France, love still overcomes.

[Student #16]

I'd have to say that the 1958 poster is the most accurate. The poster first of all is mainly black so it gives it a kind of evil look which the book consists alot of. The people screaming in the backround gives it a sort of frantic type surrounding as if there was madness going on. And there is one calm person and that would have to be Darnay because even though this was all going on he kept his poise throughout.

[Student #17]

I think that the best poster is the second one. The background is important to me because the fade from orange gradually to red resembles the temper of the peasants. The peasants started off unpleased but still mellow, they did not fight back, but eventually the revolution began and blood began to spill, hence the red. Red also can be seen as a color of power, the people are all looking like at the red in the sky which shows that they are acknowledging that it is there and it is hanging in the balance. While each face is looking up the expressions are all different. Some have timid, scared looks, and some have angered looks, the mix of each gives a feeling of havoc going on which clearly took place during the war. All the while Darnay sits on the side looking as if he can forsee something, and does not looke like he is sharing the same problems as the peasants, he seems to be at the best of times, as a survivor at the end, while people are going through the worst of times.