Jane Austen’s novel “Emma has been tapped for adaptation into a Hip Hop musical. We get this peculiar news thanks to the professionals at Variety:
Screen Gems is planning a hip-hop musical reimagining of Jane Austen’s classic novel “Emma” for the bigscreen. Contemporary-set tale, which takes place at an inner-city high school, revolves around a stepbrother and stepsister. Film will include at least 15 song and dance numbers. Tyger Williams penned the screenplay.Screen Gems topper Clint Culpepper said he came up with the idea for “Emma,” which will likely be redubbed “Emme,” after watching the musicvideo “Lipgloss” by Lil Mama. “Now it’s urban,” Culpepper said. “This is the way it should be reimagined in the new millennium.”
I am uncertain why they are taking a classic book, setting the adaptation in an inner city high school and then adding 15 songs to the film. Why not just make your own story? I haven’t read this book but I stress to find the logic in using it as a source for an inner city, HIgh School, Hip Hop Musical.
I have a strong dislike for modern adaptations of stories that have a historical setting. I hated the 1996 adaptation of Romeo And Juliet for this very reason – I find it horribly fucking lame. Characters are intertwined with their surroundings and their place in history; it is an injustice to yank them apart as far as I am concerned. If you want to make a film based on Emma – do just that. International Friends, what are your thoughts on the matter?
