A close study of the relationship between text and film versions of Great Expectations. Literature and film studies students will find plenty of material to support their courses and essay writing on how the film versions provide different readings of the original text. Focussing on David Lean's film of Great Expectations, the book discusses: the literary text in its historical context, key themes and dominant readings of the text, how the text is adapted for screen and how adaptations have changed our reading of the original text. There are numerous excerpts from the literary text, screenplays and shooting scripts, with suggestions for comparison. The book also features quotations from authors, screenwriters, directors, critics and others linked with the chosen film and text.

A major and fast-growing area of study in schools and universities. A British Film Institute survey of secondary schools found that 91% of english teachers were enthusiastic about teaching literature on film, and 41% devoted curriculum time to it, but more resources were needed. 40% of all Oscar winning movies have been adapted from film. There are 576, 562 students on english literature courses at GCSE level and 81,000 at A Level. The number of film studies students grows by 15% year on year.

About the Author
Brian McFarlane is Honorary Associate Professor at Monash University, Australia. He is a distinguished figure in literature and film whose books include The Encyclopedia of British Film and An Autobiography of British Cinema, The Cinema of Britain and Ireland, and Novel to Film.

Reviews
"One of relatively few textbooks that I can imagine undergraduates, studying modules in film or literary adaptation, really wanting to possess... the book is genuinely covetable because of the amount of stimulation it packs into such an accessible form... Best of all is McFarlane's authorial voice, enthusiastic, avuncular, occasionally anecdotal, opinionated but somehow balanced. At Masters level, there is enough material here to speak at least a couple of seminars and debates... There is also enough to tempt the general reader, and keep him or her reading..." Journal of Adaptation in Film & Performance 'This is one of relatively few textbooks that i can imagine undergraduates, studying modules in film or literary adaptation, really wanting to possess.' Reviews (2009)



Book Information
ISBN 9780713679090
Author Brian McFarlane
Format Paperback
Page Count 208
Imprint Methuen Drama
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Weight(grams) 178g