Luhrmann used a diverse amount of cinematographic techniques in order to achieve the same artistic goals as Fitzgerald tried to in his book. He especially used symbolism and scene timing in expressing the same feelings.
In scenes where the reading pace was fast, the screenshots lasted seconds and quickly moved with the actors. With moments of great contemplation such as when Nick sees Daisy and Jordan for the first time, the camera panned and stayed on the scene for a long time. Personally, I think Luhrmann definitely did a good job at mimicking the overall feel of The Great Gatsby but the movie lacked the beautiful fluency the book has.
One symbol that greatly stood out in his film was the green light. Many scenes would end with its ever distinct glow. This is just one example of the infinite symbolism this movie tried to mimic from the book. Another poignant one was when Gatsby left the room after Daisy. It was when he had expected her to rebuke her love for her husband but she instead was convinced to stay in her current life with her husband. As Gatsby leaves the room, the elegant lamp tips and shatters. This represented Gatsby losing his money facade; that without Daisy, Gatsby didn't seem rich anymore and most likely didn't need to be. This wasn't even noted in the book but adds to Fitzgerald's infinite precision to symbolism.
Personally, I'm not a huge fan of Luhrmann's cinematographic style, and it can be unpleasant to watch at times. The movie sometimes lacked the artistic flow of Fitzgerald's words through trying to imitate Fitzgerald style. On the other hand, the feel of the book was there. The overall confusion and beauty is present. Just like when I read the book, after watching the movie I felt Gatsby had been betrayed, used, and exploited by those around him. In the end, in both artistic forms I felt like money had manipulated and corrupted. Overall, I think Luhrmann achieved his goal only to my disdain for his directing style.
