"East Of Eden" (Netflix)

[Magical Realist]

https://www.esquire.com/uk/culture/tv/a7...en-review/

"If you’re lucky, you’ll watch one TV show a year that changes you forever. Take my word for it: Netflix’s East of Eden is that show, whether or not you’ve read John Steinbeck’s seminal 1952 novel of the same name. By the end of the seven episodes, timshel—a Hebrew word that Steinbeck reinterpreted to mean “thou mayest” and arguably serves as the lifeblood of the story—is something you’ll want to tattoo on your psyche so that you may never forget your capacity for change."

[Image: 828897979-1089300167166205-7023126826692941179-n.jpg]

[C C]

Unlike the James Dean flick, there are a lot more hours available to fully cover the novel. But...

Just looking purely at how the cast and characters are ranked, it seems like this version centers more around Cathy Ames and other characters rather than primarily Adam Trask and the relationship with his Cain/Abel like sons. The boys have literally been reduced to limited or secondary recurring role status.

Might be interesting to see if Elia Kazan's granddaughter maintains the depiction of Cathy as evil. Or updates her as merely bipolar or even with a completely different personality altogether. Or as just psychologically complex and misunderstood and a product of abuse. Sounds like maybe the latter.

It could still be a faithful adaptation but viewed through the perspectives of characters that didn't receive as much screen time or attention in either the 1950s movie or the Steinbeck original.