Introduction
The Broadway debut of August Wilson’s play “Fences” in 1983 was met with overwhelming praise from critics. It won the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award and was praised as a masterpiece. Even though the play was widely popular, it took almost thirty years to be made into a big film, which eventually happened in 2016 (Hasan 1).
Unexpectedly, there had been talks—and a preliminary agreement with Paramount—as early as the 1980s about making “Fences” into a movie. The delayed release of the movie version of “Fences” can be attributed to a combination of racism, artistic differences, and the period’s cultural climate. Racism in Hollywood hindered opportunities for African American stories to be told authentically on screen, but artistic differences between playwright August Wilson and potential directors further prolonged the film’s production.
This research paper explores the reasons behind this delayed adaptation, exploring two key factors: racism and cultural climate in the 1980s, as well as artistic differences that posed challenges in translating the play to film. The first subtopic examines how racism and the cultural climate of the 1980s played a significant role in delaying the adaptation of “Fences.” During this period, racial tensions were still prevalent in society, making it difficult for African-American stories like “Fences” to find support within Hollywood.
The second subtopic is on creative disparities that made it challenging to adapt Wilson’s potent stage play for the big screen. Conventions and expectations in movies frequently collide with the distinctive features of theater. Examining these difficulties will help explain why the filmmakers’ effective transition of “Fences” from stage to screen took so long. Through thoroughly examining these subtopics and analyzing their influence on the delayed adaptation of “Fences,” this research study sheds light on why it took several decades for such a highly praised play to be made into a big-motion film.
Delayed Adaptation: Racism and Cultural Climate in the 1980s
Even though August Wilson’s play Fences was trendy and received high praise from critics in the 1980s, a significant movie picture adaptation did not come about until 2016. Several causes, including racism, creative distinctions, and the prevailing cultural milieu of the time, might be blamed for this delayed adaption (Hasan 2). During this period, racism significantly impeded the film’s development of Fences.
The 1980s were a time when African-American perspectives were underrepresented in Hollywood’s predominately white power structure. “I did see a hundred niggers play baseball better than Jackie Robinson”-Troy Maxson (Wilson 16). This quote demonstrates the racial prejudice prevalent during that era, which could have influenced Hollywood’s reluctance to invest in an African-American-centered film like “Fences.” The film industry battled with inclusion and representation and was hesitant to accept various narratives. Due to this factor, movies with black characters or subjects were considered less marketable and had difficulty getting financing and distribution agreements.
August Wilson’s play was not immediately adapted into a feature picture partly due to stylistic disagreements. Wilson was renowned for his unwavering dedication to upholding the integrity of his artistic vision (Green 8). He was sure that the director of any film adaptation had to be African American and share his vision for truthfully portraying black culture in cinema. This condition made it difficult to get funding from big studios that were used to controlling the artistic direction of their productions.
In addition, the cultural milieu of the 1980s contributed significantly to the postponement of the Fences movie. This era was characterized by Conservative ideas that aimed to uphold established power structures and thwart societal progress. Stories that confronted racial inequity head-on or questioned established standards were not given priority in Hollywood at the time (Jones). The potential reach and influence of films that examined racial relations were frequently restricted to independent producers or niche audiences.
Fences’s delayed adaption serves as an example of how systematic racism may obstruct advancement in the entertainment sector. It draws attention to the fact that popular appeal only sometimes results in instant chances for underrepresented voices or storylines that challenge established ones. Fences encountered several obstacles, from racial intolerance, few chances for black filmmakers, and a cultural atmosphere averse to change despite its critical triumph on Broadway.
Artistic Differences: Challenges in Translating the Play to Film
The creative changes when a theatrical work is adapted for the big screen provide one of the main obstacles in converting August Wilson’s play Fences to the big screen. Some factors must be carefully considered when moving from stage to screen, such as pace, cinematic devices, and visual storytelling (Jones). These variations in artistic media can present serious difficulties, which could be one reason the release of Fences on the big screen took so long.
Theater differs from cinema in that it emphasizes character-driven performances and conversation. A drama like Fences relies heavily on solid character interactions and monologues to tell most of the tale. Actors and audience members can interact closely on stage, allowing for the real-time expression of emotions. Achieving a balance between leveraging cinematic visual storytelling approaches and capturing these potent performances is necessary when translating this dynamic into film (Jones).
Moreover, plays frequently rely on metaphorical and symbolic components that might not work as well on screen. For instance, in the movie Fences, the fence’s name represents emotional and physical limitations in Troy Maxson’s life (Dow). This symbolic image may be more easily communicated on stage with the proper lighting and set designs. Nevertheless, in a movie version, it becomes far more essential to discover visual clues or other ways to communicate this meaning.
Maintaining the integrity of Wilson’s language while modifying it for different media is another difficulty. Wilson’s use of colloquial language perfectly conveys the spirit of the experiences that his African-American protagonists had in Pittsburgh in the 1950s (Dow). Maintaining this distinctive language style might take careful balance while making it understandable to a larger audience (Dow). Filmmakers disagreed on effectively adapting Fences for the big screen without sacrificing the book’s realism or lessening its impact. Different filmmakers or producers had various ideas about how they intended to tackle the creative aspects of this rendition.
Conclusion
Overall, there are several reasons why August Wilson’s play Fences did not become a vast motion picture until 2016, including creative differences, the difficulties of adapting the play for the screen, and racism and the cultural milieu of the 1980s. Racial conflicts and a lack of opportunity for African-American artists in Hollywood characterized the 1980s. The adaptation of Fences was delayed mainly because racism impeded the advancement of initiatives utilizing African-American tales and talent.
Major studios showed little interest in promoting different storytelling on film because of the cultural atmosphere of the time. In addition, August Wilson’s stylistic conflicts with other possible filmmakers added to the delay. Wilson insisted on being an African-American director and had certain notions about how his play should be made into a movie. It was challenging to establish common ground between these creative inclinations and the procedures of mainstream Hollywood.
Additional difficulties were involved in turning a theater drama like Fences into a motion picture. The play’s dialogue-driven storyline is personal; thus, preserving its core while transforming it into a visual medium took considerable thought. Filmmakers had difficulty conveying Wilson’s work’s emotional depth and force on screen. Fences finally made it to the big screen, where it continued to garner praise and recognition from critics despite these challenges.
Works Cited
Dow, Steve. “Fences Review – Australian Debut of August Wilson Play Is a Remarkable Achievement.” The Guardian. 2023. Web.
Green, Omiyemi (Artisia). “August Wilson’s Signification on the Kójódá within the ‘Structurally Conservative’ Fences.” August Wilson Journal, vol. 4. 2022. Web.
Hasan, Hadi Ali. “The Culture Heritage Protection: Suggestive Themes and Views of August Wilson’s Fences.” Litinfinite, vol. 4, no. 1, 2022, pp. 01-12. Web.
Jones, Rendy. “Fences Review.” Rendy Reviews, 2023. Web.
Wilson, August. Fences. Penguin, 1957.