The concept of 'cultural capital' (Pierre Bourdieu) helps adaptation scholars explain why film studios frequently adapt classic canonical literature because:
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Correct answer: Adapting high-status literature lends prestige and legitimacy to film and its makers
Adapting works by Shakespeare, Austen, or Dickens allows cinema—historically viewed as a low or popular art form—to borrow cultural capital from established literary institutions. This prestige helps the film win critical awards, secure state funding, and attract educated middle-class audiences, validating the film industry's standing as a serious artistic medium.
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More Film Adaptation questions
- In media studies, what is 'remediation' as defined by Jay David Bolter and Richard Grusin?
- What is a 'palimpsestuous' reading of an adaptation, a term popularized by literary theorists and used by Linda Hutcheon?
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- What theoretical shift occurred in adaptation studies during the 'sociological turn' of the early 21st century?
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