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Comparative Analysis Between Both Film Versions of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

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Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is the most famous love story of all times, and each generation needs a version of their own, which they can feel identified with. The same play can be interpreted in a totally different way, according to the moral values, the relevant events and the point of view of the time in which it is performed. Thus, two films have been made, based on this masterpiece of English Literature. The first version was filmed in 1968, directed by Zeffirelli, while the second one, whose director is Baz Luhrmann, was made in the late nineties. Needless to say, there are many differences between the two of them, concerning mainly the ways in which certain topics are dealt with. First of all, the most striking features of …show more content…

In both of them, after this episode the prince puts a ban on fighting in public places, which will have crucial consequences for the main characters. On the topic of characters, it should be highlighted that the choice of the couple in both cases is probably based in their physical aspect and their young looks, not to mention their excellent performances. Their extreme youth and the idea of very early marriage is perfectly conveyed in the two of them. Another character to be mentioned, from a comparison point of view, and considering the criterion that is applied to choose the actor, is Mercutio. Luhrmann casts a black actor, who is probably considered to be the best choice for this character in the 90s, bearing Mercutio's personality in mind. A black actor is completely out of the question in the late sixties, when the struggles for racial equality were taking their first steps. Therefore, Mercutio is played by a white actor, perfectly adequate for those times. The next important event is the masked ball given by the Montagues, to which Romeo and his friends are not invited, but they take advantage of the disguises in order to conceal their identities and attend anyway . Before arriving to the ball, Zeffirelli's characters get drunk, while in Luhrmann's version they use drugs. While Zeffirelli's cast is only wearing masks, they are actually dressed in fancy dresses in the new version. Juliet's cousin

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