Comparing Zefferelli's Production of Romeo and Juliet with Luhrman Production

On this online encyclopedia, there is a page dedicated to Romeo & Juliet filled with various resources and information; one such source being an essay on Zeffirelli 's and Luhrmann’s version of Romeo & Juliet by Bryan Aubrey. In this essay, Aubrey compares the two films

Comparing the Openings of the Film Versions of Romeo and Juliet by Franco Zeffirelli and Baz Luhrmann

How effective is Luhrmann’s film Romeo and Juliet as a modern day appropriation of Shakespeare's play you ask? Baz Luhrmann's appropriation of the original play of “Romeo And Juliet” is highly effective as it is modernized to meet the interests and expectations of a 20th century teenage audience. Throughout the original 16th century play, Shakespeare develops the themes of family rivalry and love. The theme of family rivalry has been implemented into the original play through the conflict between two powerful families in the city of Verona. Throughout his appropriation of the play, Baz Luhrmann successfully preserves the same concept of family rivalry but modernises it by portraying the two families as two large business corporations and brands who are constantly in competition with each other. Shakespeare implements the theme of love through main character Romeo being made to resemble and fulfil the role of a typical "Petrarchan lover". Luhrmann also effectively integrates the theme of love through his successful use of filmic techniques to illustrate the unbreakable love between Romeo and Juliet whose love resembles and portrays the characteristics of a 20th century relationship. Using these modern elements, Luhrmann’s film effectively appeals to the contemporary teenage audience whilst powerfully conveying the themes of family rivalry and love. These adaptations made by Luhrmann in his film create a more comprehensible meaning as teenagers can relate to the film with a

Bacon's rebellion was led by a group of former indentured servants who were now free, without

Zeffirelli was closer to the book. Would you like someone changing your thoughts. Yes, Romeo and Juliet is about love, and it can happen anywhere. The Luhrmann version changes everything,including the plot. In the future producers should try to make it closer to the book. It is important to keep in mind that there’s a book and plot to

In this movie, the theme and ideas also tie close to the original. Though the script is identical to the original, the movie takes place in a more modern time. And in doing so, some actions are altered, like using a pool instead of a balcony, in order to have a modern twist of Romeo & Juliet. However, some things remain the same. For example, Juliet’s nurse calls for her, just like in the original. In conclusion, Luhrmann’s interpretation of Romeo & Juliet is very accurate compared to the original, however, with a modern twist.

Staging is just one element in the theater genre, but it is a very important one. If I had the chance to direct Romeo and Juliet in the modernized version I created, then the lights for Act 4 Scene 2 would be bright, like fluorescent lights were everywhere. Even if Lord Capulet was not holding a phone that lights up, we would need to signify that he is using one and what he is doing with it. That would need it’s own lighting. The camera angle if we ever filmed it would move from place to place. I believe that it would start on Lord Capulet and then everyone else would answer while he is on his phone. The camera when Juliet enters would be focused on her, maybe with her running into the room where her father is. All of the actors need costumes to make the whole scene come alive. Lord Capulet would be wearing a suit, black with a light blue undershirt and a red tie would be added to this to make the audience believe that he had just come from work. The suit will also show that even at home, Lord Capulet is all about the money.

Kenneth Branagh’s interpretation of Hamlet emphasized different importance's of the play. His version differs from that of Zeffirelli’s because; he makes use of the entire text from Shakespeare’s original work. Branagh also does not hold the time period authentic. Although his version of the play was not altered as much as Zeffirelli’s, he is still able to hold the attention of modern critics and viewers. However, by transfiguring the play into a Victorian background, Branagh’s film completely alters the mindset and feel of a true Shakespearean play.

Luhrmann’s variation of the film is more suited to a teenage audience than Zeffirelli’s due to the vibrant settings and modern sets utilised throughout the film. Several of these sets include the beach, high rise buildings and petrol stations. These factors are used to tempt a younger audience. Zeffirelli’s Romeo and Juliet, however takes place in a medieval Italian city. Although the original play was based and performed in this location, teenage viewers cannot relate to the surroundings, hence making it difficult to understand or appreciate the plot.

Luhrman has based his version at Verona Beach; America and instead of basing it in the 16th century like Zeffirelli, he had his film based in the 20th century, with mansions, shiny cars and bright lights. While Zeffirelli paced his film in an Iambic pentameter – a traditional Shakespeare pace; Luhrman never kept his film at a solid pace. “By modernizing these aspects of the play, and reconstructing the prologue, Luhrmann creates a movie that is more interesting to the modern viewers.” ("Franco Zeffirelli and Baz Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet." 123HelpMe.com). As Zeffirelli may have believed famous actors would steal his show he instead hired fresh new faces to give the movie a more fresh, innocence value, But Luhrman used well known actors to play the lead roles. This worked because more people were attracted to the film by the actors.

The costumes used in Luhrmann’s film are very modern as using the original Elizabethan style costumes would make the film more historical and therefore would not appeal to a younger audience. Luhrmann has used two distinctive costume styles to help the audience distinguish the difference between the two families. For the Montague family, Luhrmann has put the characters in unbuttoned, bright coloured Hawaiian shirts and given the males short blonde hair to link to these characters beachside lifestyles. For the Capulet family, Luhrmann has used stylish but sinister looking costumes such as vests, and silver heeled boots to show the audience how these men are similar to Mexican drug

Baz Lurhmann’s creation of the film Romeo and Juliet has shown that today’s audience can still understand and appreciate William Shakespeare. Typically, when a modern audience think of Shakespeare, they immediately think it will be boring, yet Lurhmann successfully rejuvenates Romeo and Juliet. In his film production he uses a number of different cinematic techniques, costumes and a formidably enjoyable soundtrack; yet changes not one word from Shakespeare’s original play, thus making it appeal to a modern audience.

Luhrmann’s production of Shakespeare’s tragic play, Romeo and Juliet, appeals to the audience members largely due to Mercutio’s death. The weather, the acting and the music make this version powerful. The acting makes this scene of the movie believable when Mercutio was dying, Romeo was getting sad and started crying. Tybalt felt so bad that he killed Mercutio and didn’t know what to do he was just shocked and stood still looking at Romeo and Mercutio. The weather was sunny, hot and the sky was blue and the clouds were out and about. When Mercutio cursed both Romeo and Tybalt houses and started to die the weather started to change. The skies started to turn dark grey and thunder and lightning began and the wind so powerful started to blow all things around it away. Then out of nowhere a powerful storm has began to start when Mercutio was dying in Romeo’s arms. After Romeo killed Tybalt the storm began to become calm down and the storm had stop.

Discuss the appropriation of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ by William Shakespeare and ‘Romeo+Juliet’ by Baz Luhrmann

The elements the filmmakers choose to use in the film, i.e. the music, location, editing techniques and special effects, help tell the story. Zeffirelli uses his elements to ease the viewer from scene to scene, he is employing the Classical Hollywood Filmmaking technique. A smooth flowing pace, where the viewer does not notice the cuts, plus the music assists in the movements within the cuts. Nothing daring is done in his film, he stays true to the historical appearance of the film, uses ideas that have already been exhibited, such as period piece music and historical costumes. The world famous balcony scene (Act II, scene II) is an example, Zeffirelli employs the same blocking that Shakespeare probably intended. This is one of the few times, Zeffirelli interacts with the locations, and his locations is a town within walls, perceived to be a small town, the location is bare and not crowded.