Romeo and Juliet Comparative Essay

Baz Luhrmann's 1996 film, Romeo + Juliet effectively appropriates the Shakespearean 16th century love tragedy. So why has Luhrmann decided to appropriate Romeo and Juliet? By changing the context, Luhrmann effectively makes the play relevant, discussing his contextual concerns of the 1990’s. This is done through the use of themes in the film, love, family disputes and hate which have remained similar to the original play, although the way they have been presented are different, in particular the form and characters. The form has had an obvious change as the original play has been adapted into a film. Characters in the film have also been appropriated to correspond with Luhrmann's contextual concerns. Hence, Luhrmann successfully appropriates the original Shakespeare play, Romeo and Juliet by maintaining similar themes, but altering the form and characterisation to fit his contextual concerns.

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

Could there ever be a film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet that is as powerful and moving as the original play by William Shakespeare? Some people say that Romeo + Juliet, a film adaptation made in 1996 by Baz Luhrmann, is as good as the original. Some people disagree with that statement. The argument will be settled within this essay, as the similarities between the film and the play are laid out. The narrative and film techniques that the director used in the final scene brought dramatic and emotional feelings to the tragic death of the “star-crossed lovers” (Prologue, line 6).

Romeo and Juliet is a play created by a famous playwright called William Shakespeare. Baz Luhrmann adapted the play to create a modern version of Romeo and Juliet in 1996. There are many similarities and differences in how Baz Lurhmann and Shakespeare portray the relationship between Juliet and her parents. There are many times in the scene how Shakespeare uses language, structure and form to present the relationship between Juliet and her parents, while Baz Luhrmann reveals this relationship using different camera angles and diegetic and non diegetic sounds and shot types.

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.

Romeo and Juliet is a timeless, classic love story written by the incomparable William Shakespeare. Many of Shakespeare’s works are considered literary classics, but none are more loved than Romeo and Juliet. This play masterfully tells the love story of two teenagers in Elizabethan England. The title characters Romeo and Juliet are members of two feuding families, Romeo is a Montague and Juliet is a Capulet. There are different stylistic ways of portraying Romeo and Juliet, and the two most popular film versions portray two very different styles of this one play. Zeferelli's Romeo and Juliet was made in the 1970s, and is the film version most commonly shown in high school classrooms. The newest film version of this play is Baz Luhrmanns

While in Zeffirelli’s version the setting plays little to no role in the story, it is used as a tool for the characters as well as to convey emotion in in Luhrmann’s version. For example Tybalt falls on and shatters a sheet of glass while fighting Mercutio, and uses a shard of this glass to stab Mercutio under Romeo’s arm. Also while Romeo is fighting Tybalt it is raining to convey a sense of grimness in the scene. As well as the better use of setting the actors also give a better portrayal of their characters in Luhrmann’s version, for example after Tybalt kills Mercutio, Leonardo DiCaprio, who plays Romeo, is crying and yelling, cursing Tybalt, while in the Zeffirelli version the actor playing Romeo seems as if the barely cares that Mercutio is dead.

The film and the play, Romeo and Juliet is an ever grey due to tragic over tones play which draws undivided attention of Shakespeare’s writing even during this modern era. The 1996 version, Baz Lurhmann adopted the storyline to reflect the revealing trend of dispute between two feuding families. A film which shows a detailed study of the play of the immensely popular 1996 version directed by Baz Lurhmann.

Romeo and Juliet is a timeless story about two ill-fated lovers. Originally written by, Shakespeare, this story has been adapted by different directors who all commonly try to add their own unique twist to it. Two of the most prevalent adaptations of Romeo and Juliet have been done by Franco Zeffirelli and Baz Luhrmann, who have taken this love story to the big screen. Franco Zeffirelli’s movie, which was produced in 1968, is extremely authentic and stays true to Shakespeare's vision, whereas, Baz Luhrmann’s version produced in 1996, is contemporary and appeals more to younger audiences. There are various differences and a couple of similarities between Zeffirelli’s and Luhrmann’s movie versions such as the costumes, their interpretations of

Shakespeare’s classic Romeo and Juliet has been reimagined many times across different mediums. One interpretation that stands out among the rest is Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 film of the same name. The most shocking and powerful difference between Luhrmann’s work and other films or stage productions of this piece, is the movie’s setting. Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet is set in the modern city of Verona Beach, New York, ruled by two powerful business families, the Montagues and the Capulets. Themes, language, and ideas remain the same, while places, props, and wardrobes are updated to the twentieth century. This compelling change helps emphasize the violent, fast-paced, and chaotic society of the play, which comes to precipitate the tragic demise of the two main characters.

In the different film adaptations of Romeo and Juliet, Franco Zefirelli best conveys an emotional impact through the set design, blocking, and other theatrical elements. Zefirelli also chooses to have the film in the fourteenth century so that Shakespeare’s diction is comprehensible. From this, Zeffirelli adaptation is best conveys the romantic impact Shakespeare intends to emphasize.

Baz Luhrmann, a well known film director, adapted this love story to film in 1996, which is called Romeo and Juliet. William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, is a tragedy about two young lovers who cannot be together because their families are enemies. Baz Luhrmann directed 'William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet' recounts the Romeo and Juliet story utilizing Shakespearean Language set as a modern day environment. Not all viewers would recognize the language of Shakespeare so the mise en scene and additionally the performers' developments are essential to ensure that the audience recognizes what is happening inside of the dialog. In this essay, I will talk about whether Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and Baz Luhrmann's film updates Shakespeare

Of the two versions of Romeo and Juliet that we watched in class, I believe that the Luhrmann version was more compelling since it better conveyed the plot with a story and setting that is much more modern but helps one understand the plotline better. When the two houses are visualized as more of gangs and mob bosses, it helps one in modern day remember and associate the plot with current events. In the Zeffirelli version of Romeo and Juliet, while the setting was much more realistic to what Shakespeare most likely visualized, the story was much more bland in my opinion due to the lack of intriguing elements in it. Because of the way Luhrmann directed the film in addition to its setting, it makes for a more compelling and memorable story.

Through history, dozens of renditions of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy Romeo and Juliet have been created by dozens of different directors, each with a unique twist on the play’s famous storyline. Baz Luhrmann provided an interesting angle to the story of Romeo and Juliet, choosing to depict it in the modern era rather than in early modern Verona. Luhrmann’s rendition of a particularly famous scene, the first kiss shared between the eponymous lovers, uses a variety of techniques to reflect on the true nature of their romance. These include a dynamic soundtrack representative of their rapidly changing situation, metaphors alluding to the cramped and claustrophobic nature of

Baz Luhrmann adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet is modernised to convey the meaning of the original play more appealing to today’s audience. He keeps the Shakespearian language but changes the props, clothing, setting and music. By using these different techniques he makes the movie effective to the audience.