Claire Littleton

Romeo and Juliet is a play written by Shakespeare which tells of a tragic story between two star crossed lovers. Both Luhrmann and Zeffirelli filmed movies of this play, giving life to Shakespeare’s words. Luhrmann’s movie of Romeo and Juliet is set in modern times of California while Zeffirelli’s movie is based on the 1500’s of Verona, Italy. Though Luhrmann’s version is great cinema with dramatic scenes and emotional actors, it did not do justice to the play. Zeffirelli’s movie was almost exactly

In the opening scenes of Romeo and Juliet Baz Luhrman uses camera shots, hidden symbols and a quick introduction to capture the hatred and tension between the Montagues and Capulets. To give us background information on the feuding families Luhrman begins the movie with a news reporter broadcasting about Romeo and Juliet which is followed by a bunch of newspaper headlines about the competitive families. A shot of the city is featured, depicting Capulet and Montague sky scrapers on opposite sides

Mowat’s rhetorical strategies In your own words how would you describe a wolf? Probably as a vicious, bloodthirsty kill. Well in Farley Mowat’s book he aims to change that view. The book Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat was published in 1963. The book is the story of when he, Farley Mowat, goes into the Northern Canadian Plains to study wolves. While he is there he discovers that wolves aren’t as savage and bloodthirsty as everyone seems to think. In his book he uses emotion, facts and trust to persuade

Baz Luhrmann’s directoral style in his films has evolved quite a lot from his earlier film Strictly Ballroom (1992) to Romeo and Juliet (1996) and finally to his most recent film The Great Gatsby (2013). This evolution is most prevalent in his cinematic language and use of mise-en-scene, his story telling techniques, as well as his belief in a theatrical cinema. In Strictly Ballroom, the mise-en-scene is carefully thought out by Luhrmann and his team. The scene is very well set out to show the personalities

The cinematic philosophy and techniques used by Baz Luhrmann show that his films are not merely adaptations of the stories, but are rather a recreation of the original author’s work. In Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet and The Great Gatsby it is clear that he has not attempted to stay as true to the originals as possible, but has modernized them in order to get the same response from his audience that William Shakespeare and Scott F. Fitzgerald got from their audiences. His first film, Strictly Ballroom

Romeo + Juliet is a modernised film of Romeo and Juliet, which was written by William Shakespeare in the 1600’s. The director, Baz Luhrmann is the director the film. He uses cinematic techniques to help make the old english that was used in Shakespeare's times understandable and intriguing to a modern audience. Some of the many techniques used are music, costumes, props, camera angles, lighting and diegetic sound. The movie also has symbolism to convey the idea of Romeo and Juliet’s chaotic, star-crossed

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

Baz Luhrmann’s film Romeo and Juliet is exceptionally effective in a variety of ways. The film’s exclusive characterization, exaggeration, and modern setting all contribute to the efficiency of the film. These elements not only make it possible for audience with no prior knowledge of the play to enjoy, but also for audience with understanding to appreciate, as a parody. First, the unique characterizations in Romeo and Juliet enhances audiences’ understanding of the original play, and makes the

many forms. ‘William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet’ (1996) and ‘Romeo & Juliet’ (1968), directed by Baz Luhrmann and Franco Zeffirelli respectively, are two adaptations of Romeo & Juliet. Actors Leonard Whiting, Leonardo DiCaprio, Olivia Hussey and Claire Danes make the characters of Romeo and Juliet come alive in their respective movies. Baz Luhrmann and Franco Zeffirelli both succeed in showing their adaptations of Act 5, scene 3. Immediately viewers can spot similarities and differences in the

Music, on the other hand, helps Baz Luhrmann’s interpretation of the Romeo and Juliet be sensational through sound effects, but also educational because music can convey important elements. For example, Baz Luhrmann used music to emphasize specific scenes to attract the attention of the viewers in a fun, educational way. Music helped the film because he “drew the audience with his lively cinematic style, speeding up the action to hype up the confrontation and the rivalry of the two families alongside