Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
The first scene of the two film versions of Romeo and Juliet directed
by Baz Luhrmann and Franco Zeffirelli is a very unusual and
interesting interpretation of the 16th century play, written by the
famous playwright William Shakespeare. Both Luhrmann and Zeffirelli
capture the love and tragedy story in different ways. Baz Luhrmann
very cleverly manages to weave the past into the present by setting
the movie in Shakespearean language and yet giving the film a very
modern twist. It is set in, the very heart of a modern American city
that is quite threatening and urban. Here crime thrives in the city
centre, violence rules the streets and becomes a part of daily life
and where people are bred not to reveal their true feelings living a
life of fear, chaos and full of illusions.
However, Franco Zeffirelli directs the play exactly how Shakespeare
wrote it, with no modern language or urban effects. It is even set in
Fair Verona. Baz Luhrmann’s characters are taken out of modern films,
such as Leonardo Di Caprio, but Zeffirelli uses characters no one has
heard of, since his film was made in the 1960’s. Luhrmann’s movie
companied with music formulates a great recipe for a very compelling
movie for all ages twelve and above. Zeffirelli’s movie is more for
the older generation. It is not compelling to the younger audience,
since the first scene do not have all the modern effects.
Baz Luhrmann’s opening of the film is rather queer but effective for
the cinematic audience. An array of different techniques used, allows
the audience to be gradually lured in to the movie as it manages to
sei...
... middle of paper ...
...
However Zeffirelli only intended to interpretate the play exactly how
Shakespeare wrote it. Both directors have been successful in
achieving what they wanted. Luhrmann wanted the film to be very
modern and if William Shakespeare were alive to this day, this is how
he might have produced his own play in movie form. Baz Luhrmann was
able to understand the messages conveyed by young Shakespeare, bought
it into the present and successfully related it to many issues
plaguing our society we live in today. Zeffirelli wished to carry out
the play, word to word, as Shakespeare wrote it. In conclusion both
directors has made their opening and first scene very well. They have
made an impression right at the beginning of the film; this has made
an impact on the audience making them watch the whole
movie.
using a logical pattern or sequence the film simply flows and does not jump from scene to scene. The objective of Zefferelli I believe was to bring Shakespeare's script to life, to help people. understand the moral and storyline better. On the other hand I believe Luhrmans objectives were far different to Zefferellis, I feel Luhrman was somewhat touched by the storyline. inspired or found it worthwhile, therefore decided to make a blockbuster, entertaining film from it.
The pace in which the The film goes very fast and it changes from one location to the next in a sequence of images, which occurs a lot during this recent film. In Franco Zeffirelli’s adaptation of the film, there are very similar. settings as they are both set in Verona but they have a different timescale and time period in which the film was produced. In the beginning of Act two Scene ii (the balcony scene), Romeo.... ...
Fate or choice? Choice or fate? How does one separate these ideals? Can one? Shakespeare could not. Nor can we. Fate and choice are so intertwined that our choices determine our fate, and our fate determines our choices. William Shakespeare trusts the audience to scrutinize whether it is fate or choice that rules our human life. Shakespeare aptly conveys this oxymoron (with which people have been dealing for ages) through the evidence and structure of his play, Romeo and Juliet.
Baz Luhrmann's Film Techniques to Make Romeo and Juliet More Accessible to a Younger Audience. The story of Romeo and Juliet has been added to and adapted to over the year through different film productions, but none more. spectacular and popular as the Blockbuster Luhrmann created. Luhrmann turned an Elizabethan play into a modern day action packed.
Romeo and Juliet is a play about two adolescents—Romeo and Juliet from two hostile families fall in love with each other. This prohibited love ultimately turns into a romantic tragedy, in which they commit suicide for each other. Both Franco Zeffirelli’s (1968) and Baz Lurhmann’s (1996) versions retained the dialogues written by William Shakespeare in their movies. However, these two movies are directed in their own unique ways, which have several distinctive differences.
William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is fully summarized in Shakespeare's prologue: "Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona where we lay our scene. From ancient grudge break to new mutiny where civil blood make civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes, a pair of star crossed lovers who take their life" (Universal, 1996). This movie is a masterful culmination of the director's phenomenal ability to create a powerful introduction, to select a realistic, but surreal setting, to choose realistic actors, and to enact specialized dramatic effects.
...e tragic celebration of young, forbidden love told by William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, has been tailored for many motion picture adaptations. The most famous of these adaptations are Franco Zeffirelli’s version and Baz Lurhmann’s film produced in 1996. These two films applied Shakespeare’s most well-known work as a basis for their motion pictures. Both films had similarities, but the differences were much more apparent. Ever since William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet has been debuted, it has and forever will be an artistic influence for playwrights, directors, and other artists.
Based on the classic Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, Roman, Julie, and Friends displays a new theme on becoming friends with children of all genders, even if it is not expected or allowed by their friends. There were many changes made to create a story that resembled Romeo and Juliet but also changed the meaning to a more positive and age appropriate moral. For example some of the original characters are resembled in the remediation, while others were completely new for the purpose of the new plot. The classic play was changed to a children’s book to provide a positive message to children by using pictures and designs that would suit a child’s liking. The design of the book was happy and cheerful, with basic pictures that resemble the words but are similar to the other pictures in the book. The book also uses ethos, logos, and pathos to sell the moral of the story. Ethos is mainly used by the creditability of Shakespeare. While pathos is the ability for the reader to connect with the characters personalities and stories. Logos is used by providing the child realize that friends can be any gender or personalities, but if given the chance a friend can be found in anyone. The target audience is for children around the reading level of 3, with the purpose being the idea that children can become friends with children of any gender.
Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare, is a tragic love story about two young lovers who are forced to be estranged as a result of their feuding families. The play is about their struggle to contravene fate and create a future together. As such, it was only a matter of time before Hollywood would try and emulate Shakespeare’s masterpiece. This had been done before in many films. Prominent among them were, Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 “Romeo and Juliet” and Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 “William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet.” Both films stay true to the themes of Shakespeare’s original play. However, the modernised Luhrmann film not only maintains the essence of Shakespeare’s writings, Luhrmann makes it relevant to a teenage audience. This is done through the renewal of props and costumes, the reconstruction of the prologue and the upgrading of the setting, whilst preserving the original Shakespearean language. Out of the two, it is Luhrmann who targets Romeo & Juliet to a younger audience to a much larger extent than Zeffirelli.
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.
Zeffirelli’s ultimate goal for his version of Romeo and Juliet was to capture Shakespeare’s original intentions for the play while targeting the teenage audience of his generation. Luhrmann’s intentions were different however; he changed the way an audience looks at Shakespeare’s masterpiece by modernising the props, costumes, and sets. Obviously, to match film time quotas Zefirelli and Luhrmann has both cut many lines out of the play.
Baz Luhrmann produced one of the most controversial films. interpretations of a Shakespeare play. He shot it in modern costume. with modern settings, though he kept the original text. Using Verona Beach, Los Angeles as his setting and Leonardo DiCaprio as his leading.
How Baz Luhrmann Uses Props, Iconography, Costumes, and Settings to Create His Own Version of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet William Shakespeare’s best loved tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, has been portrayed in theatres and on film in many different ways. But none have been quite like Baz Luhrmann’s imaginative and unconventional adaptation. He has brought aspects of the plays Elizabethan origins and transfused them with a modern day background and created, what can only be described as a masterpiece. I believe that his use of Props, iconography costumes and the settings he has chosen has helped him to make this film such a great success. The settings of each scene have been specifically chosen to create a desired affect.
The dramatic style and preparation of theatre in this movie is of the baroque style. The Baroque style is a period following the Renaissance, from 1600 to 1750, and is characterized by a dramatic expression and performances or theatrical shows. There are several examples of dramatic expression during the movie. During the preparation of the play, there is a fight. For example, when Mercutio fights with Romeo. The poetic verse of the love affair between Romeo and Juliet is dramatic. During Elizabethan times women were not allowed to act in the theatre. However, Viola, the character, wants to act and auditions for a role in the production. When it is found out there is a female working on the production, the theatre is shut down. In my opinion, the most dramatic part, is at the end of the production of Romeo and Juliet, where Shakespeare is acting opposite his muse and she wakes up to find his character laying beside her dead and she stabs herself.
William Shakespeare has provided some of the most brilliant plays to ever be performed on the stage. He is also the author of numerous sonnets and poems, but he is best known for his plays such as Hamlet, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Romeo and Juliet. In this essay I would like to discuss the play and movie, "Romeo and Juliet", and also the movie, Shakespeare in Love. The play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare is set in the fictional city of Verona. Within the city lives two families, the Capulets and the Montegues, who have been feuding for generations.