Comparing The Presentation Of Two Film Versions Of The Prologue To Romeo And Juliet

Comparing The Presentation Of Two Film Versions Of The Prologue To Romeo And Juliet

I have been scrutinizing Baz Luhrmann and Franco Zeffirelli's unique

styles of interpreting Shakespeare's, late 1590 's, play prologue:

Romeo and Juliet. (To be truthful when I first found out I was going

to be studying Romeo and Juliet, I thought I was about to pull my hair

out! Image having to watch two Shakespeare play prologues, let alone

writing an essay comparing it! Surely you would die of boredom?

Wouldn't you?)

A prologue is commonly known as a foreword of an introductory material

of prose work, which in this case is a play. Shakespeare wrote his

prologue as an Iambic pentameter sonnet (a form that he is renound

for). To give his audience a sneak preview of what 'the two hours'

traffick of our stage…' would be in reference to.

Luhrmann and Zeffirelli are considered to be 'both alike in dignity';

they are both well-known directors of their era. Although well

established, their styles fluctuate dramatically. Their many

similarities consist of not being afraid to be unconventional.

Zeffirelli astonished his mainstream audience by casting two

unidentified actors to play the roles Romeo and Juliet: Olivia Hussey

and Leonard Whiting. In a similar vein, Luhrmann aimed his film

towards an audience who would not usually be associated with

Shakespeare; he cast two famous actors Claire Danes and Leonardo

Dicapario, to capture the attention of his new mainstream audience.

This was not as successful as Zeffirelli's interpretation, as the film

received four academy awards while Luhrmanns' received none. (Perhaps

Shakespeare's work should be left...

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...of the film were both outstandingly

produced, thus causing my perception of the two films to differ,

although the two films remain effective in my psyche but in different

ways. Luhrmann's ingenious use of modernisation and vibrant location,

(even despite the fact that it was slightly baffling), seizing the

interest of contemporary viewers, as we feel as if we could relate to

the heart breaking passionate affair of Romeo and Juliet. Conversely

Zeffirelli's bona fide, well-made version, ensnared me, as I felt I

understood the passion and purity of Romeo and Juliet love. On the

divergent the film may have appealed to me, however it won't to

everybody as it is aimed only at Shakespearean aficionados. Impeding

modern viewers of capability of relating to the environment,

and hence has a durable time of indulgencing the plot.