Comparing the Techniques Used in the Opening Sequences of the Franco Zeferelli and Baz Luhrmann Versions of Romeo and Juliet
The two versions of Shakespeare's play have two very different opening
scenes, as one is intended to represent the play accurately and
completely, while the other has been adapted for a modern-day
audience. The two directors use different methods to convey their
interpretations of Shakespeare's play, Romeo and Juliet.
The play is based on a deep-seated feud affecting distant
acquaintances establishing two distinct factions (or houses). A 'civil
brawl bred of an airy word' erupts and the town is plunged into chaos.
Violence reigns whenever the two meet. Neither will give up, on
principal, and both sides seem to have forgotten why they are really
fighting.
In the 1968 Zeferelli version, the opening voice over is spoken in a
calming and soft tone, with peaceful music accompanying. The camera
pans out over the city of Verona. This is very peaceful and we feel
comfortable whilst viewing. In the modern day Baz Luhrmann version, a
news reporter speaks the prologue on a television. This creates a
sense of seriousness. The prologue is then repeated in a chaotic and
disorientating style, and we are shown men fighting on the streets
with hoards of police helicopters in to indicate the shear seriousness
and scale of this fight. There is music to accompany the Luhrmann
prologue also, but it goes along with the chaotic style of what we see
on screen. So the Zeferelli version calms us and we feel comfortable,
but in the Luhrmann version, we are intended to be confused,
disorientated, and not at all calm. I think that this ...
... middle of paper ...
...ual of the Prince of the Medieval version)
and he approaches with the rest of the police force, in a police
helicopter and it takes a threat to the life of Tybalt and Benvolio
for them to not shoot each other in the chaos and confusion created in
this version by the helicopters, to make us more tense and
apprehensive. The police chief represents the Prince, the helicopters
represent the horses, and the rest of the police force represent the
Prince's servants.
So the differences for the most part are concerning the update in the
setting of the film, as one is set in Medieval Italy, with the other
in present day America. But we are also faced with massive differences
in the opening fight scene, due to, again, mainly an update in setting
and a change in our (the audiences) expectations of what a film should
include.
Romeo and Juliet is a play about two lovers who have to risk their lives in order to demonstrate their love and will to stay together, regardless the feud between their families. By the end, the death of Romeo and Juliet finally bring the reconciliation to these two families. It is fate that the two most shall-not meet people fall in love and it love that eventually won against hatred. Since then, there have been many different versions of Romeo and Juliet, whether it was for film, stage, musicals. These different recontextualised adaptions change the original play by many ways, some modernise the language, environment, props as well as changing the original characteristics of some characters. Out of all the different adaptions of Romeo and Juliet, two stood out the most. One was the Romeo and Juliet (1996) and directed by Baz Luhrmann and the other one was Romeo and Juliet Broadway (2013) play version,
Juliet’ due to the fact that his film work was about youth and how its
music changes to show that she is sad. We then get a close up of
Have people ever wondered which is better actually reading the the Romeo and Juliet play that's about true love or being lazy and watching the movie first and go off that ? There are major differences in comparison from the actual play from 1595 to the movie that was made in 1969. That Zeffirelli had chosen to changed while directing the Romeo and Juliet Movie were scenes like the balcony,the fighting, and the very end of Romeo and Juliet Scenes. Why did he do it no one really knows why he did.
in the way he speaks in a sly voice. He is the perfect actor to play
The Major Differences Between Two Film Versions of Romeo and Juliet The major differences between the two movies Romeo and Juliet who were
The environment surrounding the star-crossed lovers in the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet can influence audiences who may interpret the scenes in different ways. The audience can be greatly affected in their interpretation of the story by the mise-en-scene, costuming, and the hidden symbolic meaning. This great piece of literature was edited in two unique and intriguing forms, one Zeferelli directed which was filmed in 1968, and the modern version produced in 1996. The different scenes throughout the length of the party were the most influential to me in that I saw how different these movies were directed, and the different meaning I experienced from watching these movies. Focusing on the environment of the scenes and the costuming helped me in my interpretation, because I found hidden symbolism from these two qualities.
Luhrmann’s 1996 Romeo and Juliet is compelling when communicating the main ideas of the play by providing the audience with a modern translation of the play using the motifs in the film which correlate to the play.
He uses close ups of Romeo and Lord Capulet. The close up of Romeo is
...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.
Luhrmann modernised Romeo and Juliet through regular amendments of the props and costumes. In updating these aspects of the film, Luhrmann makes the play more relevant to our everyday modern environment. The actors in Luhrmann’s version carry guns instead of swords. Luhrmann, in an act of ingenious brand the guns with titles such as “Sword,” thus, enabling the original Shakespearean language to be preserved. Costumes differ dramatically between both versions of the film. In Luhrmann’s depiction of the motion picture, the Montagues have buzz cuts and pink hair whereas, the Capulets’ dress in vests and mainly dark clothes. All of these adjustments to the original play contribute to the popularity of the fil...
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.
said by the chorus. This means it is an idea of a group of people
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.
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.