Comparison of Franco Zefferelli’s Romeo and Juliet to The Adaptation by Baz Luhrmann

Comparison of Franco Zefferelli’s Romeo and Juliet to The Adaptation by Baz Luhrmann

This essay aims to discus the similarities and differences of

Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, directed by Franco Zefferelli and Baz

Luhrmann. In this essay there will be an outline of the story, a

comparison of the techniques used in each film and the affect these

techniques have on the viewer.

In Fair Verona two families have been feuding for generations, the

Capulets and the Montagues. The Capulets have an astonishing daughter,

approaching marriage age, named Juliet. She is to be wed to the best

suitor. The Montagues have a son called Romeo. When Romeo and his

friends attend the Capulets party, uninvited, Romeo and Juliet meet by

accident and immediately fall in love. Tibolt discovers the intruders

and murders Mucusio, in retaliation Romeo stabs Tibolt and is banished

from Verona. Romeo hears that Juliet is to be married to Paris, so he

sneaks back in to Verona to meet Juliet. Juliet does not wish to be

married to one whom she does not love; she could only ever love Romeo.

Romeo and Juliet have a secret wedding, only the vicar, Juliet’s maid

and the two lovers know about this. When Juliet is forced by her

father to marry Paris she resorts to her only other option, death. She

takes a potion to help her sleep and look dead. Romeo is supposed to

know this important information but does not receive it in time. The

letter that was sent to him, by the vicar, arrived only seconds after

he left to be at Juliet’s side. Romeo makes haste to a poison producer

and purchases enough to end his suffering life. He goes to the side of

Juliet and waits, talking to ...

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...ranco Zefferelli did not do.

Using old-fashioned clothes, carts, horses and swords Franco Zeffrelli

tried to stay close to the time the play was written as possible. The

lighting is not as bright, artificial, as in Baz Luhrmann’s so that it

appears to come from a natural source.

Both directors made a film based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

One of the main differences is the way thy made them. Baz Luhrmann was

aiming his at the adolescent audience whereas Franco Zefferelli aimed

his at a more mature audience that understand more about

Shakespeare.

In conclusion, the more desirable film is Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and

Juliet. This is because it is more applicable to life now in the

twenty first century, whereas Franco Zefferelli’ Romeo and Juliet is

more pertinent to when the play was set, in an older age.