Romeo And Juliet

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Recommended: A comparison of two film versions treatment of shakespeare s romeo and juliet by zeffirelli and luhrmann

A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life”(Prologue). This quote from the beginning of Romeo and Juliet shows great foreshadowing on what is to take place in the play. Director Franco Zeffirelli directed a version of Romeo and Juliet in 1968. His adaptation took place in a classical/medieval setting with the relatively original script. Director Baz Luhrmann also created a version of Romeo and Juliet. His 1996 version took place in modern-day Las Vegas. Between both directors, Zeffirelli has more successfully adapts and conveys the themes, symbols, conflicts and characters from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

Zeffirelli’s rendition of Romeo and Juliet was more effective in performing Shakespeare’s original play than Luhrmann’s version. In Zeffirelli’s party scene, the setting was in a medieval masquerade place. Shakespeare’s play was written during the Medieval days which was reflected in Zeffirelli’s interpretation and made the couple's budding love seem classy as well. In Luhrmann's party scene, the party occurred in a frat-partyesque environment. As mentioned before, Shakespeare wrote this story in the late 1500s so a frat party theme like the one seen in Luhrmann’s rendition is not appropriate nor does it give the proper sophisticated atmosphere. Also, the diegetic sound in Zeffirelli’s interpretation was soft and sweet which helped to set the mood of the love story where Luhrmann’s did not.

Director Baz Luhrmann’s take on Romeo and Juliet during the party scene is less effective than director Franco Zeffirelli’s version. One way Luhrmann’s rendition was less effective is the emotion constructed by diegetic sound. The music that played during Act I, scene V where Romeo and Juliet meet sounded very carnival-like and moder...

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...ns gave the scene strong emotions when Romeo talked about/to Juliet before he died. Also, the setting of the scene was relative to Shakespeare's original and assisted in creating the appropriate environment as well. The Capulet burial chamber was decorated with just enough items and bodies to keep the audience interested on the drama in front of them and not into tiny details. Romeo's use of one lamp that he brought himself was also a cute minor detail. One last example of Zeffirelli's effectiveness in adapting Shakespeare's play are the actions of Romeo and Juliet before they took their lives. Romeo acted very well during his last monologue to Juliet by crying and acting extraordinarily dramatic. When Juliet woke from her death-like sleep, she showed her loved properly by dramatically defying Friar Lawrence's last wishes for her and staying with her one true love.

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