In Baz Luhrmann’s film, the starting sequence is a lot more effective. It begins with the well known monologue recited by a news caster on a television screen. The modern day accessory is juxtaposed with the Shakespearean style language. The TV, at first, is quite far away from the camera, and around the TV is black. This means there are no distractions whilst the monologue is recited by the news caster. Slowly, the camera zooms in on the TV until that’s the only thing in the camera’s view. The camera then pans quickly over the city of ‘Verona Beach’. It zooms in and out on two large buildings with the names, Montague, and Capulet written on top. This is ironic because, the families despise each other, yet they have their buildings opposite. The buildings have both exactly the same outside appearance, yet they are juxtaposed with the two families and the different names on top. This can suggest the families are both exactly the same, as mentioned in the monologue, ‘both alike in dignity.’ The only thing different about the families which they hate about each other, is the name. The camera zooms in and out on the two buildings quickly. Flicks of fire and shootings are shown, then immediately after, the camera zooms in on a statue of Jesus. Not only does this remind you of the statue in Rio, in Brazil, but it gives a strong sense religion, and the picture of Jesus being after the explosions and violence, shows the corruption, violence, and religion are all linked into one in this Latin American society. The music is loud, and sounds like a church choir. It shows the dramatisation and impending danger in the city.
Because the film is aimed at younger children, just for a better understanding, the monologue is repeated – this time in a voice over. Lines are quoted by main headlines of newspapers, which include pictures of the families holding guns. During this sequence, there are many shots of flames. This is to symbolise the city, going up in flames and being torn apart as a result of the feud. Another reference to religion is when the last line of the monologue shows on the screen. In ‘Take their lives,’ the‘t’ is in the clear shape of a cross, showing that the church is heavily involved with the death and violence of the film. There are violent clips and explosions, and then the families are is introduced immediately after, suggesting their involvement in it all. The two sets of parents only, are featured all in or around a limousine. This is because you normally associate the mafia with driving around constantly in a limo. When the people are all near enough facing the camera, there is a freeze frame to allow the audience to be able to recognize the character later on in the film. Under the name of the character, it says how they are related to either Romeo or Juliet. But, they themselves are not in the first sequence. This is to show that they are not in any way involved in the feud. The music slows a bit on the introduction of the characters. After, there is a montage of pictures. Every frame is a different picture and the music speeds up to show the chaos and confusion. Although the pictures are going really fast, you can see enough to be able to recognize the feud and the violence produced as a result. When the film starts, we are introduced to the Montagues first, as appose to in Zeffirelli’s film where the Capulets are shown first. The Montague Boys, by their clothes, seem very laid back. They are wearing tropical shirts, and one of them has pink hair showing how young and irresponsible they are. There is rock music playing. It then goes to a dolly camera which is mounted on the back of a truck. This is done so you can see the whole front of the car and the boys inside as they drive. It also gives you a chance to see the number plate, which starts off with ‘MON’. Soon after, you see a building with a low banner and the Montague name on. This shows the families power and dominance, yet, when the Capulets pull up into the petrol station, they too have a number plate with the word ‘CAP’ on.
The Capulets are revealed in a similar way they were in Zeffirelli’s production – from the feet up. But, in this film, the affect achieved was different. The cowboy theme arrives with the Capulets. As they get out of the car, the clicking of their boots sound like the spurs, and the music is from that of a western. They are dressed in malevolent, dark clothing. As in Zeffirelli’s film, they are very easy to distinguish. In this movie, the Montague’s are scared of the Capulets. When Abra shows the boys his teeth brace they jump back in fear. The brace is a reminder of Jaws from James Bond 007. There is no music at this bit, but with the repeated close-ups on the faces, you could see the tension. When Abra got back out of the car because Montague bit his thumb at him, it resembled a Western film again, because the two men were standing there facing each other with guns, their importance emphasized again, with the family logos on the guns (which had the word ‘sword’ engraved on them, in order for some of the dialogue to make sense). The lines of the argument are said quickly to give a rapid feel to the scene and to give the sense of being led into an uncontrollable situation.
The argument stops and the Western music cuts in, along with Tybalt getting out of the car, silence to greet him. The camera zooms in quickly, to show Tybalts importance, and then there is a freeze frame as he is introduced to the audience. He lights a cigar, and the camera follows the lit match as it falls to the ground. Tybalt is bought into the film bearing fire, showing he is associated with it – he is uncaring, feared, and has an uncontrollable and violent nature. The fact he is dropping a lighted match in a petrol station also shows Tybalt is dangerous and has little foresight. The camera zooms in and out on the Montague Boys’ eyes, and Tybalt’s eyes. He then points his gun at a little boy. The boy represents the innocent bystanders of the feud who are getting hurt as a result. The fast paced music is once again restored and quick frames of the fight commence to show the chaos. The Kung Fu movements of the fight are captured with a hand held camera, in order to get the quick movements and feeling of being there. Two of the Montague brothers drive off, and the camera zooms out from the driving car. The music quietens as Tybalt aims his gun. The camera peers down the scope of the gun and he fires. This makes the killing of one of the Montagues more dramatic because it’s all in one frame, and the audience can then see what Tybalt saw. The shooting would’ve just been lost in the chaos if it was a single clip of Tybalt shooting the gun, then a clip of a Montague dying. The third Montague boy was laying on the floor in a puddle of oil. Unaware, Tybalt dropped another lighted match. The match fell in slow motion, and every shot was recorded by the camera. The second it hit the floor, flames slowly rose up, and at normal speed, the third Montague limped off. As the station burnt, the camera showed the two Montague and Capulet buildings, at such an angle that the Jesus statue is directly in the middle of them. This shows, that religion and the church, is all involved within the conflicts of the families. The music stopped at this point. This gave the audience a chance to hear as well as see the chaos that had been caused by the feud. The flames roared in the background, the cars hooted, and people screamed.
The fight in Zeffirelli’s film starts in a slightly different but historical correct way, according to the actual written play. A Montague is pushed by the Capulets, and through the humiliation of being laughed at, bites his thumb at the Capulets, thus an argument commences. Throughout the dialogue, there is no music and the camera constantly switches to one facing the town folk, who are now starting to notice what is going on and through the looks on their faces, know what is going to happen. A sword fight then ensues. Cheers and screams from the people add to the chaos, as well as the jumping movement of the men. More of the different families run in and begin fighting each other. The capulets are seen running through an open roofed type building. The camera gives a birds-eye-view of the tens of Capulets running to join the fight. The feuding families soon take over the square. The chaos and confusion are increased by the sound of the church bell, which is usually rung if there is danger. This shows that the feud is a danger to the whole city, not just the people around them at the time.
Shots of a mother and baby screaming show how the feud has affected the innocent. A similar view of the once orderly market place is now in turmoil. A hand held camera, records how the food and items being sold are thrown up in the air as the people fight, yet still gives the feeling of the fight going on around you. Tybalt then arrives. The camera pans up his body and stops at his head. The jeers, cheers, and screams of the people stop. It shows the fear they have for him, and the dominance he has over them. The Capulets are even scared of him. A birds-eye-view provides the audience to see the full effect Tybalt has on the crowds. He walks at the front of three to show his importance and willingly joins the crowd. The fight ensues, and the camera focuses on the expression of Tybalt’s face as he kills someone. He stabbed him with no repercussions and with no later looks of regret on his face. Soon after, the Prince rode in. At first, the camera was mounted on the horse, so you had the view of the prince as he rode into the square and people stopped what they were doing. You were looking down on the people. The camera then moved to below, so you were looking up at the prince as one of the town’s folk and the prince was coming towards you. He rode within a circle of guards, emphasizing his importance, and his white horse signified purity. The two families parted as prince road through. The prince tells the families their fate if they make a fourth public fight, and the camera follows the prince as he leaves on his horse.
Luhrmann has the same features in the prince arrival scene as in Zeffirelli’s, and a bit more. Tybalt and Benvolio are standing side by side ready to shoot each other. Cameras broadcast the moment on the news, and the same news caster reciting the starting monologue, is on in the families household’s talking about the fight. Pictures of Benvolio and Tybalt in suspended animation are all over the news. A birds-eye-view of the city is provided again. This time we can see the statue of Jesus, and down around the petrol station where Tybalt and Benvolio are. The helicopter with the word ‘PRINCE’ comes into view. Jut like in Zeffirelli’s movie, everyone has to look up to the prince who is speaking from the helicopter. The two both drop their guns.
Zeffirelli’s introduction to Romeo is of a distant shot. This shows Romeo is isolated and hasn’t and will not be involved in the feud. Benvolio is waiting for him. As he moves closer to the camera, he shows us the flower in his hand. He speaks to Benvolio about a poem, indicating he is romantic, and the flower shows he is a peace bringer.
The other film, is more dramatic. After the remaining Montague boys are bought home from the police station, a silhouette is shown, walking across the beach by the twinkling sea. The sea in this case, is tranquil, and that is reflected on the silhouette, who is Romeo. The camera zooms in, and Romeo’s thoughts are used for a voice over. He is writing a poem. As with Zeffirelli’s production, he is a romantic.
Zeffirelli tries to make his version of “Romeo and Juliet” perfect according to the play, including detail down to the last movement. This meant the play had to be all its own. It is unique in how it was written. Despite this, both the older and younger generation took a lot of interest in it. For people who didn’t want to read the play, or who didn’t know the story line of the play, it was perfect. Luhrmann’s film was made to bring mainly the young to love Shakespeare’s works. This is done by modernizing the play, thus having to improvise with the horses, the market place, and the swords. In order to get maximum appeal, he put together many different types of film, including western, contemporary, gangster, and even a bit of 007. This was very successful. The people who watched this version of the play were the young generation. Most of whom, knew the basic storyline and what the out come was. As a result, the director had a chance to play around with it a bit, and modernize it just to get more people interested. I prefer Luhrmann’s film because it’s modern. It has a sixteenth century play bought into the chaos of the modern world, and I like how the two mix. There are guns, fires, explosions, and more. I already knew the storyline, and with these extras, it didn’t change much, it just made it more interesting.
