The Luhrman film however, is very different from both the Zeffirelli film and the play itself. It is similar to the Zeffirelli film in the fact that it uses the same style of language. However, the play is not set in Verona but is set in a fictional setting in America called ‘Verona Beach’. This setting is just as a city would be nowadays, with cars and petrol stations. The transport is modern, the buildings are modern and the costume is modern too. It is almost as though the film has completely made the play modern, except that the old language is kept from the play. Luhrman makes many changes to the play, with the language being one of the few things that remains the same. The weapons are more modern too, with guns being used instead of long thin swords. However, the modern setting with the old language is quite effective.
Many of the shortened speeches make slight impacts on the films. In both films Mercutio’s manic Queen Mab speech is there, but a lot shorter, especially in the Luhrman film. This is the same with the Nurse’s long-winded speeches that embarrass Juliet before the ball but in the Luhrman it is shortened a lot. Also, during the ball, there is a song that is not in the play. Friar Lawrence’s speech about herbs is shortened in both also, although in the Luhrman version he delivers it to a boy instead of to himself.
The balcony scene in both comes straight in instead of having a chorus and in both films the balcony scene is full as it is one of the famous scenes of the play. Also the wedding is not shown in the Zeffirelli or the play itself, however in the Luhrman film it is shown.
In both films the violence scenes are dramatised and lengthened and in both the fight scene with Romeo, Tybalt and Mercutio is lengthened and made a key event in the play. In both there is a lot of moving from place to place, but probably more so in the Zeffirelli. Both use the fact that Romeo was standing in front of Mercutio lead to Mercutio’s death, as it is done in the play. The remainder of the scene is cut very short, with Juliet and Romeo’s sad speeches shortened considerably. In the Zeffirelli film their farewell scene is quite hasty but in the Luhrman film they are seen in bed together, spending time together before Romeo leaves.
Both films then have scenes where Capulet forces Juliet into marrying Paris and Juliet then goes to Friar Lawrence to plan the fake death. In the Zeffirelli, Friar Lawrence’s plan for Juliet to ‘die’ is quite lengthy, although in the Luhrman it is reasonably short. Her funeral is a larger event.
Another thing the two films have in common is that there is no Paris present in Act 5. He is not there and therefore not killed. Both films have Romeo find out that Juliet is ‘dead’ and he rushes back to her tomb in both.
In the Zeffirelli film Shakespeare’s order of events are followed where Romeo is dead well before Juliet wakes up. However, in the Luhrman film Juliet wakes up just as Romeo has taken the poison, giving them both the grief of knowing what has happened, making it more dramatic. The same dialogue is used in both however. Juliet’s tomb in the Zeffirelli film is very like a tomb would be with dark and damp stone walls and many rotting bodies around her. In the Luhrman film the tomb is an extravagant candle filled huge room. Juliet is right in the centre on a bed in the Luhrman instead of just on a stone block in the Zeffirelli.
Zeffirelli’s film is the longer of the two, as he is more faithful to Shakespeare by not adding many new elements to the film. Luhrman, however, introduces quite a few new elements, including the new Capulet, Abra. He also leaves more out, and changes the setting.
Zeffirelli’s film is also more true to Shakespeare with the period it is set in. He keeps the Verona as Shakespeare would have known it, nothing is different. Luhrman makes it a lot more modern with a fictional city called Verona Beach where the Capulets and Montagues seem slightly like the mafia. Despite the weapons they use being guns, they call them swords in the film.
In the Zeffirelli film there is no pathetic fallacy, the weather is reasonably constant throughout the whole film. In the Luhrman film a lot of pathetic fallacy is used, for example the fight scene with Romeo, Tybalt and Mercutio is sunny at first when Mercutio is killed, then it becomes rainy and dark as soon as Romeo goes to find Tybalt to get revenge.
In the Luhrman film the main characters seem older and wiser, for example Juliet is older and more knowing than in the Zeffirelli film where she seems young and innocent. Mercutio in the Luhrman film is a black drug user who cross dresses and seems quite violent, although in the Zeffirelli, he seems a slightly unstable friend of Romeo’s, unlike the stable man who walks round with his shirt undone in the Luhrman. Tybalt is just a menacing character that is reasonably normal in the Zeffirelli film but in the Luhrman film Tybalt is a posing, menacing man who coats himself in leather. In both films Tybalt is seen flirting with Lady Capulet, more so in the Luhrman where some actual incest is involved. None of the flirting is in the play. In addition, Paris is named Dave Paris in the Luhrman film.
The soundtrack in the Zeffirelli film is orchestral and romantic. Luhrman uses some pop and some classical music. Both films are colourful, although the Zeffirelli is more artistic. The Luhrman film is very different where there is music blaring, lights flashing and the camera tilts. The costume in the Zeffirelli stays true to Shakespeare and is sixteenth century dress, although in the Luhrman the dress is modern and completely different.
Overall, I think that the Luhrman version of the film is the better of the two. It is more modern and despite the language staying the same as old modern English, it is easier to understand. The effects are good and the characters look more like we would see in the modern day. The Zeffirelli film is a good film but it harder to understand and minds may wander while watching the film. For the modern day audience, I think that the Luhrman film is the better film to watch.
Chris Rootkin IVA