Baz Luhrman's Interpretation of William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet".

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Baz Luhrman’s Interpretation of William

Shakespeare’s  “Romeo and Juliet”.

"Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona (where we lay our scene)
From ancient grudge break new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-crossed lovers take their lives"

This essay will explain film director Baz Luhrmann’s interpretation of William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”. The film was made in 1996                            and set in a modern city such as Los Angeles or Rio de Janeiro.

In the film, Luhrmann has made many changes to it, but while still keeping it’s historical content, for example in the original Shakespearean play, knives are used whereas in this film reproduction, guns are used. Baz Luhrmann has modernized the film in the way that modern audiences can understand and relate to it such as the use of cars and helicopters.      

This particular essay will be focusing on four main parts - The Prologue, The Fight Scene, Baz Luhrmann’s Portrayal Of the Characters and my own opinions and the conclusion.

In the Prologue, at the very beginning, a short summery is introduced in the form of a black women reading the news. The camera has quite an old television set in the center of the screen with a black background surrounding it. This can show some form of anachronism because it shows a modern television set with a women reading the "news" which is actually the prologue in old English. As the Prologue begins, the television set slowly zooms in to the screen. This can give you a reaction of being sucked in to the television and ready to watch the film; I feel it entices you.

On the top right hand corner of the news screen, Luhrmann has chosen to put a ring which is broken in half. This can symbolise "Romeo and Juliet's" broken love as they were star-crossed lovers caught in the middle of a terrible tradegy.

The music that is played for the short duration of the Prologue is very hellish and it begins so suddenly, it shocks you. It comes from Mozart's Don Giovanni and reminds us of hell as the music has very loud instruments such as drums which create a feeling of panic, shock and fear of what is in for these characters such as the fear of continual warfare. It also gives the impression of angels shrieking because they are being rejected from heaven, and being sent down to hell, it is extremely effective on the human mind as it makes you think of many hellish things. The whole music in the Prologue is as though it is a judgement from God, by all the chaos and terror that we see these tow families - the Montague's and the Capulet's have caused. By using this music it is as though Luhrmann is mocking us by saying "this is my film, and i'll show you how clever I am!". Also, near to the end of the Prologe,  there is a small boy singing, but along with the music, it seems as though he is screaming because he is being hurt or injured in some way.

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It looks as though it is being filmed live because of it's quick erratic and shaking shots from the helicopter. This gives the impression that it is like live news coverage of a terrible disaster as Luhrmann has made it looke rough, but on purpose. He has made it look like it's fast and vigorous by ensuring that no editing has been changed to "correct" it to make it look neat. This is the oppisite of Luhrmann's aim. The helicopters give a  birds eye view of the city showing the mass destruction which the families rivalries and bitterness towards ...

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