Compare And Contrast The Two Film Versions Of 'Romeo And Juliet By Franco Zeffirelli (1968) And Baz Luhrmann (1996)

Warren John Niles, 10S, English, Mrs Brown

09/03/2009 of

In Baz Lurhmann’s version of Romeo and Juliet he starts with a dark room with a television producing static noise. This sets an unsettling affect. Also the camera adds on to the affect quite significantly from being long shot to zooming for a close up on the television. Also I can connote from the television that the film is most likely set in present days or in the last few years. Then we see a black reporter on the television from I can certainly connote that the film is set in present days and not a few years back in the past showing that could have a version of Romeo and Juliet that has modern day violence in it. We can see on the television in the top coroner a broken ring split in two. This can suggest lost love or broken love due to death or even a for binned causing sorrow and deceit. And with in the ring we can see the words ‘I Love You’ this can certainly suggest broken love due to the ring being split in half. The equal split could suggest that two lovers have been broken half and can’t be brought back.

Then Baz Lurhmann lures us into the film buildings being burled on each side from this I can connote that the film will be full action, suspense and thriller and this is cohered by gun violence. And from that I can connote further on that the move could have mafia related crime since the basic outline of Romeo and Juliet is family hatred. Then the zoom up builds up to buildings split by a statue of Jesus Christ. The two buildings have big signs one has ‘Capulet’ the other ‘Montague’ these buildings are quite clearly the two family’s that are in conquest with each other however there is a statue of Jesus Christ in between showing the split and hatred of the family’s however we could look deeper into the meaning of the statue and could emphasis that the two family’s feuds started other a religious aspect/belief. We can also connote that the statue reinforces the split between the love that is broken in two and even a forbidden love.

Then we have a collection of images flashing and cascading across the screen flashing sneaking into the back of our minds giving us many suggestions about the film. One picture is a police helicopter obviously it shows crime is happing and suggest the film defiantly has a mafia perspective. Then theirs flashings images of guns simultaneously also accompanied by anger. From this I can connote that there is death and family feuds. Then we can see the statue of Jesus several times which puts emphasis on the split between the two family’s and even perhaps the broken love yet again. Then we have a family tree showing all the family and their only children and then fire burns the page this shows a very deep aggressive hatred between the families and we can see from this that their will be blood and certainly it will be very upsetting death for both family’s. Then the paper turns opaque and then we see a building on fire showing perhaps one of the two families’ have attacked the other and I can connote that the film will consist of destruction and murder. Then we get images of police cars and ambulances from this I connote that their most certainly will be death due all the other aspects we’ve seen and the fact ambulances are rushing some where. Then we have the police cars which quite certainly suggest crime and from all other aspects we can be vigilant and see that it’s quite possibly a gun crime. Then we finally have the two families being flashed up the separate people and their names and how they are. All this does is tell us who the main characters are and the roles and giving us an idea of who watch out for. However we do see them quite angry/upset so this can suggest that something bad has happened and from other aspects like the ambulance and guns I can connote that perhaps their was a murder or even perhaps a suicide two significant members in both families.

We can see text it’s on a plain black ground in large print and white all this ddoes is emphases the prologue jet again.

I can conclude, from the images, that Baz Lurhamans version of Romeo and Juilet will be full of suspense, thriller and action. And that their will be gun related crimes, mafias, sex and the modern movie appeal.

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We can see text it’s on a plain black ground in large print and white all this ddoes is emphases the prologue jet again.

In Franco Zeffirelli version of Romeo and Juliet begins with a soft light colour background with a wide Birdseye camera shot across the city which pans across the screen. I can connote that this version will be soft and tranquil due to a relaxed atmosphere. As the camera pans we can see a river in between the city, this could suggest that their s a split between two families and since rivers are full of power I could also connote that the film will have a slight anger or hatred in it. Also the river doesn’t appear to be flowing I can connote that their might be death in the film this is because a flowing river usually represents death. I can also see a church which certainly stands out to the rest of the city. This can suggest that theirs a religious aspect in this film even perhaps so God plays apart in it or a priest. Then we see the sun. And sky is red lit and orange this certainly shows dawn. And I can connote that theirs a new beginning perhaps a change between this feud between families. Then we zooming into the sun getting closer and closer to the full screen are covered in orange and red. This can suggest more emphasis on the follow family’s feud changing. And then we get the words ‘Romeo and Juliet’ in a medieval font this certainly shows that the film is set back in the medieval times. I can back my evidence up that the movie is in the medieval times due to the building styles and all their structures. Then were on the ground and can see a brackets this shows the violent side and family feud side to the film.

I can conclude, from the images, that Franco Zeffirelli’s version will be a traditional movie style of Romeo and Juliet and that it will be romantic, soft and upsetting and perhaps angry.

In both films the directors both use music to portray the film. However both use it in very different ways. Baz Lurhaman uses music that appeals to a much wider audience, his normal idea. On the other hand Franco Zeffirelli continues with his normal method, to be claim and relaxed and is seclude to an audience of upper class citizens.

In Franco Zeffirelli’s version, a flute performs version of the film the music he uses. The music that’s played by the flute is claim, soft, romantic, kind and relaxing. This shows that the film will be traditional and fair and not a bulge of violent actions. The flute doesn’t overpower the actor saying the prologue it just softly accompanies the actor. This suggests that in the film their will be a relaxed atmosphere and will not have overpowering vigilante justice. The music itself is preformed by a medieval instrument creates the idea of that the film will be set in the medieval period jet suggesting one more time that the film is traditional and is for the upper class society. From all of this I connote that this film version produce by Franco Zeffirelli will be for a secluded audience, upper class. And also will be the traditional re-enactment of William Shakespeare play. Also the film is set back in the time of William Shakespeare period.

However in Baz Lurhaman’s version of the play he uses a very dramatic choir and sounds of helicopters, bullets and cars and also shouting and other special effects. The music doesn’t start straight away however you hear static from the TV this gives you a feeling of eerie absence from the house could be a dead body so this shows that there will be violent and vigilantly justice. Then after the TV theirs a suction sound that sucks us into the film, this suggest that there will be a lot of suspense and thriller which shows modern day film action like drugs, sex and violence. Then you hear a dramatic choir this most definitely suggest that their will be a lot of action and suspense. From this I can connote that the movie will be a very intense and dramatic due to the high volume of music. Then you here the prologue again with music in the background have ever it doesn’t overpower the prologue. However during the prologue you can hear a helicopter and from this I could connote that the helicopter is a police chopper which suggest theirs violence and it’s on a extreme, meaning that it’s out of hand and needs control or monitored for other policemen to know where to be exactly. Also I could connote that the police chopper is looking for drugs so that suggest that theirs violence, sex and drugs which puts a lot of emphases that the movie is gang related showing perhaps feud or irony of fighting or hate ness.

You also hear police sirens certainly suggesting that theirs crime, but from this I can connote that the movie will be violent and have enrolment with police showing that guns may be involved which suggest the movie will be very violent and can show the element of death.

In conclusion I can certainly see the big differences between Franco Zeffirelli’s version of Romeo and Juliet and Baz Lurhamanns version of Romeo and Juliet.

The Baz Lurhamanns version is loud and dramatic and grabs an audience minds and keeps the audience there, because their will be violence and sex which defiantly attracts all audiences its open to all audience types. It puts that suspense and thriller in it which keeps people biting their tongues whilst on the edge of seat. And we can certainly see from the entire opening (music, prologue style and the images) that that’s most certainly what the films about. You could say that Baz Lurhamann has done what Shakespeare did. He made a movie which attracts all audiences and gets them interested and entertained just how Shakespeare did his plays in medieval era.

One critics view was: "...an amazing feat of ambition and imagination."

I preferred this version over the other version since it had modern day action attracting me. My view would be that “The Film drags you to the edge of your seat whilst biting your lip waiting for the next suspense to through you off the seat”.

The Franco Zeffirelli’s version however is peaceful and relaxed. It doesn’t so much attract you and make you watches it more. It has a requirement to have a pacific audience. How ever we can defiantly see that that the movie will be relaxed, slow and claim and certainly romantic the movie is intended for a upper class society and that perhaps would be because the rich would of only been able to afford to attend the cinema regularly.

One critics view was: “The unrepentant romanticism of 's Romeo and Juliet works beautifully in translating William Shakespeare's tragic drama to the silver screen. The lyrical score of Academy Award-winner () and the voluptuous and magnificent period costumes by combine with the sensuous and dusty cinematography of to evoke the Italian renaissance ...”

My view on this film is: “It’s slow but traditional it has the romantic attraction and appeals to a upper class citizen”.