The first impressions we receive from the Baz Luhrmann film, as an audience, are the previously described obvious differences in choice of costume for the characters. The first two main characters that appear in the film are Tybalt and Benvolio. As the name suggests, Benvolio, this character is one of the more virtuous of the two as ‘bene’ is the Latin for good. This is shown via his costume by the bright light colours, suggesting someone who is light hearted and open minded. However, I think our expectations of Benvolio are different to that of the original play as his hair is spiked up and because of this he looks quite ruthless. Also his shirt is left unbuttoned which I think we do not expect as we stereotypically think of good as sensibly dressed. The immediate representation of the character makes out that Benvolio and the Capulets in general are more cowardly than the Montagues. Tybalt, who is a Montague, is very smartly dressed with a typical evil smirk on his face and a moustache. Tybalt’s costume is very ironic as his shirt has a picture of Jesus on it, symbolising religion, yet his attitude is very aggressive and he also holds a gun which has Virgin Mary on the handle; this is again very ironic. Religion is used very often in the both plays; there is constant imagery around the Virgin Mary in the Baz Luhrmann production and in the Franco Zeffirelli production there is a constant reference to the church bells ringing. For example, when the servants of the two houses cause a fight the church bells ring which makes it very ironic because the bells are symbolic of religion which does not promote violence. It is also put across instantly that Tybalt starts the fight and he looks very aggressive. Already just by focusing on the costumes of the characters in the Baz Luhrmann production we have developed a great impression of the characters, their attitudes and roles. Baz Luhrmann uses the costumes as a device much more than Franco Zeffirelli does in his interpretation of the Shakespeare play.
When the Prince enters in both productions of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ we can sense his authority and high status. In the Franco Zeffirelli, as soon as he enters everyone quietens down and listens to him as if it were the natural thing to do. His costume also plays a part in the emphasis on the status roles and reminding us of his power. He is wearing a scarlet, velvet cloak which at that time was a very rich and luxurious fabric for the rich to wear (money often meant high status too). The Prince’s role in the modern adaptation is also that representing of high status and control. As he enters he is literally physically above the people of the town, representing his status, in a helicopter shouting out to the public as a policeman. The physical height is also done in the Franco Zeffirelli version, but with horses instead, mainly due to the period it was set in and also probably in association within the budgets of the film (which affect a lot of factors in the two films. In both productions the Prince is able to control the situation easily.
Romeo is to find out about the fight between the two houses visually rather than orally from his friends. In the Baz Luhrmann media is again used as a device to move on the story, Romeo finds out that there was a fight between the two houses through the news on the television. I think media has been chosen to symbolise the importance of the part that it plays in our lives today and how it is always around us. Whereas in the Franco Zeffirelli production a stretcher is walked past in the background of the scenery to inform Romeo that a fight had occurred. The interpretation of the scene with Romeo talking about unrequited love from Rosaline in the Baz Luhrmann is set on a very stereotypical romantic landscape. Romeo is on the beach at sunset writing down his thoughts in a diary (saying the thoughts aloud in his head), with a cigarette in his mouth. The music is very slow and romantic and there is a complete change of mood since the last scene. I prefer this interpretation of the scene compared to the Franco Zeffirelli one, which is a scene with him on a wall talking aloud, as I can relate to it more and therefore have a greater understanding of the scene.
When we first meet Juliet in the Franco Zeffirelli production there is a lot of tension before we actually get to see her. There is an instant change in the mood of the music; it is very upbeat and lively, the Nurse and Lady Capulet calls out for Juliet but we still do not see her for quite a while, to create suspense. Then we get to catch a glimpse of Juliet, there are no close-ups yet, and it is cut to the scene with Paris so that the audience are made to wait to see Juliet, which makes her even more desirable. Paris is made to seem a desirable, young, bachelor and he is polite and courteous to Capulet too. In the Baz Luhrmann production the same point is put across however instead using more direct messages like a big poster of him pasted on a skyscraper with the words, ‘bachelor of the year.’ Also at the party of the Capulets he is made to seem like he has done no wrong as in the Franco Zeffirelli production. In both interpretations Paris is put across as ‘perfect in everyway’ but just not as desirable as Romeo, who is made out to be more passionate and romantic. Finally after a long awaited moment we see Juliet, in the Franco Zeffirelli. Immediately we see the childish side of her character. Her features are very striking; dark brown hair and olive skin. She is wearing red when we first meet her and in several other scenes she is also wearing red. I think this is a very important aspect of her as red usually symbolises passion and love but also blood and death, which foreshadows her future. She comes across as very exuberant and happy (she is laughing). Whereas in the Baz Luhrmann production there is more of an emphasis on the theme of speed and time. The camera is zooming around from one character to another and everything seems very frantic and rushed until it comes to Juliet whose head is underwater which blocks out all the outside sounds and everything sounds blurred as is the vision. Water imagery is used a lot in this interpretation of Romeo and Juliet. Her hair is wet which makes her seem very vulnerable and she looks very innocent but naturally beautiful. This is quite different to the Franco Zeffirelli where she is dressed quite glamorously and here she is just in jeans and a t-shirt (like a normal teenager). When we see the Nurse, in the Baz Luhrmann, it is quite significant that the choice of the Nurse is a typical poor, foreign, immigrant which puts emphasis on her low status. In the Franco Zeffirelli production there is more emphasis on the Nurse than there is on Lady Capulet whereas in the Baz Luhrmann production it is the opposite. There is a lot less emphasis on the Nurse’s relationship with Juliet which I think is a vital part of the play (Baz Luhrmann), however they have focused on Lady Capulet’s distant relationship with Juliet to make it clear that they don’t have a very strong mother and daughter bond. Also Lady Capulet is not dressed like a month either; she is dressed inadequately for a mother and she doesn’t look like a stereotypical mum either and to emphasise this even more she is taking some kind of drug. This is not exaggerated as much in the Franco Zeffirelli production, however we can tell that Lady Capulet and Juliet are distant because of the formality of their conversation and the Nurse is also a lot more intimate with Juliet, she is hugging her and sitting her on her lap.
The choice of actor and costume for Mercutio is similar in ways if you put it in the context of the time that the films were produced in. In the Baz Luhrmann again he has picked a stereotype for Mercutio, a typical funny, black, male. By now it seems obvious that Baz Luhrmann has based the film on stereotypes which I think gives younger audiences a chance to grasp the symbolism and content of the film, whereas in the Franco Zeffirelli it was probably intended for more grown-up and mature audiences. Immediately in both productions we see that Mercutio is loud and he likes to capture everyone’s attention. It is interesting how it is presented in the Franco Zeffirelli production as it is made out like everyone else is an audience to Mercutio and he is the joker of the group. Also he is leading the group around the place, therefore he likes power. It is presented roughly the same in the Baz Luhrmann production. Mercutio is in a drag costume, they play around with the idea of his sexuality in the Franco Zeffirelli production too but in a different scene when the Nurse meets Romeo to send a message from Juliet. But in this scene we also catch a glimpse of Mercutio’s more disturbed side. Romeo and Mercutio are isolated from the others in the darkness and it goes silent in both films apart from Mercutio’s speech. Mercutio isn’t laughing like usual and his voice echoes in the night, in the Franco Zeffirelli production, this is projected in the Baz Luhrmann production with fireworks exploding as if Mercutio’s mind is exploding, as Mercutio finishes talking. Also the facial expressions in both films are very intense and they have to calm him down. An extra bit is added to the scene in the Baz Luhrmann production, Romeo takes a drug with a heart on it and everything starts going out of control for him. The heart on the drug is symbolising the fact that things will go out of control because of his future love for Juliet and there is an image of him walking down a church aisle. Romeo also dips his head into the water as did Juliet when we first came across her. This shows a connection between them and foreshadows their future. In the Franco Zeffirelli production this is shown with the striking of the church bells as if he is running out of time and symbolic of death.
When it comes to the party the modern interpretation uses a fancy dress party as a replacement for the masked party, so that there is still suspense and tension involved in the unmasking of Romeo. However the costumes play a more important part in the Baz Luhrmann production. Juliet is dressed as an angel in white to symbolise purity and innocence, Tybalt is dressed as the devil to represent evil and Romeo has come as a knight in shining armour. All these examples of costume are to emphasise the characters’ personalities and the part in the play. Juliet is again in a striking red dress, in the Franco Zeffirelli production, and Romeo first sees her dancing gracefully, there is a lot of focus on her hands. The scene is quite long compared to the modern interpretation and it is very drawn out. In the Baz Luhrmann production they again use the focus of water to bring Romeo and Juliet together. They see each other through a fish tank. The scene is a lot more ‘flirty’ and believable compared to the Franco Zeffirelli production, which I think, is quite important as it symbolises the emotional side of their relationship. In the Franco Zeffirelli production when Romeo and Juliet are dancing together they spin around and the background becomes more and more blurred apart from their faces, this can symbolise their relationship starting to spin out of control already. When they finally kiss in the Franco Zeffirelli production the music that accompanies them is more dramatic than romantic which could symbolise danger. When they are talking they are accompanied by a solo male singer who is singing about a rose dying which puts emphasise on the fate of their future. In the Baz Luhrmann the same thing is done but put across in a different way. The danger of their relationship is shown through the fact that they have to run away from the Nurse and Lady Capulet to get a kiss. There is an element of risk which symbolises the danger ahead.
The famous balcony scene in the modern interpretation is in fact not actually based on the balcony but by the pool, which again shows that the Capulets are wealthy and materialistic. The stars are replaced by fairy lights which show the change in technology etc. Romeo and Juliet are very close physically in this scene as well as emotionally but instead, in the Franco Zeffirelli the balcony is like a barrier for them and Romeo never actually crosses the barrier by the end of the scene. Juliet is not in her usual red dress; instead she is dressed in a more revealing pale coloured night dress which makes her look more vulnerable. There is a bit of humour introduced into the modern interpretation as they both fall into the pool and it is also symbolic of them ‘drowning in love’ and losing their senses, as things are distorted in water and you can’t really hear what is going on in the water which symbolises their isolation. The water imagery is also quite sexual. The security guard is an extra touch that makes this scene that much more perilous. In the Franco Zeffirelli when they part, they use the imagery of hands as the last thing they touch.
We get the feeling that things are being rushed from one scene to another. Friar Lawrence is presented differently in both films. In the modern interpretation Friar Lawrence is a lot less father like and he’s more like a friend to Romeo. He talks about the herbs as a chemistry class to two little children rather than to Romeo. Also when he says he will marry Romeo and Juliet he puts on his black cloak; black usually symbolises death, doom and generally negative things. This foreshadows their future. In the Franco Zeffirelli Romeo is treated by Friar Lawrence in a more fatherly way rather than friendly. Also when Romeo talks about Juliet, Friar Lawrence tells Romeo to keep it down as if to say their relationship should be kept secret. This can be compared with the Nurse’s relationship with Juliet. When the Nurse goes to meet Romeo to send him the message from Juliet the Nurse seems to have made an effort in her clothes, in both productions. She has taken time to do her make-up and make sure that she looks good, which symbolises the fact that she is unreliable and cares more about herself than anyone else.
There is focus on the heat which could also symbolise ‘a hot temper’, anger and fury. The fight scene in the Franco Zeffirelli production is meant to be an action scene. There is dramatic music and tension. The attention is on Mercutio as he dies. The way that it is presented is very significant; when Mercutio is dying the ‘audience’ are laughing at him ironically. This reinforces that he is a joker and they do not take him seriously, but when they realise that the injury was fatal Mercutio is already dead and they can do nothing. There is an element of surprise in this scene. In the Baz Luhrman the heat is replaced with Mercutio taking ecstasy showing that he wants trouble. Romeo is a lot involved in this scene compared to the Franco Zeffirelli. Also I think we feel more sympathetic towards him as he is really trying to make peace with Tybalt and as a result he ends up injured. The fight scene in the modern interpretation is intended for younger audiences and therefore that is probably why it is a lot more drawn out and exaggerated. The scene is very intense; there is a lot of blood and violence. The music is very dramatic and it helps build tension. When they say, ‘Draw your swords,’ they draw out guns which emphasises that the play was written by Shakespeare and it shows modern culture. Pathetic fallacy of storm, clouds and rain are used. When it comes to the scene where Romeo kills Tybalt it cuts to Juliet’s speech about her love and future with Romeo. In the film we see her future being destroyed as she speaks about it. I think this makes more of an impact on the scene.
When Juliet is found dead in the Baz Luhrmann production forensics come in to take her picture, this puts emphasise on her isolation and distance from the family. Also the forensics brings in a sense of suspicion and distrust. Whereas in the Franco Zeffirelli you first hear screams and shouts, which show devastation and the fact that, the Nurse did actually care about Juliet. When Romeo finds out about the news, he is told in the misty red sunset which Is symbolic of death. Also the mourning is more drawn out which gives the idea that in today’s society it is more acceptable for men to show their emotions. In the Franco Zeffirelli production as soon as Romeo finds out, he gallops off on the horse to see Juliet; there is a lot of dramatic impact. When Romeo sees Juliet it is significant that he makes a comment about her colour as it is true that she is not dead yet. Before Romeo dies he cries and he shows a restraint in his crying which symbolises his maturity and before he takes the poison he kisses Juliet and holds her hand which shows their unity. In the Baz Luhrmann interpretation he includes a scene where he shows where Romeo got the poison from. He gets it from a lower class man and we get this idea that negative things are connected with the lower class. When Romeo does finally get to Juliet it is like a big chase to put more impact on the upcoming scene where there is a complete change of mood. He finds her on the altar like a sacrifice instead of in the tomb like it is in the Franco Zeffirelli. It has been made a lot more romantic and emotional. After they die there are a series of flashbacks of their time together during their short lived relationship accompanied by heavenly music. The ending of the Franco Zeffirelli shows the play ending on a positive note and the families reunite whereas in the modern interpretation the ending is harsh and negative. The films end like they started; the Franco Zeffirelli framed and the Baz Luhrman with the news reporter rounding it off.
These contrasting representations have enhanced my understanding of Shakespeare’s text. However I found the modern day interpretation a lot more engaging and easy to understand as it had been adapted to modern day circumstances which made it easier for me to understand and relate to. The Franco Zeffirelli is what I expected the ‘Romeo and Juliet’ play to be like. It didn’t really do much to help enhance my understanding of the text apart from a few key scenes, for example, the balcony scene. I think that the Baz Luhrmann production was much more intended for entertainment due to the way it was set out and how he had cut out bits of the scenes and made it into more of an action and love story rather than just basing it on romance. However I think making the play more entertaining played a part in enhancing my understanding of the text, as because I got interested in the film I was more determined to understand the film. The Franco Zeffirelli interpretation of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ sticks to the text more and most parts of the play are still in the film. As a personal opinion the Franco Zeffirelli production is more appropriate for educational uses as it gives a fair representation of both houses and it is more based on the Shakespeare text, but I personally find the Baz Luhrmann production more engaging and easier to understand. However if I were to write an essay using one of the films about the play the Franco Zeffirelli would be more accurate.
