Compare & Contrast The Ways In Which, 'Baz Luhrmann' & 'Franco Zeffirelli' Present Scene 1 of Shakespeare's 'Romeo & Juliet.'

Authors Avatar

Vimal Arumugam 10P               English Coursework                               07/05/2007

Compare & Contrast The Ways In Which, Baz Luhrmann & Franco Zeffirelli Present Scene 1 of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet.

        The first scene of the two film versions of Romeo and Juliet directed by Baz Luhrmann and Franco Zeffirelli is a very unusual and interesting interpretation of the 16th century play, written by the famous playwright William Shakespeare.  Both Luhrmann and Zeffirelli capture the love and tragedy story in different ways.  Baz Luhrmann very cleverly manages to weave the past into the present by setting the movie in Shakespearean language and yet giving the film a very modern twist.  It is set in, the very heart of a modern American city that is quite threatening and urban. Here crime thrives in the city centre, violence rules the streets and becomes a part of daily life and where people are bred not to reveal their true feelings living a life of fear, chaos and full of illusions.  

However, Franco Zeffirelli directs the play exactly how Shakespeare wrote it, with no modern language or urban effects.  It is even set in Fair Verona.  Baz Luhrmann’s characters are taken out of modern films, such as Leonardo Di Caprio, but Zeffirelli uses characters no one has heard of, since his film was made in the 1960’s.   Luhrmann’s movie companied with music formulates a great recipe for a very compelling movie for all ages twelve and above.  Zeffirelli’s movie is more for the older generation.  It is not compelling to the younger audience, since the first scene do not have all the modern effects.  

Baz Luhrmann’s opening of the film is rather queer but effective for the cinematic audience. An array of different techniques used, allows the audience to be gradually lured in to the movie as it manages to seize their interest right from the beginning not allowing them to make any choices. Techniques of freeze frames, large exposures and dramatic close ups add to the effects involved.  On the other hand Zeffirelli took the more common approach, by having quick shots of the first fight.  It shows what is happening everywhere in the city of Fair Verona.

The prologue of Baz Luhrmann’s shot reveals the entire screen to be covered in pitch black and totally blank. Then from the centre of the screen moving at a steady speed a television screen moves closer to the audience. Once it is in focus it can be seen that there is a news reporter on the television who is reading the lines of the chorus and acting as the chorus but one that relates to the present. The chorus is read in a very standard and formal way. One, which is not only very typical for newsreaders but also one that we, the audience are very familiar with. This then in turn sets the mood of the opening, showing that the chorus is conveying a very serious and significant message.  

Once the chorus is ‘reported’ the screen changes and pictures of Verona are shown very quickly to the audience. The same pictures are shown at different angles at high speed ending with a zooming shot from the camera on one of the pictures as the final cut. Then suddenly in bright, big, bold, block capitals the screen reads ‘IN FAIR VERONA’.  After this the chorus is read out again, but this not only does it add to the mood previously set by the newsreader but is also narrated by a very deep male voice. It is also accompanied by dozens of new pictures.

Join now!

These carefully selected pictures relate directly to the chorus, immediately showing that the two families the Montagues and the Capulets are rivals. These same images contradict what was read on the screen previously. The pictures and the first few lines of the chorus wonderfully and clearly convey a message of a chaotic city, which has been terrorised and divided by the two high status families of the Capulets and the Montagues.  Towards the end of the chorus certain lines like ‘A pair of star crossed lovers,’ referring to Romeo and Juliet can be read across the screen in once ...

This is a preview of the whole essay