The beginning of Act 1 scene 5 in the Baz Luhrman adaptation of Romeo and Juliet is very energetic. Anywhere you look people are dancing and enjoying themselves. The whole opening to the scene in the film is chaotic with fireworks going off, party music being played, Mercutio bringing attention to himself and flashing lights. Baz Luhrman also used the sense of drugs on Romeo’s body to multiply the frenetic goings on of the party. The party is set at the Capulet’s expensive mansion .The film uses slow motion effects to put the viewer in Romeo’s eyes and to confuse the viewer. The party is obviously a fancy dress party with all of the guests wearing extravagant costumes and with Romeo being dressed as a knight. This is very symbolic as he is appearing as the “knight in shining armour”. The mood is created in this scene by variations of camera angles, costumes, music, and light effects. The characters’ behaviour is very frantic and party like. When the cameras are focusing on all different areas of the party, you see characters behaving in ways which are very different to the behaviour in the play. For example such as Capulet behaves very differently compared to the original script written by Shakespeare because he is a bit drunk and showing his underwear where as in the script he is very jolly but being formal at the same time. Tybalt is introduced to the party much sooner than in the original with him dancing with Lady Capulet.
The differences of the scene in the film and the script are there to be seen. The scene in the film has a much livelier atmosphere to it compared to the script where it is cheerful and formal but not lively. Another difference from the script is that there are no servants at the beginning of the scene. It goes straight to the party whereas the script has the servants preparing for the party. Another difference with Shakespeare’s original script is that there is no speech from Capulet to welcome all the guests. The speech of Capulet’s is quite important in the play because it is a sort of official opening of the party whereas Mercutio’s dance is the opening of the scene in the film. In the original the party is a masked party not a fancy dress one, which makes it more of a risk of Romeo being caught. This is an interesting opening to the scene because it is very lively and eye catching. When you watch it, you want to be there and joining in with the celebrations. I also find it interesting that the filming techniques which Luhrman used made the bubbly atmosphere contagious to the viewers.
Romeo’s first sight of Juliet is written in a rhyming couplet. Romeo tells his speech in his huge admiration of Juliet’s beauty. Even though Romeo has never met Juliet you sense that he already has huge respect for her. “O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!” he says. This tells us that he thinks she is beautiful and radiant. The whole of his speech is describing Juliet. He goes on to describe her as the most beautiful thing he has ever seen. “For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.” and “Beauty too rich for use” This shows us that he thinks Juliet is the most beautiful woman he has ever seen and that she is almost too good for this life. Also him saying “Did my heart love till now?” tells us that this is love at first sight and whatever his relationship with Rosalind it wasn’t love. His whole speech uses metaphors and similes to compare Juliet to anything delightful and for example she is “Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope’s ear;” Here he is saying she is like a diamond earring, which is beautiful from every angle. Romeo also describes her as pure and that she is like a “dove” that stands “with crows.” These descriptions of Juliet make us think that she is like an angel and that she stands out in a crowd.
In the film Baz Luhrman decides to cut out Romeo’s speech and to add it in at a different stage. Luhrman decides to use his speech when Juliet is dancing with Paris, so Romeo’s speech comes in after his first sight of Juliet. Romeo does deliver all of his speech. However, they use the most simple but effective phrases including “For I ne’er seen true beauty till this night.” Luhrman uses the effects of cameras techniques, music and change of pace to introduce Romeo and Juliet together. Just before Romeo sees Juliet the whole atmosphere changes from being frantic and chaotic to calm and relaxing. Romeo’s first sight of Juliet comes after him looking at some tropical fish in a tank. Without him knowing Juliet is doing the same. When they make eye contact, it makes Juliet jump. The tropical fish some of which are bright blue make both Romeo and Juliet’s face stand out more. The director makes the audience sense it is love at first sight with the Romantic music and the two characters saying nothing because they are in love.
Baz Luhrman uses effective music in this interaction of the characters because in the lyrics of the song the words “I’m kissing you” is an action of love. The costumes of Romeo and Juliet are very symbolic because Romeo as dressed as a knight, “the knight in Shining armour”, and Juliet is dressed as an angel, which makes her seem pure and virginal. Juliet’s behaviour in their first interaction is very shy and child like. This gives us the impression that she is pure. In the original it comes across to the reader that it is Romeo just looking at Juliet whereas in the film they both are looking at each other and both admiring their beauty. Whereas in Shakespeare version where he uses poetry and words to describe Juliet’s beauty in the film they use a combination of costumes, music, camera angles and lighting effects to portray her beauty. It is interesting that even though Shakespeare uses words and Luhrman uses filming techniques they both portray the beauty of Juliet.
When Tybalt sees Romeo he wants to get him out straight away, and he even wants to kill him. This is an example of the pure hatred between the Capulets and the Montagues. The sight of a Montague in Tybalt’s eyes he wants to kill them straight away. Tybalt’s pure hatred pure hatred of Romeo is there to be seen “To strike him dead, I hold it not a sin” he says, this shows us that if he was to kill Romeo he would not feel guilty at all, he would not hold it as a “sin” When he storms to get rid of Romeo he is stopped by Capulet. Capulet tells Tybalt to leave him alone because he doesn’t want his house to be the setting of this disagreement. Capulet tells Tybalt just to “endure” him. This conversation between Tybalt and Capulet and Tybalt’s reaction to Romeo causes tension because despite Capulet telling Tybalt to leave him alone you can’t help but think that Tybalt won’t let it go. Tybalt’s last speech in this section of the scene is a haunting one. “Makes my flesh tremble in their different greeting” with phrases like this he is saying that Romeo being there makes his spine chill and he will not let it go unnoticed. Saying that he will not let the “intrusion” go unnoticed is further evidence he could still be a bit hot headed and still attack Romeo. Tension is also brought between Tybalt and Capulet because Tybalt has been disobedient to Capulet. Capulet wants to Tybalt obey him. This is shown when Capulet says to Tybalt “You must contrary me!” Shakespeare made this part of the scene very interesting and tense with the change of pace, mood and atmosphere. Tybalt’s mood changes very quickly from being cheerful and relaxed to very anxious and angry. This change of mood this pace makes the audience tense and gripped to play. It is effective because this would have appealed to the Elizabethan audiences.
In the film sections of Tybalt’s conversation with Capulet are missed out. When Capulet tells him to leave him alone he only says a few phrases from his speech in the original script. Tybalt in the film has much less respect for Capulet than in Shakespeare’s version because Capulet has to physically hit him for Tybalt to let him go. Capulet also has to hold Tybalt when he storms off to get Romeo so he can find out why he in a big rush. Tension is created with music and the tone of Tybalt’s voice but not to the extent that Shakespeare created with words. I noticed how Tybalt is dressed as a devil to portray him as evil. These costume techniques are very effective and have been used on Juliet and Romeo. Tybalt also comes across to the viewers as very arrogant. He comes across this way in the way he demands someone to get his sword. The camera techniques are subtle but effective. In Tybalt’s conversation with Capulet the camera closes up on their faces to make the tension greater.
When Romeo and Juliet first meet together their behaviour changes quite a bit. You sense that the whole speech is delivered slowly so that the love is magnified between them. I also feel that this conversation is spoken with eye contact between Romeo and Juliet through out the whole speech. Romeo tries to be romantic and flatter her in every word says to her. Also, he uses very religious words such as “profane”, “holy shrine” and “pilgrims” to show her and indeed the audience that this is spiritual love not lust. Further evidence that proves this is love not lust are words like “tender” and “devotion”. Juliet becomes shy but still talks to him. She tries to twist his words and as their conversation and indeed their love develops she comes out of her shell. She replies to his compliment that she is a “saint”, by saying; “Saints do not move”. Here she is saying that saints she is not an object to be admired and that saints can be touched. I believe that they are both in love and both want to be together. When they kiss each other Romeo says, “Thus from lips, by yours, my sin is purged” This shows us that he thinks she is an angel and can take his sins away. She then thinks that she has taken them from him so he kisses her again to take them back. Romeo is genuinely in love because he when he finds out that she is a Capulet he is horrified. He says, “My life is my foe’s debt”. This shows that the person he loves is enemy.
Their conversation is written in a shared sonnet just like their love for each other which is shared. This is very interesting because a sonnet is usually written for one character to perform. However, Shakespeare writing the sonnet for Romeo and Juliet is very symbolic, because they speak as one. Romeo starts the sonnet but Juliet always echoes him. This great understanding of each other could suggest that they are compatible with each other and can predict what each other will say. The pattern of their sonnet goes as follows: ABABCDCDEFEFGG. The sonnet is written like a love poem which demonstrates their true love for each other. I think that Shakespeare’s inclusion of this sonnet makes this part of the scene both interesting and tense because the audience can see their true relationship. However, Shakespeare makes it tense because there is always the risk of Romeo being caught at the party.
Luhrman made the scene with Romeo and Juliet’s first meeting together interesting with different media affects including camera angles and music. The scene starts off with Juliet dancing with Paris. Throughout the whole dance Juliet keeps eye contact with Romeo who is filling up with more jealousy. As Romeo is looking on he delivers his speech on how beautiful she is. Luhrman uses first person camera angles form the view of Juliet and Romeo to add a different effect. What was unusual about the start of their shared sonnet was that they didn’t maintain eye contact with each other. They started their shared sonnet on different sides of a pillar. Luhrman tried to keep it interesting with Paris continually looking back at Juliet. I think he did this to add a bit of risk to it. Their conversation moves into the lift where they also have their first kiss. Through out the whole conversation Baz Luhrman decides to keep with the original language. He adds slight pauses in the speech to create tension with Paris looking on. The movement of the actors seems to be choreographed with them starting the speech on other sides of the pillar and how they waited for the lift. It was all choreographed in that particular way to create tension. Things were changed from the original script because from the original script you sense that they stayed in one place throughout the whole conversation and that they kept eye contact as well. However, in the film the shared sonnet was carried out in different places in the mansion and that they didn’t retain eye contact through it either.
In conclusion, I think the director of the film Baz Luhrman changed the order of some events so that it was more effective in the setting of this frantic party. I think that Tybalt’s rhyming couplet was changed to be at the end and not midway through because at the end when Romeo has realised that Juliet is a Capulet the mood is a very tragic one. Tybalt’s speech is a very haunting one at the end. It creates tension and makes the viewers heart pumps a little bit faster. I think Mercutio featured more prominently in the film because he is likeable character on screen. He adds humour to the film, and everyone likes him.
In the play I most liked when Romeo first saw Juliet because the reader really understood that Romeo was really in love with her. I think you knew he actually loved her and not something like he had with Rosalind because he was delivering his speech so no one but himself could hear. If it was performed in front of Juliet you would feel he his trying to impress her and not being genuine. I think that the film successfully captured the tension of this meeting of Romeo and Juliet. I think it was cleverly edited to create the tension in the best way for on screen enjoyment. The effects of camera angles, lighting, costumes and music portrayed their meeting in a great way with added tension.