How Does Baz Luhrmann use film techniques to make 'Romeo and Juliet' more accessible to a younger audience?

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How Does Baz Luhrmann use film techniques to make ‘Romeo and Juliet’ more accessible to a younger audience?

The story of Romeo and Juliet has been added to and adapted to over the year’s though different film productions, but none more spectacular and popular as the ‘Blockbuster’ Luhrmann created.  Luhrmann turned an Elizabethan play into a modern day action packed film all could relate to and understand.

Luhrmann turned a historical tragedy into an up-beat action packed love story. Luhrmann had an enormous potential for the movie he was to create, and also had confidence in making a success of it.

He chose cast for the film wisely, a handsome leading man ‘Leonardo Di Caprio’ and the young appealing girl ‘Claire Danes’. These two characters are almost used as props to demonstrate the modern day world.

Luhrmann tackled his obstacle recreating ‘Romeo and Juliet’ by using a rock soundtrack and many modern day references including swimming pools cars TV’s etc. The film was portrayed vibrantly on-screen, with soppy love scenes and references to sex. By incorporating these things together the film can me referred to as an ‘Action thriller’ or a ‘Chick Flick’.

        

The opening scene of the film is packed with the main film genres. For instance the western genre is used extensively in the first scene. The whistling wind when Tybalt speaks and the way his metal-heeled boots clink on the ground, as well as the squeaking petrol station sign, all have strong connotations of the western genre. Another genre used in the first scene is action. Explosions, guns and special effects all show this. There are also comedy aspects throughout the film. The two Montague boys other than Benvolio joke continuously throughout the film, and in the first scene, are almost slapstick in their movements. For instance one of them falls backwards into the car, and the way he handles the lady hitting him over the head with a handbag. All aspects of the film show imagery and the usage of costume to present a character and the personality.

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 However, perhaps one of the most obvious uses of imagery is water. It appears in all the key scene throughout it shows purity and clarity. Romeo washes his face in water at the party, which clears his mind of drugs and he sees Juliet in a clearer light. Romeo and Juliet’s first vision of each other are through a fish tank full of water. Water could also be seen as an object to show fate working. When both Mercutio and Tybalt die there is water very much present (sea/fountain). The swimming pool, obviously full of water, is used in ...

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