In Shakespeare’s version of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ there was no music when it was presented in Elizabethan times around 1590. Baz Luhrmann has added a mixture of music. The different types of music that the director uses are; operatic, rock, western, echoing theme, classical, 70’s disco, love song, pop, gospel choir and religious chant. Each kind of music he uses describes the characters or the situation. E.g. Luhrmann used operatic music at the beginning of the film, this adds drama and passion, he uses rock music to describe the Montague boys which adds a sense that they are trouble making, wild and aggressive. He uses western music to show that the Capulet boys are dangerous. The variety of music makes the film more fascinating to watch. A modern audience expects films to have a good soundtrack.
Baz Luhrmann has changed the characters in Romeo and Juliet. He does this so that people will recognize it better. Some examples of the changes that he made are; he made lord Capulet and lord Montague businessmen, the servants are now made into gang members because there are no servants in this current age. He also changes the prince into the chief of police, Paris becomes the governors’ son. Luhrmann has also changed the ethnicity of Shakespeare characters. In Shakespearian time all the characters were white Italian. Now we have a variety of races in Baz Luhrmann version of ‘Romeo + Juliet’. Mercutio, Romeo’s best friend is now black American. The director does this so that the film would appeal to a multi cultural audience.
During Shakespearian time costumes are very essential. Nobel characters like the lords and ladies had to dress in fine clothes that were very expensive. During Shakespeare age the actors were low status not very rich. Now in the 20th century Actors and actress are very high status and very rich. In Baz Luhrmann version of ‘Romeo + Juliet’, the film is in modern dress, all the characters wear clothes that suit modern city life. This makes it easier for a teenage audience to relate to them. Luhrmann uses different costumes for the scene at the caplet’s fancy dress party. Romeo was dressed as a Knight, Juliet as an Angel, Lady Capulet is Cleopatra and her husband is Anthony. These costumes add humor to the film. Mercutio goes to the party dressed as a woman which is fascinating because in Shakespeare’s play all female characters would be played by men dressed as women. The Party is used as an excuse to add colour and extravagant costumes.
Shakespeare had to use actors who worked for his company, ‘The Lord Chamberlain’s Men’. Also all female characters were played by men because women were not allowed to do any acting in Elizabethan time. Now in this modern age Baz Luhrmann has a far wider choice of Actors / actress for his film. At the present women are allowed to act. The two stars of the film ‘Romeo + Juliet’ were chosen to appeal to a teenage audience. Leonardo Dicaprio was already a superstar. He was about twenty two when he played Romeo. He had acted in several hit film including ‘what’s Eating Gilbert Grapes’ in 1993 and ‘Basketball Diaries’ in 1995. He also played in ‘Titanic’ which was made a few years after ‘Romeo + Juliet’ which made him a major Hollywood star. Claire Danes was only seventeen when she played Juliet. Even though she was not as famous as Leonardo Dicaprio her youth and Beauty made her a good chose for a teenage audience.
The film uses less than half of the words from Shakespeare’s play. For example the opening 67 lines of ACT 1 SCENE 2 are cut out to only 24 lines in the film. When Juliet is about to take the portion almost all of her speech is not used in the film. This makes it simpler and easier to understand. Sometimes when Luhrmann cuts the text he changes how the characters appear. In the play, lord Capulet tell Paris how important Juliet is to him. Luhrmann does not use this in the film. This means that the audience will detest Juliet’s father more in the film than they do in the play. Luhrmann also changes the characters who speak some lines. In the film Benvolio says; 'the quarrel is between our master’ and Gregory replies ‘and us their men’. This makes it clear that Benvolio does not think the Montague / Capulet feud is any of his business. Even though Luhrmann uses some of Shakespeare’s text, he cuts and changes them. He does this to make the film observable and less complex for a teenage audience.
