Male Representation in the Two Film Versions of the Play 'Romeo & Juliet'

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Male Representation in the Two Film Versions of the Play ‘Romeo & Juliet’

The Opening

   The opening of both versions of this piece sets the president for what follows, the Luhrman version perhaps more so than Franco Zefferelli’s attempt.  They display glimpses of what is to come, drawing the viewer deeper into the story.

   The amalgamation of multiple ‘Big Close Ups’ and bird’s eye shot, as well as the incorporation of a masterful music score, serve to create a genius piece of cinematic production for the opening scene. Not only that, but the scenes presented in the shots are chosen specifically to give an uninformed viewer an insight into the turbulent nature of this story; to settle any misgivings the audience may have at the mention of Shakespeare. A male viewer would certainly breath a sigh of relief at the sign of someone getting shot at. Luhrman has chosen to include the Chorus, a popular theatrical device of the Shakespearian era taken from famous Greek tragedies, in the form of a newsreader from a news program, which is an image very familiar to the intended audience. The Chorus uses the original text, superimposed over flashes of gangland violence, to create a subtext that becomes embossed on the viewer’s interpretation of the rest of the film. As opening sequences go, this one could be considered a masterpiece of modern cinema.

    Franco Zefferelli has not invested as much importance in the opening of his production. He has instead decided to go with a theme to suit the mode of his film. The hazy, sweeping, classical view of a Renaissance Italian city, presumably constructed on computer from paintings and the like, would appeal to the traditional theatre-goers who packed the cinemas to see this film. The Chorus is present, but only in the faceless guise of a narrator. An audience already familiar with the original text would be disappointed with anything less.

The Market Place – Act 1, Scene 1

    The opening scene in the Luhrman version is set in a typical U.S petrol station. It is a busy and open area, much like the market setting portrayed in the original script. This is typical of Luhrman’s cinematic adaptations that run throughout the film; modernising the original setting without losing the feeling of authenticity. A market square in modern America would only confuse the audience. In the Zefferelli version, the director has tried to replicate the setting and atmosphere of the original, using a typical market square from the time that the play was written; this would seem to the audience as a more ‘realistic’ version of the original text. At the start of the scene in the Luhrman version we see the first of our families, the Montagues. They seem like typical American youngsters having fun in their car with some rather loud hip-hop music blaring. They pull into the petrol station, all smiles and arrogant gestures, displaying all the stereotypical mannerisms of noisy youths. All seems well until the second family arrives, the Capulets. At this point the music changes to something more befitting the OK Corral, supposedly to imply imminent violence. They far outclass the Montagues, bedecked as they are in suave Latino smoking jackets and gold chains typical of Italian cartel members; somehow sinister when compared to the garish and colourful Montagues. This is a good way of showing the stark differences between the two families. Both groups of young men carry large calibre pistols, which shows that neither group are familiar with friendly conversation. However, in the Zefferelli version when we see the Montagues and Capulets enter the market square there mannerisms and character representations are not dissimilar; they both seem to display the same calm sophistication that chivalry dictates. The only thing separating them is the difference in family livery; the Capulets wearing black and blue and the Montagues wearing yellow and red. The costume design is accurate of what people wore in the time the play was written, with men in tights, frills and bicorns aplenty. The music score is more background ballroom than sinister melodrama.

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    In the first scene of the Luhrman version there is only limited reference to the original script, with little speech being used, but is accurate to the original script. Such lines as when Abra, a Capulet asks the question “Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?” and Sampson, a Montague replies, “I do bite my thumb, sir”. This small slight initiates a gunfight between the two families, for neither side can let the implied insults stand. We see that the rivalry between the two families is so strong that only a small exchange of petty quarrelling is ...

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