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LOVE TURNS TO TRAGEDY

                                                “Romeo + Juliet”

                                                      (Cert 12A)

Shakespeare’s sixteenth century story is captured and brought to life in a modern day movie. Baz Luhrman’s twenty first century “Romeo + Juliet” is packed with romance, action and tragedy to create a spectacular movie. Naive Romeo tries to over come hatred and fights for pure love which becomes all too much to take. Luhrman puts than modern day movie selectors e.g. shooting of guns, helicopters est. in the background there is different types of music to suit the mood and the place. This can cause the build up of tension and create passion.

Luhrman’s Verona (where the film is acted) is a pastiche of locations shots. There are the towering Chicago type skyscrapers that symbolises the wealth and power of the rival families. The film is first set I the gang streets of Los Angeles, bordering a rather run-down Californian beach. Looming above all this is a statue of Jesus Christ (taken from Mexico City), highlighting the hippocras in the “fair” catholic city of Verona.

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The unusual opening scene starts with news which is the prologue in the story.  The prologue is repeated once more but this time with screen shots of the whole film with operatic music in the background just like a trailer. This is followed by the Montague boys in a car dressed as beach boys. Spaghetti western music is highlighted in the background.

The first fight scene starts with the Capulet’s who are dressed as Maphia gang stars arriving at the petrol station. Spaghetti cowboy music is accompanies the fast and furious gun fight between the two in the ...

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