By using guns instead of swords Luhrmann explores the idea of gang culture, relating to our society that we live today.
The guns are effective because they help to emphasise the danger and hatred between the two rival families.
Another way Baz Luhrmann brings the classic play, Romeo & Juliet, into modern context is by introducing the prologue through the media of T.V. and having it read by a newsreader.
When the movie starts, the newsreader announces: “In fair Verona …” Some words from the prologue are flashed in big bold letters. It is easier for audiences to remember the words clearly.
The prologue gives the audience important information that audiences need to know to understand the rest part of the play, “…where we lay our scene.”
Luhrmann does not change the language so audiences can still appreciate Shakespeare’s poetry, through its sonnet form and this is not lost in the news broadcast.
Baz Luhrmann modernises the play by setting the play in the modern city, Verona, Miami, where big buildings and skyscrapers have been built.
At the beginning of the play, in the prologue the newsreader says: “In fair Verona, where we lay our scene”.
The modern background that Luhrmann decides to set the film against makes it recognisable for the audiences today. It also makes them understand the environment and conditions of the text, rather than showing a religious, rural town like Verona, Italy where Shakespeare set the play.
Luhrmann, the director of the film, decides to dress the actors in his movie in modern clothes rather than to dress them in the Elizabethan costumes that are unfamiliar to today’s public. This change does not change the meaning of the play, it’s only changes the appearance, which in turn develops the understanding for modern audiences. The costumes help portray the function of the characters.
Baz Luhrmann not only changes the costumes but characters as well. An example is the Priest.
Luhrmann replaces the old classic friar who would wear traditional clothes with a new modern priest. The Priest in the film is not always in the traditional costume and has a tattoo on his back. He is also interested in potions and plants. These extra details make the Priest contemporary and it shows the difference between different centuries.
The new Priest appearance makes audience understand his character, which is modern and he is therefore friendlier towards Romeo than the traditional “ghostly father”.
In Luhrmann’s film, he modernises the Capulet ball in a clever way. He dresses people in the costumes to symbolise the function of each character.
Romeo is dressed as a knight to represent the tragic hero in the film. Juliet is dressed as an angel to represent her innocence, love and purity.
At the party Romeo is in love with Juliet and he says to her: “O speak again bright angel”. He also calls her: “a winged messenger of heaven”.
By dressing the guests in the costumes to symbolise their character Luhrmann makes it clear what each person is like. Paris is dressed as an astronaut to represent the future, because he is rich and has a lot to give.
The costumes are effective because they help to understand each persons status in the play, meaning of their character and relationships with others.
Romeo & Juliet may wear different clothes to the clothes in Elizabethan times but the love language doesn’t change.
When Romeo first sees Juliet he says : “She doth teach the torches to burn bright” and when Juliet first dreams of Romeo, she sighs: “when he shall die, take him and cut him out in little stars, and he will make the face of heaven so fine that all the world will be in love with night”.
This language helps to represent the love between the “two star crossed lovers”.
Another way Luhrmann brings the play into contemporary world is by updating the Prince.
The Prince in the film is an effective character because Luhrmann makes him powerful with lots of force. He has a high status. He also has gadgets that are modern in today’s world, rather than horses and swords that were used in Shakespeare’s century.
At the beginning of the film when two rival families are causing damage. The Prince shouts at them from his helicopter: “Throw your mistempered weapons to the ground!”.
This change makes the Prince omnicient, he can see everything that is happening in his city. This is effective for contemporary audiences because Prince is using a helicopter to watch over the city.
The only scene that Luhrmann does not drastically change is the very last scene in the play.
Luhrmann explores the traditional essence of the play.
Juliet says “This is thy sheath; there rust and let me die”. In Shakespeare’s play these are not the last words. Luhrmann decides to cut the last lines because it makes the tension last for some time which makes a great and powerful end, reminding audiences that the ‘Two hours traffic of our stage’ is a tragedy.
In conclusion, Baz Luhrmann makes the play modern but still keep the details of the original text and this makes the play more interesting to watch. By presenting the play through film Luhrmann creates a new kind of visual text.
Many people remember through watching and Luhrmann makes the play more accessible for audiences. For youngsters today it is hard to understand the Shakespearean language and the film makes it easier for them to understand the meaning of the play.
However, Luhrmann still keeps the language in its original format, and that is for the reason, Shakespeare is a dramatic genre.
