The use of a black background is very effective as it fixes the attention of the audience by simply not allowing anything else for which the audience is able to fix their attention apon. The television stops zooming in a few seconds before the newsreader is finished perhaps to allow more attention to be paid to these last important words. As she finishes the camera quickly zooms in. To the screen and loud choral and very dramatic music begins to play sending a jolt through the audience. This is where the rise to climax begins.
The camera zooming in could possibly connote to entering this event, opening a book and jumping into the heart of the story. The camera zooms through the screen and appears quickly to zoom down the street the words “in fair Verona” displayed in flashes almost like subliminal messaging so the reader has to pay attention if not to miss it. As the camera reaches the face of a Jesus statue similar to the one in Rio de Janeiro the words “in fair Verona” are displayed for a little longer and then the face of Jesus again with a quite grim expression as he looks down on the city. Just giving enough time for the audience to take it in before once again moving on by zooming out again indicating a fast-paced film with many surprises and a twisted tale around every corner.
Luhrman then chooses to employ a crane shot to show the landmarks of what appears to be the main road in Verona. This being the most important shot of the prologue as it gives a lot of insight into the film. This picture shows a hierarchy with the public at the bottom in their cars and then the Montague and Capulet head quarters at the top. Strikingly Jesus is not above the Capulet and Montague buildings but in the shadows cast by them. Connoting that this story was so big even Jesus was left behind. the Capulet and Montague buildings are both at opposing ends of the street- showing their competition, Jesus in the middle this could ether symbolize a common interest or the thing that separates them.
Each buildings territory is invaded by buildings from the other and the words L’amour- I love are on a poster made to look like a popular brand as to catch the eye. The scenery also suggests the film is set somewhere with a warm climate.
The scenes move on in time with the music next displaying an American police car with the words “Verona beach police” on the door- this showing the film is slightly Americanized perhaps in Baz Luhrman efforts to make it understandable to the new un-English generation.
Luhrman then shoes the Jesus statue, almost a pivot to the scene. The statue zooming in and out of it from different angles using jump shots to good effect perhaps showing that religion underlies in everything in this story.
Luhrman, again showing the two family buildings and Jesus in the middle once again. The choral music still flowing as the view from one building to the other is shown.
The prologue then moves on to a scene showing a police helicopter flying past a holy statue this could be seen as religion or higher than the police or that religion has been over taken by law. This scene also shows a man with a large gun sitting in the helicopter perhaps connoting that the police are serious and forceful this is again displayed by the next scene showing a poor man being violently arrested this could also show that the rich can get away with a lot more than the poor, this is reinforced after the 3rd civil brawl as they are only issued with a warning and have to attend a meeting.
A crane shot is then used to show a statue of the Virgin Mary and a jump shot to show Jesus the juxtaposition between male and female roles was important in the Georgian times but not so much in this modernized film.
The camera then zooms out, the music slows and a news paper comes into view firstly only showing the head of Jesus and as Pete Postlethwaite who plays friar Lawrence in the play begins to speak the camera zooms out and two family trees begin to come into view the Capulet and Montague trees almost look as if they should join after Romeo and Juliet. Jesus once again in the middle. The idea of the film being Americanized is also reinforced as Luhrman chooses to give the Montague parents whom did not have names in the original play American names such as “Ted” Luhrman has however given the Capulet's Italian names. Italians stereotypically roman catholic and Americans catholic or protestant, the newspaper the fades away into a flame. Fire seen to represent the hatred. In addition the newspaper is displayed baring the title Capulet vs. Montague incase you had not already guessed their feelings for each other.
As Pete Postlethwaite reads non-diagetically from the same script as the previous newsreader. This is used for effect and images adding meaning to the words is used to create a chilling atmosphere. Some words and phrases of high importance are shown on the front page on newspapers as they fall one on top of the other.
A shot is then shown of the prince overlooking the city below from his helicopter as he does for most of the film. Shots are then employed of a city that appears in ruins people running, fire and smoke shows how destructive the story is.
Front pages of magazines are then shown to show how big the story really is how much of an impact it had.
Riot shows are then shown to grab the attention again and add a draw-dropping atmosphere before the camera zooms out to show the faces of the Montague and Capulet is as Pete Postlethwaite says the words “two foes.” Again showing the intense hatred shared between the two houses.
Some words from a sonnet appear on the screen to a black background drawing attention to the words, showing significance “a pair of star cross’d lovers,” “take their life.” The “T” in “take” is made to look like the head stone of a grave to emphasize death.
Luhrman then chooses to show close ups of each main character excluding Romeo and Juliet displaying their names to add a soap opera introduction effect. As hatred, excitement and drama build to create a unique and extremely intense atmosphere backed by the growing choral music. The wordst that the newsreader and Pete Postlethwaite are displayed on black backgrounds as they leave his lips.
The music speeds up emphasizing them for one last time. The film builds up to a climax as a firework explodes showing the explosion of atmosphere tension and adrenaline!
Scenes show key parts of the film before stopping on the title of the film. . . William Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet . . . all on a black background to draw attention...
Luhrman chooses to use a prologue to fill in gaps that are perhaps not easy for the audience to pick up on during the film while creating an explosive climax only two and a half minutes into the film leaving viewers; optimistic, with a good first impression, pumped with adrenaline, out of breath and most importantly hopelessly hooked.
