In Shakespeare’s time, the people of England were very uneasy. There had been a very traumatic time of the conflicting views on Catholics and Protestants, also Queen Elizabeth I was getting older and there was no heir to the throne of England. This was a perfect excuse to visit the theatre; it was like an escape from every day life.
London was to play-writes like Hollywood was to scriptwriters. London was also the sight of the renowned Globe Theatre. It was constructed in 1599 with funding from Richard Burbage, Shakespeare and others. Unfortunately it was burnt down when cannon was fired in Shakespeare’s Henry VIII in 1613. It was rebuilt in 1614 but Shakespeare was retired as a play writer.
Shakespeare’s play ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and both films were produced to please the audience of the time. Shakespeare’s play was written to entertain the people of 1600, Franco Zeffirelli film was set at the same time as Shakespeare play, and set in Verona, where as Baz Luhrmann’s was set slightly into the future, Baz Luhrmann’s film was set at Verona Beach, in America, this is aimed to interest the younger generations of today who might not want to watch a film which is based on a play written 400 years ago by Shakespeare.
Franco Zeffirelli and Baz Luhrmann are well known directors. They got famous by directing two different versions of Romeo and Juliet. Franco Zeffireli’s Romeo and Juliet was faithful to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Whereas Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet was a futuristic stunning success.
When the film starts Zeffirelli sticks to how it would be like in the Elizabethan time with the Prologue read as a background voice and shots of Elizabethan Verona and its high walls. This is very effective because this is how, many people would have imagined when they read Romeo and Juliet and he sets the film in Elizabethan Verona, Italy. As in Luhrmann’s version, the Prologue starts as a news report on the TV with shots of sky-scrapers. This is very effective as a magnet for teenagers. Baz Luhrmann sets the film in Verona beach, Miami.
Zeffirelli made Montagues and Capulets look like the noblemen, the lords of Verona. He made the settings traditional he made the characters look traditional with old cloths and swords. Luhrmann has changed the way both Montagues and the Capulets behave by giving them a modern gangster image. Paris is a nobleman in the play. He loved Juliet passionately. However, Luhrmann has transformed all this and made him a person that everyone laughs at, maybe this is to let people know that Paris is not the man for Juliet. Luhrmann also changed the settings making it look modern. He changed the weapons, and instead of swords he uses pistols with the name of sword. He also made the characters look modern by giving them modern clothes and cars.
Zeffirelli makes the fight scenes look old. There are large amount of people getting involved in the fight. He makes the fight take place in a market where there is a greater quantity of public to get involved. This is identical to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Luhrmann entirely changes the fight scene. He makes the fight scene so interesting to watch by using fast cars, guns and set the scene at a petrol station where some people would think the petrol station might blow if someone shoots on of the tank. This makes the audience anxious.
Baz Luhrmann really attracted modern people by changing the way the characters dress. He gives the Montagues casual and relaxed clothes. This really matches the fact that they always found in the beach on the film. In contrast to that, the Capulets wear sharper and sleeker fashion clothes. This also supports the fact that, Capulets are always doing something, unlike Montagues who are always relaxed. Luhrmann uses guns and cars in his film. Zeffirelli uses normal Shakespearean style cloths and he uses swords for fights. This really matches the fact that this film has a setting of Elizabethan time.
Baz Luhrmann film was a major success, without the music, it would not have been quite the same. The music really helps the fight scenes and the romantic ones. Rock music was given to romantic and beat music for fight scenes. This really does attract all music lovers. Zeffirelli’s slow film matches the slow tempo music. It shows off the setting by the ring of bells now and then.
One of the most important feature in Luhrmann’s film was the edited Shakespeare language. He only makes minor changes but it works like a magnet for the people who had difficulties in understanding the Shakespeare language. Zeffirelli however sticks with the original text.
Technology is also a reason why Luhrmann’s film was a success. Luhrmann really shows off how the world has grown since the time of Zeffirelli. Luhrmann uses fast moving camera to make the film fast and interesting. He also uses special effects. The scene when Romeo chases Tybalt was a great example of how Luhrmann has used the camera effectively. Zeffirelli uses basic camera shots. He uses low-angle shot of
Prince to show the domination and power within that character. He uses wide shots for large-scale movement.
