Comparison of Franco Zefferelli's Romeo and Juliet to The adaptation by Baz Luhrmann

Authors Avatar

Heidi Cornick

Comparison of Franco Zefferelli’s Romeo and Juliet to

 The adaptation by Baz Luhrmann

This essay aims to discus the similarities and differences of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, directed by Franco Zefferelli and Baz Luhrmann. In this essay there will be an outline of the story, a comparison of the techniques used in each film and the affect these techniques have on the viewer.

        In Fair Verona two families have been feuding for generations, the Capulets and the Montagues. The Capulets have an astonishing daughter, approaching marriage age, named Juliet. She is to be wed to the best suitor. The Montagues have a son called Romeo. When Romeo and his friends attend the Capulets party, uninvited, Romeo and Juliet meet by accident and immediately fall in love. Tibolt discovers the intruders and murders Mucusio, in retaliation Romeo stabs Tibolt and is banished from Verona. Romeo hears that Juliet is to be married to Paris, so he sneaks back in to Verona to meet Juliet. Juliet does not wish to be married to one whom she does not love; she could only ever love Romeo. Romeo and Juliet have a secret wedding, only the vicar, Juliet’s maid and the two lovers know about this. When Juliet is forced by her father to marry Paris she resorts to her only other option, death. She takes a potion to help her sleep and look dead. Romeo is supposed to know this important information but does not receive it in time. The letter that was sent to him, by the vicar, arrived only seconds after he left to be at Juliet’s side. Romeo makes haste to a poison producer and purchases enough to end his suffering life. He goes to the side of Juliet and waits, talking to her all the while. As Juliet stirs from her slumber Romeo raises the bottle and empties the contents into his mouth. Juliet wakes to she the last breath of her one true love. Life without love is nothing to Juliet, she grasps Romeo’s dagger and ends her own life in an act of bravery and devotion. In respect to the untimely deaths of their children the Montagues and the Capulets agree to end the feud.

        At the begging of Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet there is a small television screen within the viewers television screen, all the surrounding area is completely blacked out so that the viewers attention is focused on what the news reader is announcing. The presenter is well poised and speaks properly; this is to make the viewer believe what is being presented to them. When the newsreader has finished the television screen disappears and bold white writing saying ‘In Fair Verona’ appears on the screen telling the viewer where the film is set. This writing is quickly replaced with a large statue of Christ, which shows that the country is catholic. A jump shot flicks between these two images until the camera is level with the Christ statue. Tense music starts to play in the background to tell the viewer that a fight is expected later in the film. The tension is broken by the ravings of the Montagues.

Join now!

        The Montagues are wearing beach style clothes to suggest that they are laid back. The music in the background has a strong beat to it. When they arrive at the gas station the Capulets emerge and cowboy music starts in the background to show the viewer the difference between the two families and to suggest an upcoming fight.

         Baz Luhrmann has tried to give the viewer as much information as possible. In turn the camera pauses on each character, a name then appears next to the character and is read by the viewing audience. This helps the audience remember the ...

This is a preview of the whole essay