English Baz Luhrman

Authors Avatar
Baz Luhrman's Romeo and Juliet

Baz Luhrman had a modern day vision for William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Baz Luhrman had a new and his own interpretation of Romeo and Juliet. So swords and men in tights have been transformed into cars, guns and hip clothes. His interpretation also involves the prologue being made different and modern; he chose to do that to show how a news bulletin would be shown today and by putting the prologue in a news report shows that this is a new modern Romeo and Juliet. Also some of the characters seem different. He also used modern electronics for his techniques; he uses varied camera shots, added sounds and effective mis en scene.

One technique Baz Luhrman uses is the way he makes use of the camera. The way Baz Luhrman makes an effect by using the camera is by doing extreme long shots or an aerial view, quick swooshes to each character and extreme close ups.

The different camera angles show the audience what's going on and how each character is acting upon it.

At the beginning just after the prologue there are different views of Verona in an aerial view in the helicopter looking at the violence in Verona. This is caused because of the brawl between the Montagues and the Capulets. This aerial view of Verona in the helicopter illustrates that a little gang brawl affects so many people, for that reason you see the whole army on the streets and the streets in chaos. Baz Luhrman did this aerial technique to demonstrate the chaos in the streets of Verona; this highlights how much of Verona is now messed up.

Another camera technique is extreme close ups. Baz Luhrman uses this often at one point of the film especially, when the Capulets and Montagues have the brawl at the petrol station. The extreme close ups show different things, so if the focus is on someone's face, it could demonstrate anger or fear in their face.

At the petrol station is the main time Baz Luhrman uses the extreme close ups, when Tybalt comes and says how he hates Montagues Baz Luhrman sets the camera so it's an extreme close up. The extreme close ups are of the two main gang members, Tybalt and Benvolio. The extreme close up demonstrates the anger in Tybalt's eyes showing his anger and fury, how much he hates the Capulets. On the other hand Benvolio's eyes show fear and panic when Tybalt is saying how much he hates the Montagues.

Another example of extreme close up was on Tybalt's feet. This was introducing Tybalt to the film and this showed that Tybalt was a cool character by his sharp shoes and the way he really rubs in the match on the floor with his foot. As if he is showing the Montagues he's ready to fight them and he will rub them in like he did with the match.
Join now!


Baz Luhrman uses this camera angle to show really how the characters are at this moment in the film at the petrol station.

Another technique Baz Luhrman uses for the new Romeo and Juliet was the new editing. Baz Luhrman did a lot of editing to make the film more exciting and to make more of an impact on certain scenes in the film like added noises or different types of ways the camera would turn to look at each character.

Another technique that's used in editing is the quick looks from each character when ...

This is a preview of the whole essay