Baz Luhrmann has chosen the characters costumes well. The costumes reflect on the characters role. In the Ball Scene, Juliet is dressed in white, as an angel with wings, giving the impression she was innocent and untouchable. On her hair she wore a halo. Romeo was dressed as a knight; he was Juliet’s saviour (knight in shining armour). Tybalt was dressed as a fierce cat with horns, his friends were dressed as skeletons, giving the impression they were all evil. Paris was dressed as an astronaut, giving the impression he was from another world. Mercutio was dressed in drag to add to the films comedy. When the Montagues and the Capulets were fighting in the petrol station, the Montagues had very colourful costumes and the Capulets had formal costumes.
Baz Luhrmann uses many unknown actors in ‘Romeo and Juliet’, such as Claire Danes who played Juliet and Leonardo DiCaprio who played Romeo. Luhrmann uses unknown actors because if he had chosen known actors they would be associated with other roles in other films. Luhrmann chooses Claire Danes to play Juliet because Claire has a new, innocent face. Claire is also chosen because she looks young and is meant to play a 13 year old. Claire Danes had starred in ‘My So Called Life’ in 1995 (before Romeo and Juliet) and starred in ‘The Rainmaker’ in 2002 (after Romeo and Juliet). Luhrmann chooses Leonardo DiCaprio to play Romeo because Leonardo has got a young face and is a sex symbol to girls. Leonardo had starred in ‘The Basketball Diaries’ in 1995 (before Romeo and Juliet) and starred in ‘Titanic’ in 1997 (after Romeo and Juliet) where he became a well-known actor. A lot of other actors that star in Romeo and Juliet are unknown as well such as Paul Rudd who plays Dave Paris and Miriam Margolyes who plays the Nurse.
Baz Luhrmann has changed the original location of Verona, Italy to Verona Beach, America. He has done this to make the film more like an ordinary teenager film. Luhrmann has included a lot of which was in the play but has cut down on the text as characters had too much to say.
Luhrmann uses a number of different camera angles throughout the film such as close-up, panning, mid-shot, etc. Using these different angles makes the film become fast paced or slow paced during a dramatic moment.
Romeo and Juliet first come face to face, gazing at each other through the transparent panes of an aquarium, while a love ballad plays in the background. The sound of the ballad makes the audience feel as if when Romeo and Juliet meet is love at first sight.
The Cast
Romeo - Leonardo DiCaprio
Juliet - Claire Danes
Benvolio - Dash Mihok
Tybalt - John Leguizamo
Fulgencio Capulet - Paul Sorvino
Ted Montague - Brian Dennehy
Caroline Montague - Christina Pickles
Dave Paris - Paul Rudd
Gloria Capulet - Diane Venora
The Nurse - Miriam Margolyes
Mercutio - Harold Perrineau
Father Laurence - Pete Postlethwaite
Certificate 12
Running time 120 mins
