An analysis of Baz Luhrmanns film versions treatment of William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet Act3 Scene 1

Baz Luhrmann adds lines when Tybalt questions Romeo on why Romeo won’t fight. In the script Mercutio say “O calm, dishonourable, vile submission! ’Alla stoccata’ carries it away [Draws.] Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you walk?” This line is broken into bits in the movie while Tybalt urges Romeo to fight. Baz Luhrmann has done this because it gives Mercutio more of a good reason to fight Tybalt on Romeo’s behalf. To show the genre of the scene before The Capulets show up Luhrmann uses pastiche. He uses pastiche from other Shakespeare productions on Posters e.g. ‘shoot forth Thunder’. There is also use of a cowboy themes from the western movies when they show Mercutio and Tybalt are preparing for a fight.

        Baz Luhrmann’s use of characters in Act 3 Scene1 is chosen so every character can be disguised by their costumes, speech and race. In this scene Shakespeare builds up tension by setting the scene on Verona streets on a hot afternoon. Luhrmann continues this idea by setting it at midday. The Montagues look prepared for the heat with their loose Hawaiian shirts. The Capulets are wearing tight, black, formal clothes. Mercutio’s costume is a mixture of both houses because he is wearing a formal shirt but the buttons are un-done so he is comfortable for the weather. Luhrmann uses this technique so it is easier for the audience to understand the association of the heat and anger. The grudge between Montagues and Capulets goes back many years ago and Shakespeare hints it to being on religious grounds. Luhrmann expands on this idea. The Montagues are shown as a Central American family while on the other hand the Capulets are shown as Mexican. Once again Mercutio doesn’t come into any of these two categories; he is shown as an African American which is the same as the Prince, his uncle. Mercutio is shown different to both Montague and Capulets because he is not on any side and doesn’t let the grudge change any of his plans. Luhrmann has taken into mind religion being one of the causes of the grudge which might be possible because in Shakespeare’s life there was a lot of controversy about religion. Some speeches are said in different ways so there is more tension built up by them, for instance Benvolio says to Mercutio “I pray thee, good Mercutio, let’s retire but then says to himself “The day is hot, the Capulets are aboard, and if we meet we shall not escape a brawl, for now these hot days is the mad blood stirring.” Benvolio says this because he knows the consequence of everybody’s moods and this makes the audience fear for Romeo.

        The type of music and language adaptation makes a difference to Act 3 Scene 1. During this scene the tempo and style of the music changes very often to stay up with the fast pace of the scene. When Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet, he did not aim for making it a movie so no music was ever intended. Baz Luhrmann added music to make the movie more modern and suitable for the 1996 audience. The Music enhances the mood and atmosphere by interpreting what is going to happen next. The genre of the Music is mostly is pop and would have been recognised by people easily. When the tension between Tybalt and Mercutio builds up so does the pace pf the music making your heart beat faster. When Romeo enters the scene there is calm music because he has just returned from his marriage and wants peace. There is a sudden change in music when Tybalt kicks Romeo through the arch and the violence starts to get worse. The music enhances the mood and atmosphere by interpreting what is going to happen next. Act 3 Scene 1 can get quiet confusing because it is fast paced so Luhrmann uses sound effects used to help distinguish the important action. These include the slicing of the glass into Mercutio and the echo of the gun dropping when Romeo shoots Tybalt. Baz Luhrmann does this so that the turning points of the scene are highlighted. Luhrmann also repeats important lines so the audience can completely understand them as shown when Romeo says “Either thou or I must go with him.”

Baz Luhrmann has thought bout every aspect of his movie carefully and always kept Shakespeare’s script in mind and the audience of 1996 in mind. The audience would have enjoyed this movie very much and would have been able to think and understand Romeo and Juliet better than they would have if they read the script. Baz Luhrmann aimed the movie toward young adults. He did this very well as he used popular music, bright costumes for the Montagues so the audience sympathises for them. He has made Act 3 Scene 1 very fast moving and interesting but keeps the violence to a limit. Luhrmann has brought Shakespeare’s script into life by adding in his own ideas and sticking to crucial parts of the play which made it more interesting. I think that Baz Luhrmann has created a wonderful scene in this movie and helped me understand the scene much better. Overall, I think it was the best interpretation of Act 3 Scene 1 I have ever seen.