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Baz Luhrmann Essay
Topic: Luhrmann’s films are not so much an adaptations as re-imaginings
A re-imagining is when you want to recreate the experience that the audience had when first presented the piece . For example like when the people first read Great Gatsby or when the people first watched Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet. An adaptation is the process of change. In media it is the change from a book to a movie film and in biology is it the change that an organism does undergoes to become better suited to its environment. I think Baz Luhrmann uses slight adaptations to re-imagine the films we studied (Romeo&Juliet, Great Gatsby, Strictly Ballroom ) .
Baz Luhrmann uses lots ofmany different cinematic techniques to re-imagine these stories for the public today . In Strictly Ballroom the cinematic technique that we see most often used
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I think this is due to the fact that these characters are made to seem more down to earth and more relatable for the audience watching. The make-up of the other characters are is bold, thick, dark and very over exaggerated, while with Fran it iss light and natural because Fran is a normal, down to earth woman. In Romeo and Juliet we see the same techniques of Zooming and Zipping so to exaggerate the other characters and keep the movie going. Expect in Romeo and Juliet it is more to show how ridiculous Romeo and Juliet’s parents’ and friends’ behaviour is (also seen with the characters in Strictly Ballroom). While when Romeo and Juliet appear in the scenes there is a sense of calmness and everything moves at a normal speed. The lighting isn’t as of a dramatic change from dark to light as in Strictly Ballroom but in Romeo and Juliet, the lighting always in make its looks like Romeo has a halo around his head and when Juliet and him he appear in the same room there is lots of lighting and it is normally bright which shows how pure and
When novels are adapted for the cinema, directors and writers frequently make changes in the plot, setting, characterization and themes of the novel. Sometimes the changes are made in adaptations due to the distinctive interpretations of the novel, which involve personal views of the book and choices of elements to retain, reproduce, change or leave out. On the contrary, a film is not just an illustrated version of the novel; it is a totally different medium. When adapting the novel, the director has to leave out a number of things for the simple reason of time difference. Furthermore, other structures and techniques must be added to the film to enhance the beauty and impressions of it. Like a translator, the director wants to do some sort of fidelity to the original work and also create a new work of art in a different medium. Regardless of the differences in the two media, they also share a number of elements: they each tell stories about characters.
The astounding perils of young love has been eloquently captured in the story of Romeo and Juliet. Franco Zefferelli and Baz Luhrmann are the creators of the two most renowned film adaptations of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Zefferelli, the more traditional director, created his Oscar winning version in 1968. Baz Luhrmann put an abstract, modern twist on Shakespeare's classic and created the 1996 version that raised millions of dollars in box office sales. Being that these two films are so different, I have chosen to compare them to one another, using the famed balcony scene as my focus.
Even though the themes were similar, the plot of the movie and the play were rather different. In the movie, Mercutio, Romeo’s friend, got an invitation to Lord Caplet’s ball where Romeo and Juliet meet, but in the movie Romeo and this friends go to Lord Capulet’s party uninvited. What's more, is that when Romeo was at the ball he was recognized by Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin, from the sound of his voice in the play, but in the movie Tybalt sees him. In addition to that one scene where Juliet was hysterical because she thought Romeo was dead was completely absent in the movie.
Luhrman uses a similar technique In Strictly ballroom. The scenes in which Scott dances with Fran are juxtaposed to those of other dancers who are under Barry Fifes rule. The lighting is natural and simplistic compared to the harsh theatrical lighting, which is otherwise used to demonstrate the fake and falsehood of federation. As well as the use of shadows and half-light, which is used to create a sense of fear or suspicion. This makes for a great metaphor and image of Doug secretly dancing in, out and around the spotlight in the otherwise dark room. This use of lighting suggests to the viewer that contrast of belonging and not.
A Comparison of Scenes From West Side Story and Romeo and Juliet Cinematography The scene before the meeting scene in West Side Story Maria spins. around in her dress the camera then carries on spinning which creates a colourful blur effect on the screen. The effect makes her look like she is almost spinning into the next scene. When Tony and Maria met, all the other characters that were dancing.
a major step in life. Because the play is not entirely trying to make the two look bad, it is the better product. & nbsp; Another major difference in the mood of the play and the movie is in the funeral scene. The funeral scene of the play is a very serious event. Juliet's family is very upset and thinks that they are the cause of her "death". Also, the Friar. soothes the family of the loss of young Juliet (Act IV, Scene 5, Line 65). However, in the movie version of the funeral scene, again everyone is sad but This time the Friar lets out a giggle as he pretends to pray for Juliet. This is a major difference because if someone had seen the Friar giggle, it may have. changed the entire play. They may have questioned him why he giggled but since he would not have a reason he may just spill what he knows. Since the movie was once again unrealistic, the play is the better production in this scene as well. & nbsp; Some other major differences between the play and the movie occurred in the plot. details. One example of this is in the beginning of the story.
The pace in which the The film goes very fast and it changes from one location to the next in a sequence of images, which occurs a lot during this recent film. In Franco Zeffirelli’s adaptation of the film, there are very similar. settings as they are both set in Verona but they have a different timescale and time period in which the film was produced. In the beginning of Act two Scene ii (the balcony scene), Romeo.... ...
In the 1996 film version of Romeo and Juliet, the interior and exterior designing of the palace helped create certain symbolism. An exhilarating explosion of fireworks in the sky helped recapture an intense party scene. Beautiful colors were reflected throughout the scene. These different rays of color were reflected in the faces of the actors and actresses. Music was also used to intensify this scene.
A Comparison of the Interpretations of Two Film Versions of Romeo and Juliet Having studied the openings of two film versions, the two directors Franco Zeffirelli and Baz Luhrmann, show they interpret the play differently because of the way they see different meanings in them. By interpreting the play differently, it also means the audience pick up a different meaning. Every image seen in the beginning decides whether the audience should continue with watching the film. But what makes a film so engaging?
... like Szpilman is gradually getting into that becoming a pianist phase and how the film overall has increased his confidence. The camera then zooms into his hand playing the piano showing the audience what to focus on. One hand has a lot of light towards it whilst the other hand is dark, which could mean that maybe his other hand will be in the light as he continues to play the piano, which is his lifelong dream. Then the camera zooms out showing us what else is in the frame. The director does this to show the audience that we should focus on where the light is coming from. The curtains have quite a detailed pattern on them which suggests that the room might have belonged to a professional and wealthy pianist. This might suggest that Szpilman is almost as if he is bringing the room back to life. This is shown with the different parts of the room covered with light.
In conclusion, Lurhmann uses a lot of modern filming techniques to make Romeo and Juliet appeal to a contemporary audience. By relating certain aspects to situations in modern society, it makes the audience understand the ideas behind the original play and he simplifies the complicated old English of Shakespeare by adding exciting and dynamic visuals. Lurhmann tried to create a modern version of Romeo and Juliet and he was completely successful in his aims. Lurhmann defied all odds by making his film appeal to a modern audience and not only is this film very clever, it is a must see for any film lovers.
The most recognizable portrayal of Juliet is her original; daughter of the Capulet leader, cousin of Capulet prince Tybalt, and of course Romeo’s true love. Baz Luhrmann’s modernized version follows the original closer than any other modernized movie made from this play, as all the characters and dialogue are from the original. Despite the accurate cast and lines, there are some modifications made to the movie that slightly impact how Juliet is viewed/acts in the movie. Costume may not seem like it plays a very important role in major productions but it does. In spite of this being a contemporary version, her costume differs from the one expected or seen in the original version (Gibbs 1). In the scene where Romeo and Juliet first meet at the Capulet party she is usually thought t...
Zeffirelli’s ultimate goal for his version of Romeo and Juliet was to capture Shakespeare’s original intentions for the play while targeting the teenage audience of his generation. Luhrmann’s intentions were different however; he changed the way an audience looks at Shakespeare’s masterpiece by modernising the props, costumes, and sets. Obviously, to match film time quotas Zefirelli and Luhrmann has both cut many lines out of the play.
How Baz Luhrmann Uses Props, Iconography, Costumes, and Settings to Create His Own Version of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet William Shakespeare’s best loved tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, has been portrayed in theatres and on film in many different ways. But none have been quite like Baz Luhrmann’s imaginative and unconventional adaptation. He has brought aspects of the plays Elizabethan origins and transfused them with a modern day background and created, what can only be described as a masterpiece. I believe that his use of Props, iconography costumes and the settings he has chosen has helped him to make this film such a great success. The settings of each scene have been specifically chosen to create a desired affect.
The dramatic style and preparation of theatre in this movie is of the baroque style. The Baroque style is a period following the Renaissance, from 1600 to 1750, and is characterized by a dramatic expression and performances or theatrical shows. There are several examples of dramatic expression during the movie. During the preparation of the play, there is a fight. For example, when Mercutio fights with Romeo. The poetic verse of the love affair between Romeo and Juliet is dramatic. During Elizabethan times women were not allowed to act in the theatre. However, Viola, the character, wants to act and auditions for a role in the production. When it is found out there is a female working on the production, the theatre is shut down. In my opinion, the most dramatic part, is at the end of the production of Romeo and Juliet, where Shakespeare is acting opposite his muse and she wakes up to find his character laying beside her dead and she stabs herself.