Analysis of the Opening Scene of the 1996 Film Version of Romeo and Juliet
Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 film version of the popular 1600s Shakespearian
play ‘Romeo and Juliet’ was hugely successful with modern audiences.
Due to the film techniques used, it was able to capture the viewers’
attention and imagination. Also the way that he made the old language
accessible to the modern audience by “freeing it from its cage of
obscurity”. This movie won in the Berlin International Film Festival
the awards for Best actor (Leonardo Dicaprio) and the Alfred Bauer
Prize. It also got nominations in the Academy Awards for Best Art
Direction (Catherine Martin) and Set Decoration (Brigitte Broch).
These were all attributes to the success of this modern version of the
old tale of an ancient grudge, power of fate and true love that is
‘Romeo and Juliet’.
In this scene Luhrmann captures the viewers’ attention by displaying a
far-away television on a dark background. (To keep the focus on the
television) When the newsreader starts to talk the picture zooms in
almost drawing you into what is being said. By using an American
newsreader to read out the prologue Luhrmann makes another connection
to the modern audience because the reader is related to the modern
day. But because it is quite quiet when it is being read out it seems
more of a background story to let you know a bit about what is going
to happen in the film, instead of a full report. The prologue is read
out a second time by Friar Lawrence this is done because when he reads
it out with more compassion and this makes the viewer feel more
involved. Friar Lawrence reads this part as the film is running
through the characters in the movie, this is just a quick
introduction, and it does not show Romeo or Juliet though this is so
it creates an air of mystery for the two characters.
The setting of the fight scene is a very public gas station; the
buildings around the station are quite rundown, this shows that the
Baz Luhrmann's Production of William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Julie in Baz Luhrmann's production of William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet", our expectations are swept aside and a modern film appears. When I sit down to watch one of Shakespeare's plays, I expect to see medieval clothes in a rural setting with plenty of poor people. I also expect the words and acting to blend together harmoniously. Instead Baz Luhrmann chose to set the opening scene at a beachside, gas. station.
of tune”, is a lark, not a nightingale and thus it are dawn and Romeo
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?
What makes scene 4.4 in Romeo and Juliet unique is the way in which the dynamic between the public and the characters is handled. The people in the audience are put in a situation where they know more than the characters on the stage. Apart from the spectators the only other person who knows that Juliet is not actually dead, but just appears to be, is Friar Laurence. Shakespeare is well aware of the possibilities that this situation presents him with and uses them to enhance the scene and give it a second layer of meaning. He contrasts the joy of his characters in the beginning of the scene with their sadness at the end with his use of caesuras and repeated words in different types of situations.
The movie, “Romeo Must Die”, is an action packed drama that adapts William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” into a more modern perspective with a twist that deviates from the original plot. Han Sing, played by the actor Jet Li, resembles Romeo, where as Trish O’Day, played by the actress Aaliyah, resembles Juliet. Fate causes them to meet when Trish jumps into the taxi Han hi-jacks. As Han is in search of the person that killed his brother, he learns that Trish may have a connection and begins to pursue her.
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet has been modified numerous times and has been a source of inspiration for many playwrights and directors. Franco Zeffirelli and Baz Luhrmann are examples of directors that use Shakespeare’s legendary tragedy as a basis for their films.
Stories are our essence of life. They grow and change with us. They allow us to reconstruct the pas, and put our slant on things. They don’t’ have make sense, and they don’t all have to be fact. That’s what kind of story this is.
The light and dark imagery that Shakespeare uses in this passage describes Juliet as a young and eager lover. Romeo associates Juliet with light meaning goodness. Then Romeo says that Juliet looks like the excellent night. The night that Romeo speaks of represents Rosaline. Romeo basically says through with light and dark imagery, that Juliet is as good as Rosaline to love. Romeo then compares Juliet to a "winged messenger of heaven" who filled with lightness and goodness. He says that all humans look upon this kindness as the messenger "bestrides the lazy puffing clouds" while doing his errands. Romeo explains using this imagery that everyone looks at Juliet because she gives off a stunning and intricate outlook.
tells the story as it should be told and comes under the utter annoyance of the
Good morning/afternoon Ms Pritchard and 10B English, today I will be exploring two of the same scenes from different film versions of Romeo and Juliet. Each film was directed by different but equally professional directors to allow the audience to understand the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. The scene I am going to analyse is the party scene when Romeo and Juliet meet for the first time. The first film being discussed was directed by Baz Luhrman in 1996; an Australian director who loves to spice up his films to keep the audience on their feet. The second film was directed by Carlo Carlei in 2013; an Italian master mind of directing who prefers to stay true to his films and become one with the audience and the story being told. Both directors
William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is fully summarized in Shakespeare's prologue: "Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona where we lay our scene. From ancient grudge break to new mutiny where civil blood make civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes, a pair of star crossed lovers who take their life" (Universal, 1996). This movie is a masterful culmination of the director's phenomenal ability to create a powerful introduction, to select a realistic, but surreal setting, to choose realistic actors, and to enact specialized dramatic effects.
Would you rather know what really happened or just know about part of
As all the stories begin to interconnect in some way, relationships are tested, created and broken apart.
The Dramatic Effects of Act 1 Scene 5 of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet There are many components to Shakespeare’s classic ‘Romeo’. Juliet’, which mainly consists of love, hate and honour. This is the story of the incessant love of two young people, which crosses the borders of family and convention. It encompasses love, hate and tons of other things. of emotion, tragically ending with the harsh reality of death.