Luhrmann's Film Romeo Juliet example essay topic

Baz Luhrmann's film Romeo + Juliet is a highly successful film as an appropriation of the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. The language and plot are similar to the play with only slight editing but it is set in a modern context with contemporary values and attitudes. These are relevant to modern viewers yet still focus on the same ideas that Shakespeare's play conveyed to an Elizabethan audience. Luhrmann has successfully made use of music, costuming, visual imagery and a mix of genres to shape our perception of themes, setting and characters. Elements are appropriated so that the film will entertain and be understood by today's society.

The language and plot of the film is very similar to Shakespeare's original play. Shakespeare's language has been retained but sections have been edited out and scenes altered. However this does not limit our understanding as ideas have been replaced by images, which may in fact communicate a clearer meaning. The narrative style focuses not on the text, but on the visual and audio elements that contemporary audiences are familiar with. An example is in the opening scene of the film, when the prologue is shown. In addition to having it read aloud by the newsreader, Luhrmann includes in a montage of clips such as helicopters over the city, violence in the streets and the Capulet vault as a visual representation of the prologue.

In doing this Luhrmann acknowledges Shakespeare's idea of the Prologue being a story within a story and its importance in the play. For a modern audience, the Prologue is much easier to understand when presented in a visual manner. Music also plays an important role in establishing the mood and atmosphere of the film. The music during the montage is powerful and dramatic and is continued at relevant times during the film for this purpose, such as after the conflict at the petrol station. Music can also reveal aspects of character, for example the gentle, romantic music when Romeo first appears.

Compared to Shakespeare's audience, music plays a prominent role in today's entertainment and Luhrmann successfully uses this to convey ideas. The plot for the ending of the film has been changed slightly and the language changed in terms of the timings of the lovers' deaths. The death of Paris and arrest of the Friar in the play have been cut and replaced by an emotional scene between the lovers. Juliet's most courageous speech, where she contemplates waking up amongst the corpses, is also cut. However filmic techniques such as close-ups of Juliet's fingers trembling and the fluttering of her eyelashes are an effective visual equivalent for what is edited out, as well as adding tension to the final scene for the modern viewers. Modern values and attitudes are present throughout the film, interwoven with aspects of visual imagery.

Luhrmann uses these instead of Elizabethan values and attitudes so that his film is relevant to its audience. The film does this by presenting an infiltration of modern culture with issues on drugs and sexuality. It is also more plausible for today's generation, as these are aspects of society often portrayed in the media, especially through television. The media plays a prominent role in the film with news reports and newspaper headlines often telling the story. Examples include when Romeo finds out about the brawl through the news on TV and also the party to be held at the Capulets.

The prominence of television throughout the film shows it is the medium of popular culture of today, thus Luhrmann acknowledges that his film is popular culture. By establishing a world and similar to that of the audience, Luhrmann successfully allows viewers to understand the film and hence Shakespeare's play. Visual imagery is used to reinforce values and attitudes presented by the film. The most vivid imagery is in the form of contemporary Catholicism. There are overt religious displays from the stone statue of Christ to the cross-tattooed on the Friar's back. These are a paradox to the world of drugs and violence in which the film is set.

This is especially the case for the gun Romeo used to kill Tybalt, which has a picture of the Virgin Mary on it. It could also reflect the hypocrisy in Shakespeare's Verona (and Protestant England) in the duty paid to its faith. Water is also an element of visual imagery Luhrmann uses in the film. One of the things it may symbolism is purity and clarity of thought. The fluidity of the camera, along with images of water, express feelings of freedom in scenes between Romeo and Juliet. When Romeo washes his face at the party the effects of the drug wear off and he removes his mask to reveal his true self.

In addition to this, the shot of Romeo's face in the water is identical to one of Juliet from the previous scene. This allows viewers to make a connection between these two characters before they even meet. The use of visual imagery throughout the film is particularly effective for Luhrmann's target audience, a visually attuned generation. Despite the modern values and attitudes, the themes in the film are still the same as those of Shakespeare's play.

Loyalty of the Montagues and Capulets to their houses is visually expressed through the number plates on their cars and the family crest at the butt of their guns. The family feud is still present but the 'ancient grudge' is transformed into corporate rivalry, symbolized by the two office blocks facing each other. The conflict between young Montagues and Capulets is in the form of gang violence so that it is more recognizable to the target teen audience. In his film, Luhrmann aims to 'address the original Shakespeare' and provide entertainment for the masses, just as Shakespeare did. He does this successfully by creating a popular culture product for the masses but still retaining the same themes of the original play, but in a modern context for the contemporary audience to relate to. The film itself is set in Verona Beach, an urban coastal metropolis similar to Miami in America.

Many of the different sets in the film are designed to convey as much information as possible about characters and events. For example, Romeo is first seen on the beach at sunset and he is bathed in a yellow light. The visual effect of this combined with the setting gives viewers an idea of his romantic personality. Similarly, the innocence of Juliet, a girl scarcely past childhood is portrayed through her room, where there are many stuffed toys in a corner.

Luhrmann weaves aspects of visual imagery into the setting to add to the viewers' understanding of the film. Mantua contrasts with Verona Beach in being dry and dusty to show the isolation and loneliness of Romeo's banishment. In addition to the setting, characters, casting and costumes are all appropriated in the film to suit contemporary audiences as well as add to their understanding. In the opening scene of the film, the characters are given first names and introduced with a signature sequence and a caption defining their role in the film. This is similar to TV series and soaps and the style is familiar to modern audiences.

The casting in the film allows the Montague boys to be easily distinguished from the Capulets. They are white Americans with a beach boy image, having sun bleached hair and wearing Hawaiian shirts. The Capulets on the other hand, are of Hispanic appearance and dress in black. Both Mercurio and the Prince are black, so that it is clear they do not belong to either family and are neutral. Luhrmann successfully uses casting to allow viewers to distinguish between characters.

It also adds an element of multiculturalism to the film that contemporary audiences are familiar with. The costumes worn by characters help to define their personality and role in the film. This is especially so during the party at the Capulet mansion. Lady Capulet is dressed as Cleopatra and indeed it is hinted she is having an affair with Tybalt, who wears a red devil costume to symbolize anger and hate. Contrasted to most other characters in the play, Romeo and Juliet are separate from the adult world and the family feud.

They have a youthful appearance and their innocence and purity is shown through the simplicity and colours of their clothes, being mainly white, silver or blue. Luhrmann successfully uses casting and costume and combines these with visual techniques such as use of colour. By doing so, he helps viewers distinguish and understand the characters of the film in a visual manner. Luhrmann's choice of film as the medium for his appropriation allows many elements to be used to successfully shape our response to the film. This would not have been possible in theatre productions of Romeo and Juliet during Shakespeare's time. One example is combining a number of film genres.

The first conflict between Montagues and Capulets at the petrol station uses an intensely mobile camera, rapid cuts and stylized framings. There is intertexuality in this scene, as it resembles spaghetti western films. There are close-ups of the heel of Tybalt's cowboy boots as he grinds the cigarette and the music is similar to that of western movies, with panpipes signaling the arrival of the Capulets. Despite the violence in this scene there is also humour, created by the slapstick incident of the woman hitting the Montague on the head with her handbag. The balcony scene no longer follows Shakespeare's play and has been completely altered.

Romeo climbs up to the balcony to meet Juliet, only to find the Nurse, which adds an element of comedy to the scene. This is effective as the traditional balcony scene is now regarded as clich " ed and this alteration provides renewed attention for the audience. In addition to comedy, parts of the film resemble American police action movies. Fast editing and camera movement create energy and tension in scenes such as when Romeo returns to Verona. There are shots of helicopters in the air with flashlights searching the ground and the use of loud megaphones typical of a high-speed police chase.

The inclusion of many film genres in Romeo + Juliet reinforces the modern context of the film, making it immediately accessible to its contemporary, young audience. Baz Luhrmann's film Romeo + Juliet is a highly successful appropriation of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. By setting it in a modern context and appropriating elements of the play such as character, setting, values and attitudes, Luhrmann has created a popular culture package that is easily accessible to a contemporary audience. The themes and ideas of the original play have been retained, but are communicated to a modern audience in a visual way through visual imagery and other filmic techniques. It has allowed modern audiences to appreciate and understand high culture texts.