Modernity Of The Play example essay topic

Baz Luhrmann has succeeded in bringing Shakespeare to a young more modern audience. He has done this by using techniques such as mise-en-scene, montage and various genres. These are used in relation to the themes of the play, which are destiny, love, violence and death. The cinematic techniques help to capture the interest of modern audiences while retaining the original language by using up to date resources. The opening scenes make us aware that the film is a modern day version of the film. For example, at the very beginning, a black lady newsreader is reading the prologue.

This is different to the original play, because in Shakespeare's time, a white man dressed as Shakespeare would have read it. The television that the female newsreader is in at the beginning of the film is seen as just a little black dot with a tiny white dot in the centre of it to begin with. The camera then zooms in on it. The prologue is then repeated with pictures to help the audience understand the Old English vocabulary.

For example, as the reader speaks about both families, both families come up on the screen. The modernity of the play is also shown by the city. The city is incredibly modern. There are policemen, helicopters and cars. Also, the clothes they wear are different.

In the first version of the play, there would have been men running around in tights, but in the modern version, the Capulets have Armani suits and the Montagues have Hawaiian shirts. A statue of Christ shows that the town is very religious. A dissolve technique is used to begin the film, which is supposed to show the curtain opening. It is clear that the theme of the play is violence. We know from the beginning of the play that the 'star-crossed lovers' love is doomed. The atmosphere at the beginning shows that there is a lot of tension between the two families.

There are three different genres used in the first scene. One of these is western. This theme is emphasised by Tybalt (a Capulet) grinding a match with his spurred boots. Also, it is emphasised by the soundtrack and the sign creaking with the wind. Another genre borrowed is action. This theme is expressed through camera speed.

The action of Tybalt is slowed down. The theme of action is also emphasised by screeching tyres. To top it all off, the petrol station explodes. The last type of genre used is comedy. This is emphasised by one of the Montagues being hit over the head by and old lady's handbag. His facial expression helps to emphasise the comedy aspect of the scene.

Baz Luhrmann made this film a modern and faced paced reproduction of the play because most audiences are used to this and are therefore more interested in this sort of film. When we first see Romeo, we see him formally dressed in a suit. This tells us Romeo us from a rich family. However, his top buttons on his shirt are undone and he is smoking. This allows us to think that he is a bit of a tear away and doesn't live up to his parent's expectations throughout the film. Romeo is sitting on an old broken stage when we first see him.

He is writing romantic poetry. This tells us that he is quite a soft-hearted young man. He doesn't look like someone who would have shootouts or fights. The stage behind him reminds us that the play was actually performed on stage and not always on screen. When we first see Juliet, she is bathing. This stresses her cleanliness and purity.

However, her father classes her as a child in the big world. He says: "My child is yet a stranger in the world". He is saying that Juliet doesn't know anything about the world and that she is too young to understand it. The theme of destiny comes clear in the scene with Romeo and his friends before the party.

Montage, the way shots are linked together in sequence, accentuates the theme of destiny. The darkness imitates how there will be depressing circumstances and death. The scene in which there are fireworks reflects on destiny also. The fireworks imitate the stars. Montage is used to reflect Romeo seeing his own future. The scene cuts quickly from Romeo's face to the scene from the tomb at the end.

The story of two fourteen year olds falling in love may seem ridiculous. Baz Luhrmann sets out in the ball scene to show us why these to young people need each other and have to be together despite their families hatred towards each other. Romeo is dressed as a knight in shining armour and Juliet is dresses as an angel. They both seem to be dressed as romantics.

Everyone else is dressed as evil, wealthy or powerful people. For example, Juliet's mother and father are dressed as Cleopatra and Caesar. This makes them out to be powerful, wealthy, rather God like people. Paris is dressed as an astronaut. This makes him out to be heroic. Tybalt is dressed as Satan.

This shoes how evil he is and also probably how powerful he is too. The lighting also seems to show the romance effect. In the ballroom, the room is dark, but vibrant. There are deep reds and other vibrant colours. This shows that the atmosphere is sinister and excessive.

However, the bathroom has soft, pastel shades. This shows romance. This mise-en-scene used through this scene sets.