This location helps to describe the extreme situation of the fighting families. On the other hand Zeffirelli’s Romeo and Juliet takes place in the ancient Italian city, with cobblestone streets and Roman mansions. The original play was performed in this setting, The
The Similarities between the Zefirelli and the Luhrman is the use of the Shakespearean language and the difference is their settings. While, the similarities between the Zefirelli and West Side Story is that they both follow the story of “Romeo and Juliet” although they are different in the setting and language that is used. West side Story and Lurman is similar in the setting they used, more modern, but different in how they have made the story and also the language used. So, these three movie versions of the “Romeo and Juliet” have differences and similarities between them. Franco Zeferelli made “Romeo and Juliet” very traditional that it really uses a balcony to show the balcony scene.
There are also economic and legal factors: Shakespeare is helpfully outside copyright law as well as interesting to adapt. Shakespeare on screen gradually became part of the establishment, reflecting its growing academic respectability. Shakespeare on screen is now in its second century and the reasons why Shakespeare has so long been considered adaptable have been variously discussed. According to Robert Hamilton Ball, Shakespeare’s dramas were considered ideal material for cinema in the early 20th century because the presence of Shakespeare on film raised the contemporary estimation of film. A successful adaptation of Shakespeare must then convey an anxiety of influence (Adaptation form Text to Screen, Screen to Text) P 31) an awareness that the reproduction is both dependent on and
Romeo and Juliet What is the difference in Luhrmann’s and Zefferelli’s movie? In Luhrmann’s movie his version is more modern, dramatic, and uses visual thoughts. Zefferelli’s has more of Shakespeare’s vision. This gives it more of a classic feel to it. For fans of Shakespeare, Zefferelli’s should be the one to watch, but for a more action filled modern Romeo and Juliet then Luhrmann’s is the best.
Both films provide very different perspectives on Shakespeare's text because of the different eras in which they were set. The symbolism and imagery in both films are very different because of this factor. Franco Zeffirelli’s version of Romeo and Juliet takes a traditional and more suitable approach for the script, being set in the Elizabethan period as this was the period that the suits the script best. The acting in this movie is very theatrical and is being acted as if it was a theatre performance, just not on stage. It is set in Verona, Italy, which is where the play was based in the script.
How has context influenced the presentation of some of the main Themes and issues in Baz Luhrmann’s modern film version of “Romeo + Juliet”? Baz Luhrmann’s contemporary film interpretation of William Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy Romeo and Juliet, explores the resonating social and religious values inherent in both the Elizabethan era and the 20th century, allowing us to understand the significance of contextual differences in influencing the presentation of universal issues. Film techniques are utilised to emphasise the modernisation incorporated in Luhrmann’s re-exploration of the Shakespeare’s play, and enhances the audience’s understanding of religion in the texts as well as the conflict between love and hate amid social chaos, that presides within the 16th and 20th centuries. Baz Luhrmann establishes the 20th century context as a world of moral corruption that echoes the social disorder in Shakespeare's play, in which the feud between the rich and powerful Capulet and Montague families embodies a hate that fuels the ongoing social chaos within the appropriated contemporary setting, “Verona beach”. Influenced by the modern day context, Luhrmann adopts the indiscriminate usage of guns in place of sword fighting to depict violence and lack of social order caused by an “ancient grudge”.
Lisa Kuenzl ENGL 203 02, April 2012 Titus Andronicus Director Julie Taymor set the play in an anachronistic fantasy world that uses locations, costumes and imagery from many periods of history, including Ancient Rome and also Italy. This gives the impression of a Roman Empire that survived into the modern era. It’s one of the major components of the film. Chiron and Demetrius dress like modern rock stars, but the Andronici dress like Roman soldiers. Some characters use chariots, some use cars and motorcycles.
Analyzing the Prologue of Romeo and Juliet 1996 The 1996 version of Romeo and Juliet, directed by Baz Luhrmann gives a different perspective of Shakespeare’s famous play. Luhrmann has adapted this play into a modern action through the use of different modernizing and cinematic techniques. Both the writing and the film begin with the prologue, which sets the scene. Unlike in play writings, prologues are rarely narrated in films. Thus, the 1996 version of Romeo and Juliet presents the prologue as a television report.
In the reading Death in Venice, adapting Mann and Mahler written by Henry Bacon, the author discusses both sides of the opinions and interpretations of Visconti’s film. The success of the film was greatly built on the combined ‘superpower’ like reputations of Visconti, Mahler and Mann. These reputations created a set standard for the film. The visual nature of film, and the changes made to the plot created a collection of interpretative issues for the piece. Some critics even saw the film as a perversion of the novella and that the relationship between Aschenbach and Tadziu was ruined through the visual aspects film.
Of course the classical past was the unique draw of Italy, but it should not be forgotten that there was a lively fine arts scene in which foreigners were keen to participate and an intellectual circuit for the ‘curious’ traveller. Travellers’ interests had developed through the eighteenth century into interest in subjective interpretations, but again there were the arts as well as a political and religious situation to debate over. Where the Encyclopedia’s useful statement appears to fall down would be with the Romantic Grand Tour which developed from the very end of the eighteenth century. Yet even here travellers continued to seek self-improvement, where the sublime mountains and picturesque ruins of old classical civilisation proved an ideal ground for the provocation of emotions. Finally, although Italy contained a unique variety of attractions, this is not enough to explain such amazing stability of the tour, and in fact the social prestige attached to Italian travel as well as the enormous quantity of works on the country were just as important in reinforcing travel.