Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story “Romeo and Juliet” is a very popular story of two star-crossed lovers and there is hatred between their families, which has three popular movie versions. These are the Franco Zefirelli’s version, Baz Luhrman’s version and the West Side Story. They are all based in the story of “Romeo and Juliet” but they are made differently especially in the setting, language, and some of their content. At the same time, there are also many similarities between these three movie versions of “Romeo and Juliet”. The Similarities between the Zefirelli and the Luhrman is the use of the Shakespearean language and the difference is their settings.
Luhrmann aimed at a younger age group, and he made it a lot more exciting and violent with a lot more action using the best special effects possible at the time it was made. Technology was evolving at the time this version was made and the younger generation were more interested in movies with the best special effects a movie could offer. Because of this approach, the language did not match the movie as it did to Franco Zeffirelli’s version. However, although they were carrying around guns, Baz Luhrmann kept the language from the original script and
Some places where the films differed were the assassination scene, and the acting of particular characters. At other instances, such as the orations, both editions were similar in the way they approached the scene. The advantage of a color version is an obvious one, and that is that the viewers feel as if the scene they are viewing is more realistic. A perfect example of how scenery and color was utilized to better portray the story was the assassination of Julius Caesar. Although a shocking event in both adaptations, the color version better fit the mood of the attack on Caesar’s life.
Films sometimes use plays as their sources. William Shakespeare has been called the most popular screenwriter in Hollywood. We are likely to assume that any translation of a Shakespeare text into a ‘live’ dramatic form-theatrical performance, film adaptation, television production-will automatically constitute a progressive act. Shakespeare is so frequently adapted because he is a major author. There are also economic and legal factors: Shakespeare is helpfully outside copyright law as well as interesting to adapt.
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.
The themes of immature blind passion, hatred and prejudice play many roles in this brilliant film. Romeo and Juliet are young teenagers who fall in love despite the prejudice of their families. Regardless of the feud, they marry in secret. They try to hide their actions but the story ends with dire consequences. The actors in the film were very convincing and realistic actors.
In IV.iv.2-69, Hamlet has a very dramatic soliloquy that is very effective for the impatient and technologically inclined audience. Gregory Doran directed his production in a way that is different than any other production; he took a risk and made it as modern as possible, without losing the essence of Shakespeare to target a younger audience. A younger audience tends to be more impatient with the content of their movies and TV shows; Doran uses this to his advantage, knowing that it is typically the younger audience that watches TV and videos. By having a strong and familiar cast, he draws the viewer into the video and keeps their attention by moving scenes around and subtracting unnecessary lines. In the rather dramatic soliloquy, Doran cuts out almost half of the lines.
Also, several similarities in plot exist between Romeo and Juliet and Much Ado About Nothing. In each of these plays, a romance between young lovers includes a false death of the female character, which the male character believes to be real. In Romeo and Juliet, there is a fatal ending; in which both of the lovers kill themselves because they would rather die than go on living without each other. However, in Much Ado About Nothing, the false death is discovered before there are any real deaths. Both couples do end up together, although one is in life and the other in death.
His realistic drama of ideas surpassed other such works because they blend together a complex plot, a detailed setting and middle-class emergence of ordinary people (Nora and Torvald). Theatre of conformity produces plays that are cheap, ordinary and easy-to-respond. They do not
Brandon FLOGGNAW 4/28/14 Period 1 ENG 9 R+J Movie Compare/Contrast Pros and Cons The two Romeo and Juliet movies were very unique and creative. The two movies were very different but still stayed true to the original play. The two movies barely changed to much in the movie, but they did still add a few things here and there. The two movies were very good, they were both very good adaptions of the original play. Even though the movies were very good adaptions, the movies did changes some things whether it was text or scenery.