Baz Luhrman vs Zefrelli. Romeo and Juliet.
Baz Luhrmann’s film interpretation of Act 5 scene 3 of Romeo and Juliet conveys the tragedy of the play more effectually than Zefrelli’s. This is because Baz Luhrmann has made more effective use of film elements to fully capture the heart-breaking nature of the scene. Such as; colour and lighting props and the setting he staged the scene in, the actors and the way the events in the scene unfolded. Zefrelli’s interpretation of the play was undoubtedly moving, Baz Luhrmann’s more modern adaption allows the viewers to experience the full force of the tragedy.
Luhrmann staged this scene in a modern day church, which is a more familiar setting to a contemporary Australian audience. The church was brightly lit, populated with hundreds of lit candles and neon crosses. Emphasizing how much Juliet was loved by her family and the community and in turn showing how distraught these people are over such a tremendous loss, adding to the tragedy of the play. Juliet used a gun to end her life, a more modern day means of carrying out the act. Zefrelli’s version on the other hand was visually unstimulating, due to it being set in a decrypt tomb, an unfamiliar site to modern day audiences. In this version, Juliet’s tool for committing suicide was a blade, an inefficient way of ending your life and one that is not commonly seen today. Although one might argue that Zefrelli’s version is more effective at conveying the sense of tragedy Shakespeare intended as it is more faithful to the original due to it being set in the same place it was in the play, the number of people that have read Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is dwindling. This means that a large portion of modern day viewers wouldn’t be affected by the large change in scenery. Baz Luhrmann’s version incorporated modern day scenery and props, which are suited to a modern day audience, therefore making it more effective than Zefrelli’s film at conveying the tragedy.
The colour and lighting in Luhrmann’s scene was produced by
Luhrmann staged this scene in a modern day church, which is a more familiar setting to a contemporary Australian audience. The church was brightly lit, populated with hundreds of lit candles and neon crosses. Emphasizing how much Juliet was loved by her family and the community and in turn showing how distraught these people are over such a tremendous loss, adding to the tragedy of the play. Juliet used a gun to end her life, a more modern day means of carrying out the act. Zefrelli’s version on the other hand was visually unstimulating, due to it being set in a decrypt tomb, an unfamiliar site to modern day audiences. In this version, Juliet’s tool for committing suicide was a blade, an inefficient way of ending your life and one that is not commonly seen today. Although one might argue that Zefrelli’s version is more effective at conveying the sense of tragedy Shakespeare intended as it is more faithful to the original due to it being set in the same place it was in the play, the number of people that have read Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is dwindling. This means that a large portion of modern day viewers wouldn’t be affected by the large change in scenery. Baz Luhrmann’s version incorporated modern day scenery and props, which are suited to a modern day audience, therefore making it more effective than Zefrelli’s film at conveying the tragedy.
The colour and lighting in Luhrmann’s scene was produced by