Baz Luhrmann and Franco Zeffirelli’s film Essay

Having watched two distinct film adaptations of Romeo and Juliet, it is well-defined to see that the two directors have use a number of different techniques, quite differently at times, to put across their particular interpretations of the play. These methods and different interpretations argon very obvious if superstar studies the same go out as portrayed in each film. We looked at Franco Zeffirellis 1970s version of the play and Baz Luhrmanns recent adaptation produced in 1996 and focused on their interpretation of the painting whither Romeo and Juliet meet for the prototypical time.The first thing I noticed is that costume is very important in Zeffirellis scene. Juliet, played by Olivia Hussey, is wear a traditional styled red and gold dress, which highlights wealth. It is not as detailed as approximately at the party which exhibits to the fact that it is not just material wealth she has but also the great amount of natural beauty she has. The bright red contrasts with her pale complexion and jet-black hair to give way her look very striking. Romeos outfit is also very noticeable as he is wearing a mask. It adds to the air of mystery around him as Juliet meets him for the first time. It also boosters to polish off a point about the nature of their attraction when she first sees him, Juliet sees only Romeos eyes, yet is still drawn to him. Therefore, here there is something more than physical attraction. Instead, it seems to be a communion of souls since eyes ar often considered to be the windows to this part of ourselves.The choreography of the scene also reveals something about Romeos feelings towards Juliet. His attention is fixed upon a maam which we assume to be Rosaline who is jump and then twirls out of shot to reveal Juliet to R0meo. It is here that he proclaims he has never seen true beauty until now. It is showing to us that although Romeo thought he was in drive in with Rosaline, it is vigor comp bed to his feelings for Juliet. When the chance arises for Romeo to join Juliet in a dance, he dismisses different ladies for the opportunity to dance with Juliet. As the dancing gets faster, long shots are used to show the amount of good deal present at the party. The dancing changes and people begin to spin around in a circle the photographic television camera shots change, letting people be given past the camera at a very high speed.It looks like flashes of colour flying through and through the shot no faces can be seenclearly. The fast dancing reflects the sheer excitement that they are feeling, that they are so in love that it is truly exhilarating. It is here that Franco Zeffirelli shows how love at first sight very can be true as amongst the chaos and frivolity of colour, the camera jump cuts to Romeo to the party of move colour and to Juliet. He has d atomic number 53 this to show how amongst the chaos of their feuding families, they have their birth world where no one else matters except each ot her.When the bard starts to sing, Romeo and Juliet speak for the first time. As they do, the words being sung in the background have a large resemblance to their lives. It tells of their willingness to be together but their struggle to make it possible as they are torn apart by their feuding families. As the choreography reflects the emotions of the characters, the score that plays in the Zeffirelli film reflects their emotions again as when Romeo sees Juliet, he sees her beauty and the score changes to a softer, more gentle tune. Franco Zeffirelli contrasts Romeo and Juliet when they are together with the melody. It changes from loud, frantic music to gentle, heavenly tunes, the score changes to a minor key as she is not sure about him and then surges as they kiss.In the play, Shakespeare also juxtaposes scenes that are chaotic with very tranquil peaceful ones. As I have said, the score changes as Juliet and Romeo are together and in the play, Shakespeare shows their love by cons tantly comparing scenes with them in to scenes with fighting, frantic happenings and chaos.In Baz Luhrmanns film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, the scene I have studied begins with Romeo played by Leonardo Di Caprio with his face submerged in water, airstream his face, which clears his mind of drugs and he sees Juliet in a clearer light. The lovers first meeting is a sequence where each is on either side of a lavish fish tank. The lighting used is a pale blue, devising it seem slightly surreal, almost dream like. As Romeo and Juliet playfully look at each other through the tank, camera shots cleverly portray their meeting to look like they are together in spite of appearance the tank. In this scene, camera distances vary from medium close-shots to close-ups andback again, their eyes are depicted throughout, as the camera shots change, it portrays them watching each other, discovering each other every feature, every move.The idea of social and physical barriers is presented by having the fish tank between the two of them, keeping them apart thus visualizing to the audience the other font of Romeo and Juliets love. The fish tank serves as a physical barrier between the two lovers, up to now though there are also a lot of emotional barriers. Even though Romeo is bedazzle from the ecstasy pill and his infatuation with Rosaline, it is the water that purifies and cleanses his mind and it the free, flowing nature of water that Luhrmann uses as a representation of love.When the two lovers kiss in the lift, the cameras encircle them, thus suggesting that Romeo and Juliet are at the centre of their own universe, in total disregard or lack of awareness of the social chaos as suggested by the blurred images around them. The way in which the imagery of water is used to symbolise their own world, camera shots, lighting and music also add to the depth of their love. The beautiful melody of Kissing You marks the sign meeting of Romeo and Juliet, and Desrees deep, soulful voice glides gently through the house as the strangers playfully observe each other through the fish tank. The score is a brave and eclectic mixing of atmospheric music from Radioheads Talk Show Host to Wagners Liebstod. The emphasis is on music that is emotive and suitable for a particular scene rather than creating a soundtrack rooted in one genre as in the Zeffirelli adaptation.The Capulet Ball is one of the most outstanding sequences in the movie. The decorations are spectacular, and the costumes are magnificent. However, the party is not all just glitz and glamour. Upon closer investigation, we can see that it is also a perfect opportunity for Luhrmann to accentuate the individual motivations of the characters with clever use of costumes. Romeo is the knight in shining armor who has been sent to rescue Juliet, and Juliet is a bright angel, innocent and pure, who has been sent to relieve Romeos confusion and despair. Luhrmann supplements this image by showing Romeo and Juliet as innocent, beautiful and youthful. This is achieved by the continuous focus of the cameras on the freshness of their skin, their bubbling eyes, flushed cheeks and pink lips in addition to the words of Shakespeare.In conclusion, these two films, although based upon the same play, contend across very differently. The fact that Franco Zeffirelli has set his in the time Shakespeare intended it to and Baz Luhrmann has set his in twentieth century Verona beach, Florida has a considerable amount to do with these differences. It is interesting to see that both directors have used the concept of the young couple existing in their own world, although both of them use different techniques to present this, their outcome is visualised to the viewer the same. Baz Luhrmann has had certain advantages to his film as he had technology to service him portray the initial meaning in a more dream like manner with the help of special lighting and specific camera shots. Also, this adaptation wa s a major Hollywood blockbuster with millions of dollars to be spent on it. Whereas, 40 years ago, I imagine that Franco Zeffirelli would have had to deal with a work out and obviously, did not have the technology to portray special effects and sounds.