Baz Luhrmanns Film Adaptation of Romeo and Juliet Essay -- Papers

Baz Luhrmann's Film Adaptation of Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare's use of language reflects the theatre of his day. There were no elaborate set designs, costumes, lighting or sound effects and there were also only a small number of actors playing many different parts. This could get confusing and therefore the language and imagery had to do all the work for the audience, as the words were the only tools available to help them imagine the scenes vividly. In the prologue of "Romeo and Juliet", line number twelve; "Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage" and the very last words; "our toil shall strive to mend", have significant meaning. These sentences, spoken by the chorus, highlight to the audience the key plot elements to come. It gives the audience an idea of what they are about to watch or read and makes the ensuing action more intelligible. This dramatic convention therefore acts almost like a movie trailer. In Baz Luhrmann's film adaptation of the play, the prologue begins with a long shot of a television (within a television), with a reporter speaking to us from inside of it. Behind the reporter's left shoulder are the words "star-crossed lovers" and a symbol of a broken ring. This, in the first minute of the play, already introduces us to the fact that Romeo and Juliet are star-crossed lovers, which is a major theme throughout the entire play. The news reporter then delivers the whole prologue from beginning to end, before the camera zooms further and further in until the point of extreme close up, at which point the prologue changes. This is how Baz Luhrmann achieves a similar effect to Shakespeare's dramatic use of the pr... ...rologue! At the very end of the prologue, the title "Romeo + Juliet" comes up and the 'plus' sign is actually made to suggest a Christian cross. This subtly reminds us of the religious side of the play. This includes the Friar, who is a religious personage, the wedding that Romeo and Juliet have and also the whole theme of destiny and some divinity or higher power looking over and controlling us in life. So in conclusion, this is how Baz Luhrmann's film adaptation of the prologue from "Romeo and Juliet" successfully visually highlights Shakespeare's rich language and imagery. We can see how he has gone through the prologue and then fairly systematically translated its deeper meaning, in remarkably creative ways. He effectively translates all the messages of the prologue in a contemporary and entertaining context.