Baz Luhrmann’s Essay

How does Baz Luhrmanns film interlingual rendition of Romeo and Juliet visually highlight Shakespeares rich language and imagery? Shakespeares use of language reflects the theatre of his day. There were no elaborate regulate designs, costumes, lighting or sound effects and on that point were also just a small number of actors playing many different parts. This could abridge confusing and thusly the language and imagery had to do all the swear turn up 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 devil hours traffic of our do and the very last words our toil shall strive to mend, mystify significant meaning. These convictions, spoken by the chorus, highlight to the audience the key mend elements to come. It gives the audience an idea of what they are about to watch or file and makes the ensuing action more than intelligible. This dramatic convention t herefore acts approximately like a photograph trailer. In Baz Luhrmanns film variant of the play, the prologue begins with a long apoplexy of a television (within a television), with a reporter speaking to us from in gradient of it.Behind the reporters left shoulder are the words star-crossed extolrs and a symbol of a broken ring. This, in the first minute of the play, already introduces us to the position that Romeo and Juliet are star-crossed lovers, which is a major theme throughout the entire play. The newsworthiness reporter then delivers the whole prologue from beginning to end, in advance the camera zooms bring forward and further in until the shoot of extreme close up, at which point the prologue changes. This is how Baz Luhrmann achieves a similar effect to Shakespeares dramatic use of the prologue.By doing this, it is almost as if we are entering the mental picture and if you do non wish to go in then it is your choice not to come up watching. In the second se ntence of the prologue, In second-rate Verona (where we lay our scene), Shakespeare carefully uses the positive modifier fair to describe the city. This emphasizes the fact that Verona is closely associated with God, therefore establishing it as a placidityful, moral city. However, this is contradicted by negative modifiers in the neighboring sentences of the prologue, which are From ancient hatred break to new mutiny, where civil personal credit line makes civil hands unclean.This brings in the fact that there is an superannuated grudge between two families. However, with this grudge there is ancestry toss and constant fights, some of which draw in innocent civilians. In the movie this section of the prologue is fracture from a fast-moving helicopter. There is an extreme long shot and an aerial view of Verona, which introduces us to the town. A statue of Jesus is shown, immediately followed by the words IN FAIR VERONA, in large, white letters. Then, for several seconds, t here is jump cutting between the Jesus statue and the phrase.This is how Baz Luhrmann shows us that Verona is normally a good, religious city. This is then followed by some fast, substantial shots. We are shown two separate buildings one which has the sign Montague at the top, and the other which has the sign Capulet on top. This introduces us to the two feuding families who are the centre of the play. In addition, a police car which says Verona Police is filmed. All of these key points visually highlight Shakespeares imagery and language. The police car is an indication of the violence to come that is ca apply by the feud and upsets the normal, peaceful status quo.The first six-spot lines of the prologue are basically the most important in establishing the plot for example lines three and quad from the prologue from ancient grudge break to new mutiny and where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. Luhrmann usually emphasises these points with newspaper headlines shown in the movie with those exact sentences on them. These lines of the prologue are also heard as the voice-over of the Friar. cover cutting is used to move from headline to headline and the newspapers are shot in extreme close up, surrounded by flames of fire.With each sentence of the prologue that is said, an accompanying image is shown on the screen with it. These include violent images such(prenominal) as police cars and police helicopters. Overall, expressive lighting is used in the film, to add even greater intensity to the conflict between peace and war in Verona. This, along with words such as demise, rage and blood, really start to show the dark side of the plot and ironically contrasts with Verona being described as a fair city previously.Next, line ten of the prologue, the continuance of their parents rage, establishes the fact that the grudge between the families is a long-standing ordeal. This is represented in the movie with a montage, display the many magazines which talk ab out the hatred of the two families. Line cardinal in the prologue, from forth the fatal loins of these two foes, aims to introduce the parents of Romeo and Juliet and in fact the two main characters themselves. Therefore, at this point, Baz Lurhmann shows a short flash back of each significant actor in the movie.This is followed by a trap frame on them, with the name of their character and any outstanding relationships he or she might stimulate with other characters. The freeze frames are passing close up on the characters faces and it sets the scene for the rest of the movie, so we cognise who to look out for. This is also an opportunity for Baz Luhrmann to give some hold information about the characters status. He does so by filming Montague and Capulet at a slightly lower angle than the others, making them appear more intimidating than the rest.This is how he effectively shows that they are the heads of the two households. In lines six and nine of the prologue, Shakespeare uses such phrases as star-crossed and death-marked to describe Romeo and Juliets love. First of all, love and death are oxymoronic and are not commonly found together in the same sentence. Secondly, star-crossed implies that they have no control over their love. It implies that circle is in control and the minute they fell in love twain were destined to die. In the film during this time, loud, fast and rising operatic symphony is played.This is incidental medication significantly increases the level of tension and drama in the prologue. This is therefore appropriate for trying to emphasize the fact of the couples fated love. What Baz Luhrmann does here is basically pull the whole prologue together. Proceeding this, after the prologue has been explained, Baz Luhrmann tries to increase the level of suspense even further, to truly point out the violence and the tragic ending of the play. Therefore what he does, with the opera music still playing, is show most of the prologue on t he screen in writing. brook cutting is used between each sentence, but it is barely clear since the editing is at such a high speed, so the prologue is literally flashing before your eyes. Afterwards, Baz Luhrmann shows snippets from the entire movie to the audience. Jump cutting is used and the images flash at a very high speed before you. He goes from the end to the beginning of the movie, and what he achieves is, in a sense, a visual prologue At the very end of the prologue, the title Romeo + Juliet comes up and the gain 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 Luhrmanns film adaptation of the prologue from Romeo and Juliet successfully visually highlights Shakespeares rich la nguage and imagery. We can see how he has departed through the prologue and then fairly systematically translated its deeper meaning, in remarkably originative ways. He effectively translates all the messages of the prologue in a contemporary and entertain context.