How accurate is Baz Lurhmann's film Romeo+Juliet in comparison to William Shakespeare's play?
Baz Luhrmann 's film Romeo and Juliet includes everything Shakespeare intended in his play: hate, violence, and a forbidden love leading to tragic suicide. Luhrmann has cleverly taken the play and enacted it in a way that includes all the main elements of Shakespeare 's version of the story, combined with the elements of a modern action film. Not only has he created his own interpretation, Luhrmann also is able to keep his film accurate due to filmic codes. In his rendition of Romeo and Juliet, Baz Luhrmann has represented the characters Tybalt, Juliet, and Mercutio accurately through their costuming.
In his feature film, Baz Luhrmann uses the filmic code of costuming to accurately portray Tybalt. Tybalt makes his first appearance in the opening scene of the movie, where he is seen wearing skin-tight black leather clothing. His outfit is accompanied by dark sunglasses, stunning metal-capped shoes and perfect, slicked-back hair. It becomes very apparent to the viewers that Tybalt obviously takes care to a large extent of his appearance: he looks immaculate. The image the audience immediately receives from this is that he is conceited and arrogant. Tybalt 's outfit in the first scene perfectly grasps his character in the play. In the original text written by Shakespeare, Tybalt is arrogant and egotistical. By dressing Tybalt with expensive, flashy clothes Baz Luhrmann points out his vanity. It is clear that Tybalt thinks very highly of himself, and the audience is given the impression that a person who was this vain would react violently when their pride is injured, just as Tybalt does later on in the play. Baz Luhrmann uses Tybalt 's costuming a second time to highlight and develop his character accurately. At the Capulet 's costume party Tybalt is wearing a devil costume, complete with horns and a pitchfork. This insinuates that Tybalt 's personality is quite like the devil 's - hateful and revengeful. By using appropriate costumes, Baz Luhrmann has achieved in
In his feature film, Baz Luhrmann uses the filmic code of costuming to accurately portray Tybalt. Tybalt makes his first appearance in the opening scene of the movie, where he is seen wearing skin-tight black leather clothing. His outfit is accompanied by dark sunglasses, stunning metal-capped shoes and perfect, slicked-back hair. It becomes very apparent to the viewers that Tybalt obviously takes care to a large extent of his appearance: he looks immaculate. The image the audience immediately receives from this is that he is conceited and arrogant. Tybalt 's outfit in the first scene perfectly grasps his character in the play. In the original text written by Shakespeare, Tybalt is arrogant and egotistical. By dressing Tybalt with expensive, flashy clothes Baz Luhrmann points out his vanity. It is clear that Tybalt thinks very highly of himself, and the audience is given the impression that a person who was this vain would react violently when their pride is injured, just as Tybalt does later on in the play. Baz Luhrmann uses Tybalt 's costuming a second time to highlight and develop his character accurately. At the Capulet 's costume party Tybalt is wearing a devil costume, complete with horns and a pitchfork. This insinuates that Tybalt 's personality is quite like the devil 's - hateful and revengeful. By using appropriate costumes, Baz Luhrmann has achieved in
Bibliography: •SparkNotes 2007, 'Analysis of Major Characters ', http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/romeojuliet/canalysis.html#Mercutio•Romeo + Juliet (video recording)•Helium, 'Movie Analysis: Baz Lurhmann 's Shakespeare 's Romeo and Juliet ', http://www.helium.com/items/1067011-movie-analysis-baz-luhrmanns-shakespeares-romeo-and-juliet